Expected Tag Values

[kccrow]

Here's my projections for Franchise and Transition tags based on salary data from OverTheCap. I'll post an update when the official numbers come out. Attached the detail if you're interested. Franchise tags based on top 5 average of current year salaries as of April 1. Transition tags based on top 10 average of least year's salaries. Adjusted receivers to reflect apparent Calvin Johnson retirement.

POSITION	FRANCHISE	TRANSITION
CORNERBACK	$ 14,411,675	$ 11,925,849
DEFENSIVE END	$ 15,784,000	$ 13,356,927
DEFENSIVE TACKLE	$ 14,900,000	$ 8,109,353
KICKER/PUNTER	$ 4,252,500	$ 3,672,150
LINEBACKER	$ 13,976,250	$ 9,514,400
OFFENSIVE LINE	$ 12,084,550	$ 10,764,053
QUARTERBACK	$ 26,090,000	$ 18,254,867
RUNNING BACK	$ 9,795,000	$ 7,742,709
SAFETY	$ 9,090,588	$ 7,460,201
TIGHT END	$ 9,782,488	$ 7,491,171
WIDE RECEIVER	$ 14,590,000	$ 12,181,778

[TimBone]

Damn. Both Jaye Howard and Sean Smith would be huge hits. Do we have the space to sign Berry and one of these two, and then franchise the other?

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by TimBone

Damn. Both Jaye Howard and Sean Smith would be huge hits. Do we have the space to sign Berry and one of these two, and then franchise the other?

The answer, theoretically, is yes and you could sign all 3 to deals instead of using the tag. The tag wouldn't be a very appealing option as you'd further squeeze your ability to retain other key free agents, but cutting Colquitt, Fanaika, Davis, Thomas and so forth could get you another 4-5 million back. Cutting Grubbs after June 1st could free up a few million this year at the expense of next year.

Smith and Berry are easily 9.5 APY players. Howard, who knows really. Given recent contracts, 9.0 APY isn't an unrealistic expectation. You could potentially get 1st year hits in the 6-7 million range on each. Long-term cap ramifications would get interesting though.

Playing around with my spreadsheet for cap hits, I was able to give Smith, Howard, and Berry all identical deals with 1st year hits of 6.5 million. Also re-signed Branch at a first year hit of 2.4 million, D.J. at a first year hit of 3.5 million, Hali on a 1 year deal for 2.5 million, Zombo on a 1 year deal at vet min, and all 4 ERFAs (West, Williams, King, Sorensen) to vet mins and come out right on the cap. How realistic a couple of those deals will be is an unknown, especially DJ and Hali. If I had to pick one or the other to get done under the cap it'd be DJ at this point.

You'd be losing Allen, DeVito, Stephenson, Avant, Moses, Fleming, Abdullah (if you wanted to sub Abdullah for Branch go for it, horse a piece), and Daniel. Not huge losses in my book if you get those other guys done.

Like I said, the only worry is the long-term cap since these guys are going to escalate towards 10 million per cap hits relatively quickly. Houston has a huge contract and you have Poe and Fisher coming up to bat.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by TimBone

Damn. Both Jaye Howard and Sean Smith would be huge hits. Do we have the space to sign Berry and one of these two, and then franchise the other?

With rollover we have like 34m in cap space.

We structure deals with signing bonuses, so the first year cap hits are usually pretty low.

They will get Berry done and his first year cap hit will be below 5m...same with Howard.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by BossChief

With rollover we have like 34m in cap space.

We structure deals with signing bonuses, so the first year cap hits are usually pretty low.

They will get Berry done and his first year cap hit will be below 5m...same with Howard.

Are you refering to deals like Aqib Talib's? I know Dorsey likes to have low first year cap hits, but won't that catch up eventually?

[The Franchise]

Slap Howard with the transition tag. If he signs a deal and it's doable for us....then match it.

[Mile High Mania]

If you have time to waste you can adjust caps, drop/trade players... give it a whirl.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Mile High Mania

If you have time to waste you can adjust caps, drop/trade players... give it a whirl.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/

This one is better.

http://overthecap.com/

[Mile High Mania]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

This one is better.

http://overthecap.com/

Yeah, that's good as well.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by TimBone

Damn. Both Jaye Howard and Sean Smith would be huge hits. Do we have the space to sign Berry and one of these two, and then franchise the other?

With Peters looking to have a very bright future I'd retain from front to back.

I don't like franchising or locking Smith up to a long term deal. I'd trust Dorsey with another draft pick before that...