SetfreexX

I'm just dealing with the surface numbers. This was designed to provide a summary and the 35M is what is referenced in most reports so I kept my thoughts tied to that amount. If you're referring to OTC as I used Spotrac -- the 16.2M is the dead money, and the 24M is the cap savings. If the trade is made and designated as a ''post'' June 1st trade -- the 5.4M is the dead money, and the 35M is the cap savings. So we are both right, I'm going off the one that is more so in HOU's favor / reported on the most that I have seen at least -- ie: the one with less dead money for HOU and most beneficial to them cap wise** https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/houston-texans/

They do this by restructuring contracts, and turning the base value for the current season into a signing bonus which is prorated over the life of the contract, even across ''voidable'' years. By doing so they can lower the cost of a player on the current seasons cap, and using the basic fact that the salary cap will increase each year they're able to continue this trend of ''over the cap, then back under the cap''. There's been some times where it's limited them as every so often the money catches up, but when you have likely a HOF coach, and QB, you can generally get away with it. We saw an example of it catching up to them with Armstead hitting free agency.

Deshaun Watson QB $35,000,000 $5,400,000 https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/houston-texans/cap/ The 35M is his BASE salary, the part that HOU ''is not'' responsible for in a trade -- CAR / ATL / CLE / NO would pay that. They are on the hook for guaranteed money owed - the 5.4M Obviously things like salary / who pays what can ALSO be negotiated -- see the Teddy trade to DEN as a recent example.

Thank you.

I would like to see Deonte Brown at LG -- I'm not against the above, but I liked what I saw out of him in the time he played. He MOVED the LOS at his spot, and seemed to hold up well versus the pass. Was a starter at LG for ALA, so the familiarity is there, as I am also interested to see what Brady can do in a full season at LT. I would prefer a trade back inside the top 15, and acquire a future 1st, and day 2 picks for this year to add more depth in other areas, and still have the chance to select a QB with a better all around roster.

I never said it could not be done, I was pointing out that it ''has not'' been done, and signing Maye wasn't a catalyst for it to have been done.

Marcus Maye FS - - - - - - - - - 0.00 I go by what the site says my guy, his values on that deal are not out yet, and a 3yr / 28.5M deal does not mean ''30M'' in cap was created. 15M guaranteed over 3 years is 5M prorated over the life of the contract meaning at minimum he'd count as 5M this year + what ever the base salary is. There is also a possibility of void years after those three to lower the cap hit even more. None of that points to ''30M'' in cap being created.

Not true -- https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-orleans-saints/cap/ Cap Space (w/All) $-4,090,219 Cap Space (w/Top 51) $4,024,781 ____________________________________________________ It's possible they clear the space to add him, but the question is who will be on the team to play with him worth while, they've already restructured most of their main guys. I'd wonder who else they could look to after having to make room for him that they could then restructure to create actual cap space to address their other roster vacancies.

