Did You Know... (AJ Green)

[Whatever]

(05-28-2020, 04:51 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: This is not nearly as large as you're choosing to represent it as.

Yes, if you look at our cap space right now you'll find a number around 24 mil.  The problem with this is it does not include the rookies.  Now I'm not so naive to just add the entire pool value of 15 mil to the cap, like Hobson and many others do.  Not all of the rookies will count against it, and you have to make room against the top 53 for the new players as well.  But I think the reality is somewhere around 8-12 mil dollars is currently unaccounted for.

So let's split the difference in my estimate. Once you add Joe Burrow's, Tee Higgin's and Co. salaries, our cap space is going to look something like 14 mil.

Now we have to consider the very strong possibility that Mixon gets an extension.  His current cap hit is only 1.7 mil.  If he gets a new deal, which is very likely, that cap number probably looks something like 7-10 mil.  (And perhaps even greater if they were to choose to frontload it.)
With a Mixon extension you're now looking at, ballpark,  somewhere b/t 5-10 mil in cap space.

And we all know (and love) that this team often earmarks cap space for things like injury settlements.  So exactly how much money do you realistically think the team believes they can spend right now?  Because believe me, it's 100% not 24 mil dollars, and it's far from a "large number".

I suppose we can argue numbers and different players all day.  The point I was making though was simple, there were other veteran options other than AJ.  We weren't locked into all or nothing.  And other options create additional space, and potential for other signings.  Justg because we chose not to step up and match Jax's offer on Schoebert with enough space, doesn't mean our approach wouldn't have been different had that space been even greater.  Just because we didn't look to target a TE like Hooper doesn't necessarily mean we wouldn't have entertained had we had an additional 10 mil to spend.  You can't say for certain what would have happened.

I just don't think AJ is anywhere near worth being paid as the 2nd highest paid WR.  I give him about a 20% chance of even matching the #20's receivers production last year (1,107 yards).  I think that money could have been allocated better.  Obviously you disagree, and I guess that's ok.  To each their own.

Yeah, I really don't get the "we still have cap space" argument at all.  We pretty much have that discussion every year around this time.  Usually, it's prefaced by a poor FA period, but they inevitably sign some extensions and/or a couple of C tier vets and get down to around their $10 mil rollover.  Just because they haven't spent it yet doesn't mean they won't.  Plus, does anybody seriously think that if we didn't decide to tag AJ we'd be sitting at $42 mil against the cap right now?