Let's talk about restructuring player contracts!

[IamSoClutch]

What is the lowest we could get beason to restucture to?

[frash.exe]

well, first off, you can't restructure a signing bonus away because that's money you already paid to the player when he signed the contract, borrowed against the cap of future years. So it's not like we're going to be voiding Beason's entire $50 million deal and pay him vet minimum.

Hurney really giant gonzalez'd us when it came to future cap money with all these signing bonuses.

[LinvilleGorge]

well, first off, you can't restructure a signing bonus away because that's money you already paid to the player when he signed the contract, borrowed against the cap of future years. So it's not like we're going to be voiding Beason's entire $50 million deal and pay him vet minimum.

Hurney really giant gonzalez'd us when it came to future cap money with all these signing bonuses.

Exactly. Beason's deal included a $20M signing bonus. There's still $12M of that guaranteed money that is going to hit us no matter what.

Here's the contract details from this coming season through the end of the deal:

2013 5,250,000 4,000,000 250,000 9,500,000

2014 6,500,000 4,000,000 250,000 10,750,000

2015 7,500,000 4,000,000 250,000 11,750,000

2016 8,750,000 - 250,000 9,000,000

If he was cut this year, it would be a $12M cap hit. If he was slated as a post June 1st cut, we could spread that hit out between this year and next year at $6M per. If I'm Gettleman, I'm going to Beason's agent and telling him that there's no way in hell I'm paying his guy $5.25M in base salary this coming season with him basically being two full seasons away from playing. Like TD coming off of multiple injuries, Beason has to realize that his options wouldn't be great on the open market. He'd probably be looking at a vet minimum "prove it" contract. He'd be much better off playing for the Panthers at a reduced rate. His agent would probably be smart to come back and say, "Well, you're going to take at least a $6M cap hit for my guy this year no matter what, so let's settle on $2M base pay this year." That'd be a good deal for both sides. The Panthers get to test Beason out for a year basically for free from a cap perspective (there's a $6M cap hit next year no matter what) and Beason makes more money here than he'd likely get on the open market if cut loose. That move would save us $3.25M in cap space this year and then after that, we'd be looking to save cap space if we cut him. If it didn't work out, we could cut him the following year and be looking at an $8M cap hit (or $4M/$4M if post June 1st) saving $2.75M the first year and $11.75 the 2cd year if we took it all up front in one year or saving $6.75M the first year and $7.74M the 2cd year if we spread it out over two years. He'll never see 2016 no matter what. He'll either be cut or extended at that point.

[CRA]

I don't see why a guy like Beason wouldn't restructure because of his injury problems when TD did the same thing last year.

Beason has a huge deal. He isn't going to want to part with money and Carolina would be dumb to throw big cash at a man who hasn't been playing. Beason likely could try to call Carolina's bluff....see if they would cut him, hoping they would just keep on keepin on

[LinvilleGorge]

Looking at Gross' deal, he's a prime candidate for a restructure. If he was cut this offseason, we'd save $5.5M in cap space even if we took the whole hit up front. If we spread it over 2 years, we'd save about $8.5M this year and next year.

Same thing with Gamble's. We'd save almost $4M next season taking the full hit up front or $6.75M next season and almost $8M the season after that if we spread it over 2.

I feel confident saying that both those guys are gone minus a restructure.

[PiratePanther189]

Beason has a huge deal. He isn't going to want to part with money and Carolina would be dumb to throw big cash at a man who hasn't been playing. Beason likely could try to call Carolina's bluff....see if they would cut him, hoping they would just keep on keepin on

That has nothing to do with what I said. TD had a very similar contract and very gladly took a paycut before last season. All I said was I don't know why Beason wouldn't do the same thing. And unless you've been in contact with Beason, everything you said there was pure speculation and assumption.

[LinvilleGorge]

There's no possible way for Beason to restructure his contract to have a cap hit of less than $4M + veteran minimum base salary. The bonus has already been paid. It's hitting the salary cap. No way around it. IMO, the sweet spot for both parties is a $2M base. That would make his cap hit the same this year as it would be if we cut him and spread the hit over two years and it's a higher base than he'd likely find on the open market given is injury issues. He wouldn't be a hot commodity. Good deal for both sides.

