11 teams still have $20 million or more in cap room

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One week into the 2011 spending spree under the new $120.4 million salary cap, 11 teams still have more than $20 million available for the coming season.  A source with knowledge of the numbers has shared them with PFT.

Leading the way are the Bengals, with more than $41 million in cap room.  The Jaguars have more than $34 million.

And the bronze goes, surprisingly, to the Browns, with more than $30.4 million.

The others are:  the Buccaneers (more than $30.2 million); the 49ers (more than $30.0 million); the Chiefs (more than $28.7 million); the Broncos (more than $26.7 million); the Bills (more than $26.5 million); the Bears (more than $24 million); the Cardinals (more than $23.6 million); and the Seahawks (more than $21.2 million).

It remains widely believed by fans and some in the media that the mandatory minimum cash spend of 89 percent under the new labor deal immediately applies.  It doesn’t.

While the league as a whole must spend cash in 2011 that equates to 99 percent of the cap, there’s no minimum requirement for each team until 2013.  Thus, neither the Bengals nor any other specific team is required to spend another dime — as long as all 32 teams cuts checks this year that equal at least $3.814 billion.

UPDATE:  These numbers include the $3 million one-time exemption available to each team in 2011, which pushed the total spending limit to $123.4 million.

80 responses to “11 teams still have $20 million or more in cap room

  1. Any chance you have the cap numbers for all teams? It would be interesting to see who is very close to the cap limit as well.

  2. With the *possible* (but unlikely) exception the Bears and Bucs,, every one of those teams has a losing record in 2011?

    Coincidence?

  3. Uh,since there is a cap, mathematically, each team would have to spend 99% for the “league as a whole” to spend 99%? right?

  4. If the league has to spend 99% of the total cap, wouldn’t every team have to spend at least 98% or so?

    If all 11 of these teams remain $20 million under, wouldn’t several teams have to go over to get to 99%?

  5. clayshair says:
    Aug 2, 2011 8:11 AM
    Uh,since there is a cap, mathematically, each team would have to spend 99% for the “league as a whole” to spend 99%? right?

    ———————————-

    i was trying to wrap my head around that one as well. It seemed really stupid to agree to spend 99% of the cap as that leaves no wiggle room.

  6. When the lockout was going on I was trying to explain to the pro-owner anti-player shills, that their anger should be directed at the teams/owners who make no effort to put a winning product on the field. Until 2013 teams those teams are going to be about profit only and not winning. So lets see the anger directed toward them and not the shorthanded players.

  7. I’m so confused. I thought the Broncos were close to their cap limit and that’s why they’ve not gone after the big free agents (Membane, Coefield, etc.) I’m starting to think the financial picture for most teams are a little fuzzy.

  8. Can you please find out the available cap room for the rest of the teams, I’m sure I’m not the only reader who would appreciate it.

    By the way, none of these 11 teams deserve to have any fans. It is one thing to make wrong moves like the Redskins, but just keeping the money is ridiculous.

  9. clayshair, no

    It’s not cap dollars spent. It’s cash spent. Signing bonuses are prorated against the cap, but the cash is spent immediately.

    So the Jets can give out a 5 year 50 million contract with 20 million guaranteed, and 10m goes against the cap, but 30m is spent in cash.

    The signing bonuses just need to make up the difference. ( Also there are 2 exemptions that allow teams to go 6.5m over the cap )

  10. It also has not value if you pay a bazillion dollars for an average at best punter.

  11. While the league as a whole must spend cash in 2011 that equates to 99 percent of the cap, there’s no minimum requirement for each team until 2013. Thus, neither the Bengals nor any other specific team is required to spend another dime — as long as all 32 teams cuts checks this year that equal at least $3.814 billion.

    OK, so you’ve made this point a number of times. So, if it is the total spend that is significant, what is that figure currently?

    How much has been spent already? Is there any possibility that the league will struggle to exceed $3.814 billion if those 11-teams do not start using significantly more of their cap space?

    What procedures have the league put in place to handle a shortfall? What rules exist for dictating how the franchises with remaining cap space would be required to meet that short-fall, is there equal liablity?

  12. The browns should offer joe thomas 3 yr 90 million dollar extention if he can convert and go ways as a left tackle and de

  13. Mr. Hunt and Pioli, Would you PLEASE open up the wallet and spend a little money? We could use a better Right Tackle, Nose Tackle, and Linebacker. PAY TAMBA HALI and Brandon Carr. Both players have earned a Payday. We had a good season last year and want to have a few more.

    Sincerely,

    A Die Hard Chiefs Fanatic

  14. The teams will need to leave some cap money to be able to sign existing players later this season for the long run.

  15. Mike Brown could pay some big time players to come turn this awful organization around, but he’d rather sit on $41 million.

    Great owner.

  16. “What procedures have the league put in place to handle a shortfall? What rules exist for dictating how the franchises with remaining cap space would be required to meet that short-fall, is there equal liablity?”

    It is my understanding any “shortfall of the 99% cash requirement”, will be made up by dispersing the remainder to all members of the teams that fall under the cap limits…

    So players currently on these teams listed may be seeing some bonus checks…

    That is why you keep hearing guys like Tom Heckert say, he would rather give the money to the young players on the team rather than spending too much on any single player that doesn’t necessarily fit the team.

