Cap should be tight for Chiefs again in '15

[Stryker]

For those wondering why the Kansas City Chiefs weren't more aggressive in free agency this year, one reason is that philosophically, the Chiefs would prefer to build their roster through the draft. Another is that they won't have a ton of salary cap room in 2015 to handle big contracts given out now.

The Chiefs have about $125.5 million of salary cap commitments for their 39 players under contract for 2015. The salary limit this year is about $133 million per team and could increase to more than $140 million next year.

But remember a few things. First, their 2015 salary load includes just 39 players. They'll need to add a few more in order to field a team. Second, quarterback Alex Smith and linebacker Justin Houston are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in 2015 and the Chiefs will need significant salary cap room in order to sign them. Last, this 2015 total doesn't include so-called dead money for players they release this year who won't be with them next year.

So this adds up to a salary cap situation that should be tight again in 2015.

Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe will have another hefty cap number in 2015 at $14 million. If the Chiefs released Bowe before next season, he would still cost them $10.5 million against their cap, so don't look for the Chiefs to cut Bowe next year merely to reap the cost savings.

The Chiefs could realize a cap savings of $9 million next year if they release linebacker Tamba Hali, whose cap number in 2015 is almost $12 million. They would save $7 million against their 2015 cap by releasing cornerback Brandon Flowers. He has a 2015 cap number of $11.5 million.

Other possible places to cut next year include at backup quarterback. If the Chiefs believe Tyler Bray is ready next year to be the top backup, they could save $3.8 million against their 2015 cap by releasing Chase Daniel. The 2015 release of wide receiver Donnie Avery would immediately shave $3.55 million from Kansas City's salary cap.

http://espn.go.com/blog/kansas-city-...kc-again-in-15

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

The post I was responding to acted like using a huge signing bonus is some magical solution that makes money go away. Bowes contract is an obvious example of one where it locks you into big base salaries that are pretty much guaranteed. People here act like you can slide money under the rug. You can get creative about how the money hits, but it doesn't disappear. The only way to make money disappear is to fleece an agent on a contract.

What?

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Right.

But the reason we're stuck with Bowe isn't because of the signing bonus.

It's because we guaranteed his salary to AVOID the signing bonus.

No, you have it wrong. No money in a contract is guaranteed except a signing bonus. Most news reports will call base salaries guaranteed if the dead money is so massive that it's ridiculous to cut. Base salaries and roster bonuses don't trigger until the year of.

The signing bonus was used as a way of making it harder for the Chiefs to not pay for the base salary.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

If Dorsey fails, that was a bone headed hire on hunts part. I am not a solving hunt from blame.

During the Herm years, he okayed a rebuild even knowing it was going to kill fan attendance. He overpaid for pioli and now is paying a shit load for Reid and Dorsey and staff. We aren't spending money because Dorsey is choosing not to. I highly doubt it's because hunt is forcing Dorsey to be cheap.

I'm sure Hunt appreciates your continued understanding in the matter of bring back 1969. As do all the other owners of all the other football teams in all the other cities that never stay stuck. There are the Clevelands, Lions and some others, but I know the vast majority of owners love what you do for their teams.

It's all good, I called it at the end of last year, it was only going to get worse, and the excuses were going to fly like debris out of a funnel cloud. None of this surprises me...

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

No, you have it wrong. No money in a contract is guaranteed except a signing bonus. Most news reports will call base salaries guaranteed if the dead money is so massive that it's ridiculous to cut. Base salaries and roster bonuses don't trigger until the year of.

The signing bonus was used as a way of making it harder for the Chiefs to not pay for the base salary.

Most news reports call Dwayne Bowe's 2013 and 2014 base salaries "fully guaranteed" because they're just that - FULLY GUARANTEED.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

I'm sure Hunt appreciates your continued understanding in the matter of bring back 1969. As do all the other owners of all the other football teams in all the other cities that never stay stuck. There are the Clevelands, Lions and some others, but I know the vast majority of owners love what you do for their teams.

It's all good, I called it at the end of last year, it was only going to get worse, and the excuses were going to fly like debris out of a funnel cloud. None of this surprises me...

What excuses? It's pretty simple. Hunt ****ed up the last hire royally. And he destroyed progress. I have not give Dorsey a free pass and have said his year 1 was overrated. If Dorsey doesn't pan out, that is a bad hire on hunts part. Saying he is being cheap at the expense of winning... There is no proof of that and in fact he is paying his staff and coaches a shit load of money for something that doesn't even count against a salary cap. If the chiefs fail, its because hunt made terrible hiring decisions.

[htismaqe]

Dwayne Bowe (WR)-Kansas City Chiefs: $12 Million

Kansas City’s $6.62 million of cap room won’t go far if the plan is to re-sign some of their 11 unrestricted free agents or be active in free agency. Bowe has the team’s highest cap number. $4.25 million of Bowe’s $8.75 million 2014 base salary was fully guaranteed when he signed a five-year, $56 million deal last year. The remaining $4.5 million becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2014 league year (March 13). The Chiefs can pick up $5,921,250 of cap room by turning $7.895 million of Bowe’s base salary into a signing bonus. By restructuring, Bowe would become a potential 2015 cap casualty with post-June 1 treatment, so his cap hit could be taken in 2015 and 2016 if he has another season like 2013 (57 catches for 673 receiving yards).