Let's not discuss the ''player'' let's look at the rumored destinations, and how these team's cap situations look as of today...3/16/22 New Orleans - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-orleans-saints/cap/ Cap Space (w/All) $-4,090,219 Cap Space (w/Top 51) $4,024,781 Cleveland Browns - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/cap/ Cap Space (w/All) $13,452,601 Cap Space (w/Top 51) $16,977,601 Atlanta Falcons - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/cap/ Cap Space (w/All) $17,424,973 Cap Space (w/Top 51) $17,424,973 Carolina Panthers - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/cap/ Cap Space (w/All) $26,162,673 Cap Space (w/Top 51) $30,392,673 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ It's pretty clear Carolina would have the least amount of work to do to ''fit'' the salary (35M for 2022) and with an immediate extension as this would apply to all teams interested could lower his cap number to help with the transition. With the NTC available, it will be really interesting to see how these other destinations make the numbers work as they'd need to do the following... Cap Space Needed to be created: (Based on ''With All'' and round up) NO - 40M CLE - 23M ATL - 18M CAR - 10M ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ With factors like these in place the winning bid will have to do some cap gymnastics to make it work, it's been reported HOU prefers not to deal in the AFC, and the player prefers a warm weather location (SEA was not even given the opportunity to meet based on reports). With that in mind it feels more like CLE was brought in to drive up the cost for the out of conference bidders, NO / ATL / CAR. It's interesting that ATL is in this race considering Matt Ryan's contract -- it's unlikely he'd restructure to accommodate a deal to be traded elsewhere and IF released he has a dead cap hit of 55.25M -- Not to mention the cupboards are bare at the skill position, Ridley suspended for the year, Cordarell is a FA who could likely cash in elsewhere, and that just leaves Kyle Pitts. Looking at the situation in NO, just having to create the 40M in cap even with their history of cap navigation is a huge amount ''just to fit the player''; take into additional account filling out the roster, and draft picks. This effort would be a considerable challenge but obviously worth the trouble if they're the choice. Aside from that they are thin offensively as well; Armstead is a free agent, Kamara could be facing suspension after the issues in Vegas, the only established receiver is Michael Thomas and we've all seen the Diva he can be with no other real threats behind him, the TE position is also a ''?''. My question there is how would they build around him, and that defense is a bit older / expensive. This also goes without saying, as much as you may hate him, there's no Sean Payton; it's Dennis Allen, the consistency on offense at least that he provided won't be there. Finally, looking at Carolina, even if they're not the ''1st'' choice, we are probably the best landing spot for a chance to have success moving forward, we have the least amount of work to do to make the trade possible, and have more young talent to help offset the lack of draft capitol once a trade is completed. To me Rhule is not an attractive proposition much like Allen in New Orleans, at the very least I'd anticipate the Carolinas would embrace him given the Clemson ties. Depending on what we'd have to give up, I think we're in the best position to lose some pieces, but still be in position to add if we're able to sign ''the player'' as we have the most cap and would require the least work to fit him in. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ With some of these factors in mind, my head says Carolina makes the most sense, but these things are not always about that. I'm not for or against the move, as I think trading back and allocating assets for day two and a future 1st while adding a rookie this year makes the most sense in the long run. However I am not an owner with 4 straight losing seasons, nor a coach with just 10 wins in 2 years either. I still blame them for not taking IMO Fields who had the most upside between him and Jones last year as we could be in a position of BPA, trade back to offset the picks from the Darnold deal while continuing to build a roster with the value of a rookie contract at QB.

Those voidable years still become dead money, they just allow room in the current year. So even when the dead money starts to hit you just do this for the other contracts on the team to ''create'' more space. The cap essentially goes up EVERY year, and the NFL isn't ending anytime soon, so with those factors in mind, you could as we have seen with them do this EVERY year.

You just have to let some people remain ignorant... Haynes was a good signing as depth, 2yr / 2M is peanuts all things considered, when you look at his production over play time (aka spot duty) it is easy to see the value as a rotational rusher on passing downs. 2021 - 3 sacks 2020 - 4 sacks No reason to be upset about retaining a guy that can give you ''something'' off the bench and for cheap.

No, I'd rather draft a rookie, and keep the assets. For his situation, the price is too high. We're not a QB away, and trading any of our young defensive pieces while paying premium for a QB and no draft picks for a guy who ain't played in a year.... Miss me with that shiiiiii

Likely because they're prepping for Keenan to be gone in a year or two and projecting the value to some degree.

And any other backup is likely to be just as bad but cost more so...appreciate the input Not to mention that is a non-guaranteed contract there's no dead money tied to it. So uhhhh yea good talk my guy It's literally non cap impactful no matter what happens, but at the very least you have the position accounted for. Or would you rather a more experienced, more expensive, still shitty back up...oh wait that's Darnold

You really whining about this -- https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/phillip-walker-22025/ $895,000 to have a back up QB for CHEAP knowing that there are other cap allocations needed elsewhere? The PJ extension shouldn't even garner attention, we have a back up the end; yet people were freaking out like they set some kind of record retaining him.

No need to risk it either and be stuck with just Tremble and not other receiving threat at the position. People forget Ian looked pretty good back in 2018 filling in for an injured Olsen. Kyle, Teddy, and Darnold seemed to rarely look his way, not to mention the Brady offense seemed to devalue that position as a read.