[Kevin Greene]

There's no possible way for Beason to restructure his contract to have a cap hit of less than $4M + veteran minimum base salary. The bonus has already been paid. It's hitting the salary cap. No way around it. IMO, the sweet spot for both parties is a $2M base. That would make his cap hit the same this year as it would be if we cut him and spread the hit over two years and it's a higher base than he'd likely find on the open market given is injury issues. He wouldn't be a hot commodity. Good deal for both sides.

If he can get on and stay on the field.

[LinvilleGorge]

It's a good deal because there's no realistic way to get his cap hit under $6M. His agent knows that the Panthers are taking a $6M cap hit no matter what. We cut him and spread the hit over 2 years, $6M cap hit this year and $6M next year. Renegotiating his contract to put him at a $2M base + the $4M signing bonus is probably as good as we're gonna do. That would basically be giving us Jon Beason free from a cap standpoint. If we cut him, the lowest he'd cost us is $6M on the cap, so if we can keep him for a $6M hit or not much more than $6M, then there's really no downside to it.

From Beason's perspective, he's unlikely to get $2M from any team on the open market, so it's a good deal from his angle too.

[cookinbrak]

If I was the GM....and I have no idea if it would even be possible....I'd call a meeting, and explain the cap situation. Then tell everybody that, for the good of the team, there were gonna be 10-12 % cuts across the board. If you wanna see growth, give a little back. Then see where everyone stood.

[Marguide]

There's no possible way for Beason to restructure his contract to have a cap hit of less than $4M + veteran minimum base salary. The bonus has already been paid. It's hitting the salary cap. No way around it. IMO, the sweet spot for both parties is a $2M base. That would make his cap hit the same this year as it would be if we cut him and spread the hit over two years and it's a higher base than he'd likely find on the open market given is injury issues. He wouldn't be a hot commodity. Good deal for both sides.

I agree that we would need to make it something very modest as you suggest. If irc though, he still has $3+ million in guaranteed salary due this year, so they'd have to roll that into the deal.

Just running a few numbers, and thinking about the situation, I still think he's gone when all is said and done. Here are some reasons why:

1) No matter how we structure it, he would still be counting $6 million plus against our cap for at least the next 3 years, and that is with him getting no more than $2 million a year.

2) Jon can still collect that $3+ million without giving in, and then sell himself on the open market.

3) He is now no more than a luxury player for us. Do we really want to have that quantity of cap dollars tied up for several years on a luxury (and high risk due to injuries) player?

When everything shakes out, both parties may well decide to just cut ties post June 1.

[LinvilleGorge]

If I was the GM....and I have no idea if it would even be possible....I'd call a meeting, and explain the cap situation. Then tell everybody that, for the good of the team, there were gonna be 10-12 % cuts across the board. If you wanna see growth, give a little back. Then see where everyone stood.

This might be the worst idea I've ever heard. Seriously. For one, the rookie contracts are set in stone. You can't touch them. Veteran minimum contracts are already bare bones. Not everyone on the team is overpaid, so why should they take a cut? Our cap problems honestly come down to just a handful of players - notably Beason, Williams, Stewart, Gamble, Gross, Godfrey, CJ, and James Anderson. The Gamble, Gross, and Anderson situations are pretty simple IMO - they either restructure or they get cut. Period. Godfrey is actually relatively cheap for one more season, then he either restructures or he's gone. The others get more complicated due to the cap implications. If everyone and their agents want to play ball, it's actually a pretty easy fix. If agents and/or players want to play hard ball, we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Hopefully players want to be here, because they're agents aren't dumb. They know the situation.

[FutureDynasty]

If I was the GM....and I have no idea if it would even be possible....I'd call a meeting, and explain the cap situation. Then tell everybody that, for the good of the team, there were gonna be 10-12 % cuts across the board. If you wanna see growth, give a little back. Then see where everyone stood.

how would you feel if your boss did that at your job? This is a business first and foremost these guys wouldn't stand for that,

[Marguide]

As an aside since we're on the subject, there are conflicting reports on how unallocated cap dollars are handled for post June 1st cuts.

We all know those dollars are spread over 2 years. It is usually assumed they are divided equally, i.e. $6 million in 2013 and $6 million in 2014. However, I have seen a number of reports in the media that it is divided differently, with the original cap hit taken in the first year, and the balance in year 2. Again, using Beason as an example, the charge would be around $4 million in 2013 and $8 million in 2014.

Does anyone have a definitive reference that answers this question?