Panthers Cap figure for 2012. Pat Yasinskas

[Wyank]

It's going to be interesting to see if any teams mess up with the new CBA cap floor of league wide needing to be at 99% of the salary cap.

Take Cam for instance. If the man keeps progressing, he is going to get a healthy contract when it is time to pay the man. But with every team essentially needing to be near the salary cap with the 99% cap floor, some contracts are going to need to be planned to end about the time Cam's blockbuster contract happens. Can't sit on cap space in advance since need to be close to that 99% cap floor.

Some team is going to mess up and just not have the money available to give to that big time player and either that big time player hits FA or some very good players are cut to make room.

Or I could be wrong about the 99% floor.

[Brooklyn Bully]

Otah will NOT be here next season. blah blah blah Inside Source blah blah blah.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

teams dont have to hit the floor until 2013 i believe

[Wyank]

teams dont have to hit the floor until 2013 i believe

The year or year before Cam is going to get paid (if he continues to get better of course)?

[carpanfan96]

that's not correct, the option bonus works similar to a signing bonus in that it'll be spread over the remaining 4 years of his contract, meaning it'll count 2M per year against the cap

as i put in the other thread TDs 2012 cap hit if retained is 5.9M, if cut his signing bonus accelerates and counts 5.6M against the cap. once you figure in the cost of replacing the roster spot (even at a bare minimum) you actually have a larger cap in 2012 from cutting TD than keeping him. the only difference is that there's significant savings from 2013 on

No, not really. Unless Thomas Davis is protected in his contract (which he probably isn't) The team can cut him and not pay that Option bonus at all, they won't owe him a dime for it.

Here's a USA Today article from when the Option bonus starting being a big thing in the NFL.

When Elvis Grbac signed a $30 million free-agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens in March 2001, a $6 million option bonus seemed like a good idea.

After all, Grbac received $5 million to sign. But circumstances changed. The Ravens cut Grbac in March, rather than pay the option bonus.

Here's on Thomas Davis' Contract

Davis is owed an $8 million bonus on the second day of the league year in 2012. He's obviously not getting that after sustaining the third ACL tear of his career in Week 2. "Of course I'm willing to restructure (my contract), as long as I get the opportunity to play," said Davis. Still, the Panthers will most likely end up outright releasing Davis in March and then see where he's at later in the off season.

More information on his deal.

The Panthers blew $8 million in first-year salary and bonuses on Davis, but at least protected themselves with the option. They can cut ties with Davis in 2012 by not exercising the bonus on the third day of the next league year. The alleged five-year, $36.5 million deal was actually a one-year, $8 million pact. Davis will be released next March after his third ACL tear

Like I was saying his contract doesn't actually kick in next season till that bonus is initiated and if the team cuts him, they don't owe him jack in anything after this past season unless he gets that bonus.

Links from rotoworld >

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/3135/thomas-davis

Just click on the Panther's protect themselves in Davis' new deal on the side.

[bleys]

that gives me hope we can keep Davis around on a cheaper deal..

[R0CKnR0LLA]

carpanfan96 the 5.6M cap hit from TD being cut is 100% from his signing bonus

that's already been paid, no way around it

[mr beauxjangles]

so...we're gonna sign mario williams and brent grimes tho, yeah?

[R0CKnR0LLA]

so...we're gonna sign mario williams and brent grimes tho, yeah?

don't forget dwayne bowe and carl nicks

[rayzor]

we are about $3.4 mil under the cap this year and that space will roll over to next year (thanks to the new CBA).

we will also be able to borrow a couple million against the following years cap to help re-sign vets (again, thanks to the CBA).

there is also talk that this will be a buyers market this year and that most layers looking for new deals will have to settle for a smaller amount of money and a one year deal as teams are wanting to wait until the new tv deal begins in 2013.

also, some contracts will be restructured providing a little extra room.

don't look for the sky to fall yet. the cap won't have the impact many of you think it will. we won't be able to go spend crazy, but we also won't be paupers.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

last i saw the cap space we had this year was around 2M, do you have a link for the most recent number? either way that will help a bit

as far as the "borrowing" money from vets you could always do that with a simple restructure converting a players base salary into a signing bonus. neither of these moves really create cap space they just push the hits into future years.

there's always the debate of if that's a good idea as it tends to catch up to you but as i said it's always been an option, the clause in the new cba doesn't change anything in that regard

[Snake]

If we want someone we will get them. Contracts in the NFL are worth about as much as the paper there printed on. The Redskins and Raiders give stupid contracts every year and never suffer for it.

[Car123]

Sign Drew Brees and let Cam mentor him for 5 years.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

The Redskins and Raiders give stupid contracts every year and never suffer for it.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: