03-21-2022, 11:20 AM
(03-21-2022, 10:28 AM)Au165 Wrote: Again, that isn't correct. The total value of year 1 rookie deals against the cap will be close to 8.3 million, again pick 31 is over 2 million by themselves. Because of the 51 rule most those guys from day 3 won't count this year but it is much higher than 2.7 for rookies to plan for.
No, it isn't. It is a net situation, not a gross.
The part you don't get is that the Bengals currently have around 60 guys signed. The top 51 count vs the cap. So, when a rookie is signed to the roster, you have the value of their contract (which is around $8 mil for all our picks). As you correctly say, some of our guys on day 3 will have salary so low they don't currently project as top 51 guys, so don't count vs projected cap totals.
But you also have a guy making $700k, or $800k, or $900k (usually) coming OFF the books at the same time. For the latter picks, the guy coming off will make more than the rookie. IF all 8 guys roster, you have $8 mil of incoming salary, or more like $6.5 due to top 51. But you will also have 8 (or 6 via 51) guys outgoing. That will be around $5 mil in OUTGOING salary at the same time.
And that is just the estimates. If a rookie replaces a guy making more money that gets released (Fred Johnson, Brandon Wilson, Waynes), then the draft could net us cap space.
Again, those rookies aren't filling empty roster spots. In everyone's cap calculations, there are already 51 guys taking up space.