If we're being smart about this, the BEST move is retain Cam because Jimmy G, and Kirk C are not vaulting us to ''playoff'' caliber teams. When was the last time the Vikings were in the playoffs, two years, or was it three years ago with Diggs? Looking at SF they have one of the better running games in the NFL, a top two TE, and an Deebo solidifying himself; add to that a great defensive front (Bosa, Armstead, Greenlaw, Warner) -- we can't boast that atm. So that brings you back to why waste draft capital on a guy that isn't a ''difference'' maker? Cam is the bridge QB if he returns, Sam becomes tradeable while we eat cap space. Sign some real quality OL, and let Brady man the LT spot and give the team a puncher's chance with a vet QB in Cam WHO has won in this league, and have the rookie (Willis my preference over Pitts due to upside) waiting and learning, and if / when the team is out of playoff contention the rookie closes out the season, and we keep all our picks heading into 2023.

You're missing the point, with the voidable years when we have over 100M, and 200M in 23, and 24. The point of that is in those years you will eat some dead money, but with the COVID cap hit issue you could not avoid that and teams, aka all teams had to account for it. No one is calling it a viable strategy, as bad as Elf was Matt played well prior to IR. People are reacting like we're decades into ''moving cap'' down the road. The team is in good financial shape, yes they botched Darnold's 5th yeat, BUT I can understand why they did it when the ONLY other QBs at the time were Grier, and PJ. Point being is, we have the cap to move it forward, and we couldn't go into 2021 w/o a C, his original deal was inked before anyone knew a thing about Covid in Cam's last season starting in 2019. There was not a lot of options in that regard.

One, I was referring to moving salary into 23, and 24 for Moton, and Shaq, secondly, that's still better than having all those things count towards the cap we had available prior to restructures. People need to also remember on extensions the big money DOES NOT have to be in the first year aka 2022, those guarantees can be spread out over the contract -- as bad as Shaq's deal was in some people's eyes, he never counted more than 10M, 7M and 8M were they other hits. This year the 1st year BIG money set in he could have been cut and saved 5-6M, instead he's restructured, is retained AND the team still saves that 5-6M. It's all about how the money is manipulated, and where it is manipulated, it's where Samir's value is felt the most, having an ''expert'' in that dept. I'm not a Rhule fan, but the way the team has operated in regard to money and where it is / goes under Fitterer and Samir has been fairly impressive. I mean in a cap strict year in 21 for the ENTIRE NFL, we added a good amount of FA's that worked, and others that did not (Erving / Elf) -- none the less, what's important is they maneuvered the cap efficiently.

Those years on Paradis' deal are voidable, aka he won't see that money.

My guy, those are voidable years, we did the same for Reddick -- https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/matt-paradis-14618/ So bringing up Paradis in this light doesn't really serve your comment very well. That is not a restructure -- it's ''fake money'' years to spread out a signing bonus. It's why they are referred to as ''voidable''. A voidable year is an ‘extra’ year on the length of the contract that the team and the player intend to void. In other words, it is a “dummy” year on the contract that the player will never play or get paid for, and it exists for the sole purpose of lowering the annual cap hit, especially in the first year of the contract.

Here's our estimated cap space in the upcoming years: 2023 - 110M -- https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/cap/2023/ 2024 - 276M -- https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/cap/2024/ Obviously signings / extensions / etc. will happen over the course of this year and moving forward, but moving calculated money down the road on cornerstone players isn't going to hurt. What you can't do like the Saints is do that while ALSO paying premium for a QB. IF we get lucky and draft a good QB the team / cap is in great shape.

I don't think people realize how much cap space we have since we're not paying 25, 30, 35M + for a QB, and if we add a rookie this draft or next, moving ''SOME'' money to 23, and 24 is NOT going to hurt anything.

Because he was about to count as 18M for the 2022 season after costing 10/7/8 the three prior years, IF he had been released it would have created 6M in cap. *Rounded numbers above for simplicity* Details here on his cap hit prior to this announcement -- https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/shaq-thompson-16749/ It'll be interesting to see the results of this.

https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-restructure-shaq-thompson-contract-2022-offseason The Panthers continued to work with the numbers Monday, restructuring another deal for a veteran to create some more salary cap flexibility. The team restructured the contract of linebacker Shaq Thompson, clearing some more space under the cap for next year.