Graham signs long term deal

[The Huddler]

Their window will be shut in a few years so it makes sense to push that cap at this point

[Frank Hollywood]

Considering that will be over the cap by at least 12 million, doesn't count the rookies still to be signed and no free agents next year, it is way over the pale.  We admit we are in cap hell and only have 127 million committed to the cap next year.

We were over 17 mil at the beginning of the season. A restructure here or there and they will get under. Probably means no more big name signings like Byrd though.

 

In 2016 Drew Brees has a cap hit of 27 million and there are 5 other players counting at 10mil or above as a cap hit. That will be interesting....

[AU-panther]

New Orleans Saints Top 51 Contracts for 2015: $152,812,279

 

Workable I suppose, but I'd hate to have that number.

 

You have to remember also there is a very good chance the salary cap will go up next year.

 

If it goes up 10m (which is possible) that puts the cap at 143m.  They could easily get to that number by cutting a few guys and/or restructures.

 

Also I see a lot of people making comments that they are going all in right now at the expense of their future, but I'm not so sure that is the case.  If you actually look at their bigger contracts most of the are manageable, or at least set up in a way where the team can get out of them with out much of a dead money hit.

[The Lobo]

I don't understand how they can keep giving these contracts.  I may be mistaken, but weren't they over the cap by a lot before they signed Byrd?

[Frank Hollywood]

You have to remember also there is a very good chance the salary cap will go up next year.

 

If it goes up 10m (which is possible) that puts the cap at 143m.  They could easily get to that number by cutting a few guys and/or restructures.

 

Also I see a lot of people making comments that they are going all in right now at the expense of their future, but I'm not so sure that is the case.  If you actually look at their bigger contracts most of the are manageable, or at least set up in a way where the team can get out of them with out much of a dead money hit.

Not too mention carryover from this year. They freed up a few mil I believe with this new deal.

[panthers55]

We were over 17 mil at the beginning of the season. A restructure here or there and they will get under. Probably means no more big name signings like Byrd though.

 

In 2016 Drew Brees has a cap hit of 27 million and there are 5 other players counting at 10mil or above as a cap hit. That will be interesting....

The issue is that when we were over we had to let guys like Gamble go last year and we restructured everyone out of necessity but it resulted in dead cap space of 18 million this year and we are in cap hell.  Sure the Saints can restructure everything again next year but sooner or later you have to pay the piper.  Gettleman is not picking up free agents and we all know that we will have to let Hardy or Johnson go next year unless they agree to take less.

I don't know if it will be next year or the year after but it is only a matter of time before they have to do the same thing we did this year which is suck it up and not be able to sign who we want.

 

By the way Brees has a cap hit of 26 million in 2015 and there are several guys making 10 million as well.  it won't be 2016 it will be next year.

[panthers55]

You have to remember also there is a very good chance the salary cap will go up next year.

 

If it goes up 10m (which is possible) that puts the cap at 143m.  They could easily get to that number by cutting a few guys and/or restructures.

 

Also I see a lot of people making comments that they are going all in right now at the expense of their future, but I'm not so sure that is the case.  If you actually look at their bigger contracts most of the are manageable, or at least set up in a way where the team can get out of them with out much of a dead money hit.

It is supposed to go up to 140 million which is more than this year.  But Brees takes that up with his increase from 18 to 26.  Add in Graham going from 4 million to 11 million next year and Byrd going from 3.5 to 10.5 and you are way over the cap again.  Include that you have signed no free agents and haven't signed your rookies this year whose contracts will add another 7 to 8 million next year.

 

Sure you might be able to put things off again next year but sooner or later it is going to come crashing down.  it does for everyone who keeps spending.  And the dead money just keeps going up everytime you restructure as you suggested.  Restructuring just pushes more money onto the back ends of the contract which for many of the contracts are already backloaded.

[AU-panther]

It is supposed to go up to 140 million which is more than this year.  But Brees takes that up with his increase from 18 to 26.  Add in Graham going from 4 million to 11 million next year and Byrd going from 3.5 to 10.5 and you are way over the cap again.  Include that you have signed no free agents and haven't signed your rookies this year whose contracts will add another 7 to 8 million next year.

 

Sure you might be able to put things off again next year but sooner or later it is going to come crashing down.  it does for everyone who keeps spending.  And the dead money just keeps going up everytime you restructure as you suggested.  Restructuring just pushes more money onto the back ends of the contract which for many of the contracts are already backloaded.

 

The 152.8m number includes the pay raises you allude to.  Also rookies usually don't add anywhere near 7-8 million.  For the majority of teams they tend to add 1-3 million.  So they will probably be around 155m.

 

As it stands now they will have around 4m in rollover and if the cap goes to 140m they will have 144m to work with.  So they will be around 11m dollars short.

 

They can create 11m space without causing much dead money.

 

While I agree with you that they probably won't be in position to go on a free agent spending frenzy they are far from crumbling from salary concerns like most on here think or hope.

 

[panthers55]

The 152.8m number includes the pay raises you allude to.  Also rookies usually don't add anywhere near 7-8 million.  For the majority of teams they tend to add 1-3 million.  So they will probably be around 155m.

 

As it stands now they will have around 4m in rollover and if the cap goes to 140m they will have 144m to work with.  So they will be around 11m dollars short.

 

They can create 11m space without causing much dead money.

