Transactions & The Cap

[varaven45]

Now that we picked up Leach but lost the Heapster, what are we doing to comp for loss of Red Zone target ?

 

Its a shame we lost Heap and poss D Mase. My question: if we are "talking " about reworking Ngata's contract, and those freed up dollars will/would allow us to sign a few guys, why didnt we do that before and what the heck are we waiting for ?

 

Get er done Oz so we can snag up a red zone toy for Joe ! Zach Miller and Malcolm Floyd are still out there I hear.

 

[cravnravn]

I think Dickson will be Joes new redzone toy.

[oldno82]

Dickson will be fine in the receiving department. Wish he pass blocked better---maybe he'll learn.

 

As for Ngata, agree we've got to move fast on this. We still need a backup qb, possibly an OT, and it would be nice to pick up a pass rusher.

[yagersports]

It seems that we really don't have to move very fast. The transactions in the NFL have slowed right down, I think most GMs and Owners are taking stock of what is left and what they have to spend before they surge ahead. Oz will shake it out just fine and no doubt we'll have another deep playoff run if we stay healthy.

[vmax]

Hey varav!

we are "talking " about reworking Ngata's contract, and those freed up dollars will/would allow us to sign a few guys, why didnt we do that before and what the heck are we waiting for ?

 

 

They couldn't even talk to Ngata or his agent until a new CBA was in place just a week ago, so, with all these FA's hitting the market, UFA's to sign, draft picks Ozzie probably hasn't slept.

 

The Ravens need a solid back up QB or they will leave themselves wide open to fail in a SB run this year. I want Bulger, but if he's lost his balls to play, then I don't want him....

There were times when the backup quarterbacks couldn't handle exchanges or tripped over their feet while dropping back. At one point, it was so ugly that offensive Cam Cameron said, "Some of you guys are thinking about tomorrow, but there might not be a tomorrow for some of you."

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2011/08/offense_struggles_early.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sports_football_ravens+%28Ravens+Insider%29

 

 

The Ravens are going smashmouth and I'm all for it. Harbaugh is obsessed with it. He can only have 1 3hour practice a day and he chooses this afternoon to do it!?! He will field the nastiest team he can.

 

Forget Osi...he won't be half as productive in a 3/4 hybred D like the Ravens and he'll break the bank. Redding may not be half as good but he is not killing the CAP either.

 

They could use another receiver...maybe Mason...but I like going young asnd all out to get speed and seperation at the wide out position. Joe just has to make it work with his new guys. Past experience tells me not to get too excited about any receivers the Ravens draft. Why can't these MoFo's grow a pair and catch the ball in games?...be the MAN!

Most disappear, but maybe now that Joe doesn't have his security blanket in Heap and NMason that will change.

 

OT??? Yea...a solid vet for insurance at LT would be good.

At RT I keep hearing great stuff every day on Reid. The Ravens just signed another huge specimin/freak tackle (Alex Solot, a 6-foot-8, 316-pounder) to go with Harewood and Cousins.

The big hit of the day belonged to rookie right tackle Jah Reid, who pancaked Kindle on a running play. Reid has a good initial pop and can do some damage if he gets into his opponent's body, but he has been slow off the ball and cutting off backside penetration.

They just might be OK at RT.

 

 

I think they are good at RB.

Edited August 1, 2011 by vmax

[cravnravn]

Forget Osi...he won't be half as productive in a 3/4 hybred D like the Ravens and he'll break the bank. Redding may not be half as good but he is not killing the CAP either.

 

 

 

G-Men want nothing less than a first round pick for Osi, dont think Oz will part with next years #1, after the Boller fiasco..haaa!!!

[vmax]

Oh! Forgot!

 

I'm very uncomfortable with the center situation.

The Ravens have some bodies in camp, but until one of them shows he can take over for Birk, I will live my life in fear.

 

[oldno82]

Oh! Forgot!

 

I'm very uncomfortable with the center situation.

The Ravens have some bodies in camp, but until one of them shows he can take over for Birk, I will live my life in fear.

 

 

I agree. Didn't we pick up a couple of Undrafted FAs who are Centers? I know thats not enough. We could use a veteran.

[colincac]

If we go out and sign a legit RT, the RB situation doesn't matter behind Rice because the blockers do most of the work anyway. I like what I heard about Reid, but I would love to get another guy that has starting experience at RT and RG.

[vmax]

I agree. Didn't we pick up a couple of Undrafted FAs who are Centers? I know thats not enough. We could use a veteran.

 

 

Yea...

 

TIM BARNES

Center

Missouri

6-3, 300

Tim Barnes was a three-year starter on the Tigers’ offensive line, making his 40th career start in the 2010 Insight Bowl. His efforts as a senior earned him first-team All-Big 12 honors. In his final two seasons, Barnes served as the center for QB Blaine Gabbert, the 10th-overall selection (Jacksonville) in the 2011 NFL Draft.

 

 

RYAN BARTHOLOMEW

Center

Syracuse

6-1, 302

Ryan Bartholomew concluded his four-year career as a senior team captain at Syracuse in 2010. He started all 35 contests he appeared in over his final three seasons with the Orangemen. He also scored his first career touchdown off of a fumble recovery in 2010 against Cincinnati. For his efforts as a senior, he was selected to participate in the 2011 East-West Shrine Game.

 

JUSTIN BOREN

Guard/Center

Ohio State

6-2, 309

Justin Boren was named a first-team All-Big Ten honoree following his senior season in 2010. He accumulated 26 career starts during his time as a Buckeye and won the Jim Parker Award, an honor given by OSU coaches to the team’s Outstanding Offensive Lineman. Prior to joining Ohio State, Boren played two seasons at Michigan, becoming just the third player in history to play for both teams in the storied Ohio State-Michigan rivalry.

