02-27-2016, 11:32 PM
(02-27-2016, 10:32 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Here's the thing about those numbers. It's total cash spent, not cap space spent per year. So it's kind of misleading.It will all eventually work itself out. While, using Suh as an example, means a huge cash value in this period, it will mean a reduced cash value later. (His cap hit may be 15 mil, but his cash paid out may be 9 mil)
So for example.. lets look at AJ Green's contract.
In 2015 his base salary was $11.75m, and 1/5th of his $15m signing bonus combined to give him a cap hit of $14.75m in 2015.
That $14.75m cap hit is not how they figure out that 89% and 95% thing, though. Though the cap hits are spread out throughout the contract, the signing bonus is paid all at once. So that $11.75m base salary is combined with the entire $15m signing bonus. [/b]So AJ Green counted as $26.75m in 2015 towards the 89%.[/b]
So look forward to there being large signing bonuses this year since it'll all count for that window, but the cap spending will probably stay the exact same.
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This is very likely why the Dolphins structured Suh's contract as they did. In 2015 and 2016 combined, Suh's total cap hit is $34,700,000... but for the sake of calculating that 89%? His number is $49,500,000. (Not a coincidence so much of the money came in the first two years.) So while the Dolphins carried over a little more than $9m in unspent cap space from last year, it was more than taken up by Suh's signing bonus, so they don't even need to spend that money to meet the minimum.
There's certainly ways to game the system without having to spend all your cap space.
Also, all of our guys who were on the roster in any or all of those four years, who had their signing bonus paid out prior, will have a reduced number vs the actual cap hits for that same period. But you're right. I was careful to word it as cash spent as this all gets kind of convoluted.
I'm anxious to see what the league wide numbers look like though. I guess we won't know until the close of next season.
