(06-04-2017, 01:53 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I know it's the offseason before the 2017 season and the Bengals still have ~$18 million in cap space left, but I think it's important to look at next year's cap space to get an idea of what will happen with the roster.

According to Spotrac, the estimated minimum cap for 2018 is expected to be $168 mill.
The Bengals have ~$150 mill already locked for 2018 and that's without any extension to Burfict, Eifert, Minter, Bodine, Hill, or Clarke.
That is very little to work with given about $10-12 mill will be reserved for the draft and injuries.

Spotrac has also calculated estimate contract averages for Eifert and Burfict based on similar contracts across the NFL:
Burfict - $10.1 million average
Eifert - $9.2 million average

With the amount of cap space available for 2018, it could be very difficult to extend both, even with some up-front money from the remaining 2017 cap.

However, it's worth noting the following big contracts for players entering their final year in 2018:
Brandon LaFell - $4 million, $0 dead cap (save $4 million if cut)
Adam Jones - $6.666 million, $666k dead cap (save $6 million if cut)
Darqueze Dennard - $8.5 million 5th year option (save that if cut before the option kicks in next offseason)
Michael Johnson - $6.125 million, $1.125 million dead cap (save $5 million if cut)

I think that we could see at least two of the four above dropped in order to free up some cap money for the upcoming 2018 FAs specifically Burfict.
I would predict LaFell and Jones as the highest chance based on the high draft picks from the previous two years.
I can also see MJ cut if Clarke and/or Willis really come on by the end of 2017.

Last, I think next year is a strong year for OL and we could see two OL selected within the first three rounds. Based on the performance of Ogbuehi/Fisher, that could be two interior OL or one OT and one G/C.

What do you think happens next year cap-wise?

(06-04-2017, 04:04 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: If they have the money right now, why not get Burfict extended, now?  Show him some appreciation, give him an extra chunk of money for this season, as well as lock him in for an additional 3 years.

(06-04-2017, 08:49 PM)Au165 Wrote: I think it's funny they take a wait and see approach in Eifert because of injuries but fail to mention Vontaze hasn't played a full 16 game season since 2013. Vontaze has arguably a more severe injury history as the concussion thing only gets worse and the micro fracture is still a time bomb, more of a question of when not if it goes.

(06-05-2017, 10:44 AM)ochocincos Wrote: You're right in that Burfict hasn't played a full 16 game season since 2013. However, there are valid reasons that that was the case.
Obviously in 2014 he suffered his knee injury five games in and had to get the microfracture surgery, so he was out the rest of the season. It's obviously a very lengthy recovery time, so Burfict was placed on PUP to start the 2015 season. However, he returned after the minimum games missed (six) and played the remainder of the 2015 season. He only played 11 games last year, but he had to miss three games due to suspension, not because of injury. Only two games were missed from injury (concussion, missed last two games).

Eifert has suffered multiple concussions too, so the concussion thing is a wash between both.

There's also no guarantee that the microfracture surgery is a "ticking time bomb". Sure, there have been multiple athletes who have not been able to really have any career after the surgery (most notably Greg Oden) but there have been plenty others who have (Steve Yzerman, John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Amare Stoudemire). In the NFL, Hall of Famer Bruce Smith played six more seasons following microfracture surgery. Both Burfict and Clowney had the surgery in 2014 but came back to play double digit games the following two seasons. So while there is obviously that risk of not fully regaining your pre-surgery abilities, you can't yet determine how long a player will be able to play on said surgery or how effective he/she will be post-surgery.

At this point, Burfict has not shown signs of issues with said surgically-repaired knee, so I say he deserves a 4-year contract extension that would make him a Bengal until he's 31.

I think the thing with Eifert is it always seems like it's one injury after another. If it's not a concussion, it's an ankle. If not that, it's his back. Yada yada yada. And it's felt more like he's been out at more critical moments. I still would like to see Eifert stay healthy for a 10-game stretch and perform well during that stretch. We've already seen that with Burfict the past two years. We haven't seen it with Eifert since his injury against the Steelers in 2015.

(06-05-2017, 01:07 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Most of the guys you mention are cheap, won't get raises (the only time we have to worry about a player eating up more cap space is if he gets a raise) and you also have to consider that the salary cap will likely go up again next year. IMO, there's currently little to worry about and we're in very good shape going into next year. We probably could've spent $8-10 million more in free agency and still would've been okay.

Plus as you mention, several big salaries will likely be dumped next year. Pacman, LaFell and Michael Johnson are likely candidates that would save upwards of almost $15 million. If they part with Dennard, that's 23 million.

(06-05-2017, 01:07 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Most of the guys you mention are cheap, won't get raises (the only time we have to worry about a player eating up more cap space is if he gets a raise) and you also have to consider that the salary cap will likely go up again next year. IMO, there's currently little to worry about and we're in very good shape going into next year. We probably could've spent $8-10 million more in free agency and still would've been okay.

Plus as you mention, several big salaries will likely be dumped next year. Pacman, LaFell and Michael Johnson are likely candidates that would save upwards of almost $15 million. If they part with Dennard, that's 23 million. Add in rollover, and we're likely looking at $40+ million in cap space again, with only Burfict and Eifert to worry about. Both players that most teams will likely avoid due to cost/risk ratio.

(06-05-2017, 01:07 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Most of the guys you mention are cheap, won't get raises (the only time we have to worry about a player eating up more cap space is if he gets a raise) and you also have to consider that the salary cap will likely go up again next year. IMO, there's currently little to worry about and we're in very good shape going into next year. We probably could've spent $8-10 million more in free agency and still would've been okay.

Plus as you mention, several big salaries will likely be dumped next year. Pacman, LaFell and Michael Johnson are likely candidates that would save upwards of almost $15 million. If they part with Dennard, that's 23 million. Add in rollover, and we're likely looking at $40+ million in cap space again, with only Burfict and Eifert to worry about. Both players that most teams will likely avoid due to cost/risk ratio.

(06-04-2017, 05:29 PM)magikod Wrote: i agree

then work on eifert next season if he stays healthy

(06-04-2017, 01:53 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Adam Jones - $6.666 million, $666k dead cap (save $6 million if cut)

(06-07-2017, 07:31 PM)lostpoet2 Wrote: Would it be possible to structure a contract on a per game basis, or perhaps partially guaranteed and the rest a games-played bonus?  If this is possible, Eifert could get a contract that paid him $3 million per year plus $450-500k for each game played, so that he could earn a total of $10-11 million if he plays all 16 games but only $7-ish if he is hurt half the season?

(06-07-2017, 07:31 PM)lostpoet2 Wrote: Would it be possible to structure a contract on a per game basis, or perhaps partially guaranteed and the rest a games-played bonus?  If this is possible, Eifert could get a contract that paid him $3 million per year plus $450-500k for each game played, so that he could earn a total of $10-11 million if he plays all 16 games but only $7-ish if he is hurt half the season?

(06-07-2017, 07:31 PM)lostpoet2 Wrote: Would it be possible to structure a contract on a per game basis, or perhaps partially guaranteed and the rest a games-played bonus?  If this is possible, Eifert could get a contract that paid him $3 million per year plus $450-500k for each game played, so that he could earn a total of $10-11 million if he plays all 16 games but only $7-ish if he is hurt half the season?