 

While I agree with you that they probably won't be in position to go on a free agent spending frenzy they are far from crumbling from salary concerns like most on here think or hope.

Your numbers are too high even for this article.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/07/cap-could-hit-160-million-in-2016/

 

So lets split the difference. Say it goes up to 145 in 2015 that is 12 million above this year.  The rookie contracts will be between 2 and 3 million for the Saints.  Next year which is what we are talking about, that amount will go up to between 3 and 4 assuming that most of the rookie picks are not included in the top 51 salaries. Then add in Brees 8 million increase, Graham's 7 million, Byrd's 7 million increase and a number of others given we are only talking the top 6 or seven salaries will boost the cap hit by roughly 26-27 million which is way over the increase.

 

Assuming that the increases for Brees, Graham, and Byrd are undebatable that leaves the rookie contracts.. The veteran minimum for a rookie is 420 million now and rises to 510,000 in 2015.  So assuming that everyone gets the veteran minimum this year and you have 7 rounds that alone would amount for at least 3 million and first and second rounders get quite a bit above that.  In 2014 Cooks will account for roughly 1.5 million, Baptiste will be 640,000 and the rest will likely be another 500,000 at a minimum assuming that only 3 of the picks will be in the top 51.  So that makes close to 3 million.  

But what we are talking about is next year when there will be an increase of likely a million which is where I got the 4 million figure.  The only issue is how many of those guys will be still there and whether they will be in the top 51 in salaries.

 

They will not likely have 4 million in roll over if they add anyone or anyone gets injured unless again these folks are not in the top 51, in other words are signed to the vet minimum.

 

So no matter how you slice it, the Saints are in bad cap shape thanks to guys like Brees and Graham who are grabbing for the gusto.  Can the saints do what the redskins did a few years ago which is keep mortgaging their future to try and win today. Maybe for a year or two but sooner or later the party is going end.  I would rather be us who are staying competitive while getting things fixed now instead of putting things off.  But each their own.

[Rise of The Hive]

Screw him and the Aints

[Verge]

The Saints will still be good 5 years from now guys.

[L-TownCat]

You have to remember also there is a very good chance the salary cap will go up next year.

If it goes up 10m (which is possible) that puts the cap at 143m. They could easily get to that number by cutting a few guys and/or restructures.

Also I see a lot of people making comments that they are going all in right now at the expense of their future, but I'm not so sure that is the case. If you actually look at their bigger contracts most of the are manageable, or at least set up in a way where the team can get out of them with out much of a dead money hit.

i hope they restructure, then restructure their restructures while restructuring the restructures that they restructured before they restructured the restructures that they were gonna restructure.

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[AU-panther]

Your numbers are too high even for this article.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/07/cap-could-hit-160-million-in-2016/

So lets split the difference. Say it goes up to 145 in 2015 that is 12 million above this year. The rookie contracts will be between 2 and 3 million for the Saints. Next year which is what we are talking about, that amount will go up to between 3 and 4 assuming that most of the rookie picks are not included in the top 51 salaries. Then add in Brees 8 million increase, Graham's 7 million, Byrd's 7 million increase and a number of others given we are only talking the top 6 or seven salaries will boost the cap hit by roughly 26-27 million which is way over the increase.

Assuming that the increases for Brees, Graham, and Byrd are undebatable that leaves the rookie contracts.. The veteran minimum for a rookie is 420 million now and rises to 510,000 in 2015. So assuming that everyone gets the veteran minimum this year and you have 7 rounds that alone would amount for at least 3 million and first and second rounders get quite a bit above that. In 2014 Cooks will account for roughly 1.5 million, Baptiste will be 640,000 and the rest will likely be another 500,000 at a minimum assuming that only 3 of the picks will be in the top 51. So that makes close to 3 million.

But what we are talking about is next year when there will be an increase of likely a million which is where I got the 4 million figure. The only issue is how many of those guys will be still there and whether they will be in the top 51 in salaries.

They will not likely have 4 million in roll over if they add anyone or anyone gets injured unless again these folks are not in the top 51, in other words are signed to the vet minimum.

So no matter how you slice it, the Saints are in bad cap shape thanks to guys like Brees and Graham who are grabbing for the gusto. Can the saints do what the redskins did a few years ago which is keep mortgaging their future to try and win today. Maybe for a year or two but sooner or later the party is going end. I would rather be us who are staying competitive while getting things fixed now instead of putting things off. But each their own.

What numbers of mine are too high?

I was going off of a salary cap of 140 million + 4 million in rollover= 144 million.

You are assuming a salary cap of 145 million.

The 152.8 million is their projected salary obligations for 2015 and that includes the cap increase for Brees, Graham, and Byrd. This also includes the increases for this years rookies such as Cooks. If you add in next years rookies they will be around 155 million like I said earlier.

If we take your projected salary cap of 145 million plus 0 in rollover they are only 10 million over. That isn't as bad as some on here think or hope.

I'm not saying they are in perfect shape, but I want to caution people about thinking the saints are going to implode for some financial reason in the near future. Also, I do agree with you in that I like the way we are handling our financial situation.

[panthers55]

The Saints will still be good 5 years from now guys.

I got this great piece of land for sale which has plenty of water with spectacular views.   

 

No it isn't a swamp, we use the term percosin which plenty of spagnum to mine and make a huge profit......

 

LOL.