(03-11-2018, 04:45 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Therein lies part of the problem.

The $35m is the difference between the salary cap and all current contracts.

The draft pick salaries are a part of that $35m.

Dead money from old contracts are also a part of that $35m, and it clearly cannot be spent again.

If you don't want to count the rollover, that is fine.

In that case we have $26m left, with the team stating they will spend $15m on free agents and $11m on contract extensions.

Regardless, we are left with $15m for outside free agents.

Math doesn't lie.

Ok: Current contracts 152,106,135 + Dead cap 1,296,881 + Draft cap 8,974,881 = 162,377,897 dedicated for 2018 - rollover from 2017 11,583,459 = $150,794,438. so with draft picks INCLUDED: 188,783,459 - 150,794,438 = 37,989,021 available to spend in FA and extensions. Estimates of course.

Also

Rookie Pool Estimates
The Rookie Pool is the total cost in cap dollars that a team needs to sign its rookies in the summer. The cap space required to do this is less than the rookie pool. This is because every draft pick signed will replace a player already counting against the cap.

Money comes off the books with draft picks as well.

(03-11-2018, 05:29 PM)Gamma Ray Tan Wrote: Ok: Current contracts 152,106,135 + Dead cap 1,296,881 + Draft cap 8,974,881 = 162,377,897 dedicated for 2018 - rollover from 2017 11,583,459 = $150,794,438. so with draft picks INCLUDED: 188,783,459 - 150,794,438 = 37,989,021 available to spend in FA and extensions. Estimates of course.

Also

Rookie Pool Estimates
The Rookie Pool is the total cost in cap dollars that a team needs to sign its rookies in the summer. The cap space required to do this is less than the rookie pool. This is because every draft pick signed will replace a player already counting against the cap.

Money comes off the books with draft picks as well.

But that is not always an even wash.  For example, say the Bengals draft a Tackle.  Say this Tackle does well, is clearly going to be the new starter.  Now, let's say that maybe Cedric Ogbuehi flounders so badly in preseason that they decide to just cut him from the team.

According to what you are saying, they could cut Ogbuehi without any consequence, and only add the rookies cap hit (salary + signing bonus).  That is not true.  It would be whatever the cap hit for the rookie, and the 1.6M in dead cap that would come from cutting a player under contract.

(03-11-2018, 05:43 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: But that is not always an even wash.  For example, say the Bengals draft a Tackle.  Say this Tackle does well, is clearly going to be the new starter.  Now, let's say that maybe Cedric Ogbuehi flounders so badly in preseason that they decide to just cut him from the team.

According to what you are saying, they could cut Ogbuehi without any consequence, and only add the rookies cap hit (salary + signing bonus).  That is not true.  It would be whatever the cap hit for the rookie, and the 1.6M in dead cap that would come from cutting a player under contract.

Agreed, not always. That's why you better not miss on 1st and 2nd round draft picks. Remember when there WASN'T a rookie wage scale? Jamarcus Russell does!

I almost feel bad for the 14 teams with $25m in cap space less right now. They will have to cut players, and lose ALL of their good players in free agency in 2-3 years. Suckers. Sure is nice to get to watch such a masterful front office in action. Like the Babe Ruth of running an NFL team. Maybe one of these days the losers like the Patriots/Steelers/Eagles/Falcons/Packers/Panthers/etc will finally get wise and learn how REAL success is done.

(03-11-2018, 05:43 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: But that is not always an even wash.  For example, say the Bengals draft a Tackle.  Say this Tackle does well, is clearly going to be the new starter.  Now, let's say that maybe Cedric Ogbuehi flounders so badly in preseason that they decide to just cut him from the team.

According to what you are saying, they could cut Ogbuehi without any consequence, and only add the rookies cap hit (salary + signing bonus).  That is not true.  It would be whatever the cap hit for the rookie, and the 1.6M in dead cap that would come from cutting a player under contract.

(03-11-2018, 06:06 PM)Gamma Ray Tan Wrote: Agreed, not always. That's why you better not miss on 1st and 2nd round draft picks. Remember when there WASN'T a rookie wage scale? Jamarcus Russell does!

Your both right. Not a savings necessarily for first rounders but if a 3-4 round pick replaces MJ you see a substantial savings. So the draft class allocation is impacted by who actually makes the team.