[oldno82]

Those guys sound pretty impressive. Maybe one of the three will stick.

[OutsideRzAcE]

Those guys sound pretty impressive. Maybe one of the three will stick.

 

I sure hope so. All this focus on running game will be for naught if Birk keeps getting pushed into the backfield.

[RavenMad]

I don't know the full ins and outs of the whole thing. I will try and dig up an interesting cap analysis that I saw on another forum somewhere, but August 4th seems to be the magical date for the smart GMs of the league.

[RavenMad]

Some interesting stuff:

 

This CBA has FOUR moving parts contained within the Revenue frame work of the deal. Each moving part is a crafted carve out of the individual interests (Players , Owners, etc.). Most importantly is how the moving parts are assembled within the framework, this establishes what is called Preemption. Reading the context of one individual moving part only describes the part itself, it doesn't tell you where the part fits in the framework or how the machine should work with that moving part in place.

 

To clarify, THERE IS NO TRUE HARD SALARY CAP during league years 2011 and 2012. The misstated section is under 5.c.1 which states " "Acceleration of Signing/Performance Bonus's, " bonuses are classified as either " earned", which requires the amount of the bonus to count against the team's salary cap, or " unearned", which is not counted." Further in this section you find "A team's salary cap is adjusted downward for UNEARNED bonuses that were earned in the previous year but not counted against that year's cap. It is adjusted upward for EARNED bonuses that were accrued in the previous year and were counted against that year's cap." The Loophole is in just WHO gets to determine what is an "earned' bonus and what is an "unearned" bonus and when it was "accrued".

 

2011 and 2012 are both "Transition Years" by the General Provisions of the deal. Which means 5.c.1. is NOT fully effected until LEAGUE YEAR 2013. During the Transition Years teams can "cut and play" with any bonus that is counting against their salary cap by reflexively changing its status between EARNED and UNEARNED, thereby changing Transition Years Salary Cap Dead Money into "soft money" and moving it from a direct above the line charge against the salary cap to a below the line off-set for an "earned bonus" charged to the previous year.

 

The previous League Year (2010) was an UNCAPPED year, allowing a team to move the remaining part of any Sigining/Performance Bonus from "unearned" counting against this year's salary cap to "earned" counting against last years salary cap. This applies to any contract signed and structured 2009 and earlier. The Preemption also allows teams during the Pre-2011 League Year Period to "cut and dump dead money" from veteran contracts and roll it front to back in any number of fashions as long as the equation of the salary cap balances at the opening of League Year 2013. In this way teams are effectively able to lose all the dead money and restart the Salary Cap clock.

[RavenMad]

From that they have come up with the following. Sorry about the shouting but it was copy and paste job and I'm not sure where points 1-3 are to be found.

 

4-ANY CONTRACT YOU SIGN SHOULD NOT EXCEED FOUR YEARS- SEE #3

 

5-CONCENTRATE YOUR EFFORTS TO RE-DO SKILL POSITION PLAYERS CONTRACTS FIRST

 

6-LOAD EVERY POSSIBLE DOLLAR YOU CAN ONTO THE 2011 SALARY CAP, BORROWING AGAINST THE SECOND YEAR OF TRANSITION ONLY IN EMERGENCY.

 

7-DO NOT RE-STRUCTURE ANY EXISTING DEALS PRIOR TO AUG. 4TH 2011 TO MAKE CAP SPACE, BAD DEALS SHOULD BE CUT FIRST, THEN APPROACH YOUR TEAMS FREE AGENTS.

 

 

 

8-ARTIFICIALLY INFLATE THE AUG 4TH SALARY CAP ESTIMATE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY SOFT DOLLAR AND TRANSITION ALLOWANCE AVAILABLE.

 

 

 

9-ON AUG. 5TH. START RESTRUCTURING MAJOR LONG TERM DEALS CONVERTING MOST SALARY FOR 2013 AND 2014 INTO SIGNING BONUS PAID OUT IN 2011.

 

10-USE THE FRONT ROLL TECHNIQUE TO MOVE SALARY CAP SAVINGS FROM 2010 INTO 2011 AND 2011 INTO 2012 AND APPLY THIS MONEY TO THE 2011 RE-DO'S OF YOUR IMPACT PLAYERS DEALS .

 

11- AS A RULE CUT THE SALARY (FOR 2013 AND 2014) IN EACH RE-DO BY 25% BY LOADING THE SIGNING BONUS'S.

 

12-DON'T SPEND A DIME ON FA'S UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO PLUG GAPS BEFORE YOU HAVE AT LEAST 40 NON-TOXIC FRONT LOAD DEALS ON YOUR ROOSTER.

 

13-ASSESS WHERE YOU ARE IN THE CAP BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. DON'T ASSUME IT SEE IT!

 

14-AVOID PROTRACTED HOLD-OUTS AND BAD BLOOD WITH ANY IMPACT PLAYER, PAY THEM NOW IT WILL BE CHEAPER.

 

15-DO NOT USE THE FRANCHISE TAG (EXCEPT QB'S) THE SALARY CAP IMPACT TO THE TEAM IN 2012 AND 2013 IS UNBEARABLE.

 

16-ASSESS YOU ROOSTER DECIDE WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR TEAM IN 2015, THEN MAKE THOSE PLAYERS YOUR SECOND PRIORITY.

 

17-DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CUT PLAYERS (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF QB, LT, AND ROLB THOSE POSITIONS ARE GONNA COST YOU BIG IN THE NEW MARKET.) EVERYONE ELSE IS EXPENDABLE.