2019 Salary Cap - Bengals Cap Space

[*ochocincos*]

(12-11-2018, 08:46 PM)BengalChris Wrote: Let me translate this to Mike Brown thought process.

$195M
minus $139M from current contracts
equals $56M
minus $20M for rookie pool - higher picks means bigger rookie pool - sorry fans
equals $36M
minus $8M for injury replacements - we had lots of injuries last year, so play it safe and comfortable
equals $28M
minus $12M rollover to extend AJ Green or someone else
equals $16M
minus $12M to resign own free agents
equals $4M
minus $4M to sign player cut by other teams we can get on 1 year prove it deals.
equals all used up and Bengals have no cap space to quality free agents from other teams.


There I just wrote Hopson's future article that will be released just before free agency period opens in 2019. I might be off by a million or two here and a million or two there, but overall that's how the Hopson article will read.

Bengals don't have more than one pick in each of the top 4 rounds. They will only end up costing about $7-8 mill for all picks.
Bengals have also never stated they are reserving more than $5 mill for injuries, however, they do reserve more than most teams (teams typically reserve between $2-5 mill).
So I think it's safe to just expect a total of $13 mill reserved between draft and injuries.

$12 mill seems like a lot for re-signing own FAs, as I think most of their upcoming FAs are expendable. I think it breaks down to whether Dennard stays or goes. I don't want to see Hart, Ogbuehi, Redmond, MJ, or Rey back. I'd be fine with Hopkins (backup-level) and Smith back. I'm indifferent with Fisher and Preston Brown. I don't really care to see Eifert back unless it's under $3 mill. I don't think both Kroft and Uzomah get retained, just one.

I think it also makes sense to release Burfict to free up additional cap. He's not the same player he was even a year ago.

That would make the following positions open for draft/FA (could be filled with existing):
- 5 OL spots (Redmond, Hopkins, Hart, Fisher, Ogbuehi)
- 2 LB spots (Rey, Brown)
- 3 TE spots (Eifert, Kroft, Uzomah)
- 1 CB spot (Dennard)
- 1 DL spot (MJ)
- 1 S spot (Wilson)
----------------------
13 spots

EDIT - What I've been thinking is this offseason...
Re-sign:
Andre Smith
Trey Hopkins
CJ Uzomah or Tyler Kroft (I honestly don't see much difference between the two)
Brandon Wilson (depth purposes only, no guarantee he would make roster)
Darqueze Dennard

Release Vontaze Burfict (would save $6.85 mill in cap space 2019 and $8.93 mill in 2020)

Outside FA:
Jared Cook, 2 year deal
KJ Wright, 3 year deal

That would fill up 6 of the 13 spots. Use the draft to get your new stud LB to go next to Wright, OG, TE to groom behind Cook, OT to groom behind Smith, and also DE, DT, S, 1-2 more OL.
The Bengals are projected to get three 6th-round comp picks so that would be 10 total picks.
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/5/21/17374364/bengals-projected-to-net-3-compensatory-picks-2019-nfl-draft