Follow me on Twitter: @corryjoel

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Most news reports call Dwayne Bowe's 2013 and 2014 base salaries "fully guaranteed" because they're just that - FULLY GUARANTEED.

Go find a single link that says a base salary is guaranteed. Or a roster bonus or workout bonus is guaranteed. As opposed to triggered the year of. I have looked it up. They are triggered after a certain date, not at the signing of a contract.

The news is spinning the contract.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Dwayne Bowe (WR)-Kansas City Chiefs: $12 Million

Kansas City’s $6.62 million of cap room won’t go far if the plan is to re-sign some of their 11 unrestricted free agents or be active in free agency. Bowe has the team’s highest cap number. $4.25 million of Bowe’s $8.75 million 2014 base salary was fully guaranteed when he signed a five-year, $56 million deal last year. The remaining $4.5 million becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2014 league year (March 13). The Chiefs can pick up $5,921,250 of cap room by turning $7.895 million of Bowe’s base salary into a signing bonus. By restructuring, Bowe would become a potential 2015 cap casualty with post-June 1 treatment, so his cap hit could be taken in 2015 and 2016 if he has another season like 2013 (57 catches for 673 receiving yards).

Follow me on Twitter: @corryjoel

OK, thank you. I'm completely wrong on Bowe's contract. I'm the idiot on that point.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

What excuses? It's pretty simple. Hunt ****ed up the last hire royally. And he destroyed progress. I have not give Dorsey a free pass and have said his year 1 was overrated. If Dorsey doesn't pan out, that is a bad hire on hunts part. Saying he is being cheap at the expense of winning... There is no proof of that and in fact he is paying his staff and coaches a shit load of money for something that doesn't even count against a salary cap. If the chiefs fail, its because hunt made terrible hiring decisions.

There's no visible proof that there's air actually, but the whole blowing out of a candle kinda leads you to believe there is!

So the revolving door of five-year plans, different head coaches (to allow for the generation of the next five year plan), and now GMs, well, many of us seem to see a pattern for having a revolving "reason" (the kissing cousin to an excuse) for the next new beginning.

As for "cheap", reimbursing the team for their part of the stadium renovations with cap money is being "cheap" to most of us - it's passing the buck and not using that money for its intended purpose.

And I don't think it's always in who he picks, it might be the tone he sets, and the expectations he has. Would Robert Kraft have this perpetual problem? Is Bill Belichick THAT smart? Is Tom Terrific THAT awesome? I don't think so, they're great, but I think Kraft sets a tone that Bill is just fine with, and Tom can live up to. Short of that, they're a revolving door yet are always in the hunt.

Anyway, it's all good... We have a team. That's what "KC" gets out of the deal, and that we have.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Most news reports call Dwayne Bowe's 2013 and 2014 base salaries "fully guaranteed" because they're just that - FULLY GUARANTEED.

But let's be clear about something. Year 2 was partially guaranteed in theory. I don't think I'm wrong in saying year 2 was pretty much fully guaranteed because it would have costed the chiefs 16 million to cut him. So to some degree, we are arguing semantics. But thank you for calling me out. I will always admit when the facts show me I'm completely wrong, which I was.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by RunKC

We aren't rebuilding

bullshit

It might be a short rebuild or a slow rebuild but we are rebuilding.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

What excuses? It's pretty simple. Hunt ****ed up the last hire royally. And he destroyed progress.

complete and utter horseshit

4 years of Pioli didn't destroy 40 years of mediocrity

Pioli didn't sign Bowe to the huge contract

Pioli signed Hali,Charles and Flowers to contracts that were fine, they just need to be restructured or cut now. Pioli screwed some shit up but he didn't ruin anything.

The franchise has be unwilling to really push for a super bowl for decades.

we could have restructures and made an aggressive push THIS year. They chose not to do so which makes no sense after trading for Alex Smith.

[ct]

Originally Posted by Iconic

This is why we need to draft Dee Ford as Hali's replacement.

this

not sure why all the immediate groans from the gallery, this isn't news. several of those names listed as potential cuts very likely will be, freeing up significant room for extentions and new blood. NOW is the time to draft the replacements for Hali and Flowers.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

But let's be clear about something. Year 2 was partially guaranteed in theory. I don't think I'm wrong in saying year 2 was pretty much fully guaranteed because it would have costed the chiefs 16 million to cut him. So to some degree, we are arguing semantics. But thank you for calling me out. I will always admit when the facts show me I'm completely wrong, which I was.

Year's one and two are fully-guaranteed (year 2 became fully guaranteed a couple of weeks ago).

Year 3 (2015) is partially guaranteed.

You were absolutely correct that the Chiefs first chance to cut him would be 2015.

But at the end of the day, they structured it that way so that they wouldn't have to give him a huge signing bonus.

I mean, how many 5-year, $56M contracts have you seen that have a $15M signing bonus and base salaries of almost $10M in the 2nd and 3rd years?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by ct

this

not sure why all the immediate groans from the gallery, this isn't news. several of those names listed as potential cuts very likely will be, freeing up significant room for extentions and new blood. NOW is the time to draft the replacements for Hali and Flowers.

You're replacing proven talent with hope.

Just like at every other position.

You can't expect every guy they draft to work out.