    This is my understanding anyway…But teams that want to spend the cash will actually help these teams in the long run because they will still be spending less than the 89% for these next two years.

    I also think that is why you are seeing so many 1 year contracts. So that they can figure the salary cap out properly and reset, if you will, in the 2012 offseason.

  17. “Uh,since there is a cap, mathematically, each team would have to spend 99% for the “league as a whole” to spend 99%? right?”

    Someone said above that guarantees paid this year count toward the total payout, even if they don’t count toward the cap. I don’t know if that’s true or not.

    However, I do know that teams have some flexibility to go over the cap for veterans, this year. That can affect the total league salary.

    Also, some teams are probably going to use cap room for renegotiations. Umenyiora would be a case in point, if he’s traded to a team that gives him a big new contract.

  18. Didn’t the owners just fight through a player’s union strike – it would be logical to think that owners ae strapped or overspent, based on the economic recession – debt crisis, etc. Only the few high market teams can spend right now from an economic standpoint…the salary-cap is too high now – and most teams will not even worry about it—it’s a BUSINESS.

  19. Being a Browns fan, I have no delusions of being a playoff team in 2011…NONE…not even if we had spent 100% of our cap on 3 super free agents to bring in…

    why?

    We have TWO new systems being implemented in a shortened off season..New players will not make this transition any easier, they would have to learn the new systems along with all the current players.

    I think it is VERY smart to play it the way our front office is. They will be in a great position next year or 2013, when our current young players are maturing and understand the systems. Then you will have players that understand these systems to help any potential free agents to improve the team into a playoff caliber squad.

    That would not happen in 2011, no matter what we did in free agency, so why waste the money on these guys now?

  20. Eagles have 4.5 mil available. If they re-sign vick and get him off the franchise tag, and move asante, they will be close to 15-20mil under again. Banner and Roseman are schrewd businessmen who know what they are doing.

  21. Hawks are rebuilding from the devastation of the Tim Ruskell error(take note Bears fans). They dumped/didn’t re sign a bunch of under performing/under talented/over paid guys. They are not a player or two from playoff run, so why go out and spend like drunken Snyders on FA’s that won’t help much? They are building through the draft(lower salaries), bringing in younger guys to replace Ruskell’s mistakes(lower salaries), and looking 2-3 years down the road. This type of long term plan doesn’t justify big buck FA signings this year. Unlike teams like Pats, Colts, Jets they don’t have 15-20 mil committed to a single player to skew their cap nuumbers.

  22. I think teams are hoarding cash in anticipation of having to spend 89% in 2013 and beyond.

  23. Carson ain’t coming back. We who are Bengal fans know this, and the stench of the situation will last for years. Notice how no one is really talking to the Bengals, except guys desperate for one last NFL contract? Frankly, this team tarnishes the almighty NFL shield and the league needs to act. This team lost a top NFL CB in Jonathan Joseph due to ineptness in the front office. Who knows after the one tag point passed in the CBA Mike Brown just gave up…

  24. hers how i understand it. as a bucs fan ill use Davin Joseph. He signed a 53 million dollar contract. just over 7 million per year will count towards the bucs hitting the cap each year. however the entire 53 million counts towards what all 32 teams need to spend this year.

  25. Irishdawg,Do you mean losing when you say “I think it is VERY smart to play it the way our front office is.”? Also, there is no “our front office”. You are a fan, not a part of the team, no matter how much you wish it was so. I am also a Browns fan, and I am tired of hearing “Wait til next year.”, especially before the season has even started. If the goal of every team, every year, is not win the super bowl, then they are defrauding the fans. Why would I want to pay to see a team that has already given up on the season before it starts? But you will, and so will a bunch of other rose colored glasses wearers, ensuring that this defrauding continues far into the future. They will not spend money on fielding a competitive team because they don’t have to. “Fans” like you will make sure of it.

  26. Although I agree with Mike Brown being horrible for football and the city of Cincinnati the reason they miss out on big time free agents is well mike brown is the owner, only outside team without a practice dome and one way contract commitments and basically zero football knowledge. On a plus side for Bengals fans is with the signing of Manny Lawson it looks like Marvin is getting some say in personnel now.

  27. And Randy Moss retired???

    There are contenders on this list and he couldn’t play for one of these teams at a deserved minimum of $2.5 million???

  28. every team listed has been a junk show for most of the recent past. I bet you can trace back and find a trend. Perennial losers don’t spend. I know my Browns have been losers in all but 2 seasons since their return to the league. They have also been comfortably under the cap the entire time. I think Al Lerner is Mike Brown North. Cleveland will have a hard time winning until he sells the team.
    But he won’t, he knows just how to sucker browns fans into spending their money on his team.
    What do you expect, he owns one of the largest credit card companies in the world.
    What a sheister

  29. If the players/NFLPA signed off on it then there is really nothing to discuss here. Can’t complain about something they approved line by line.

  30. How is it possible that the Jaguars started with about $35 million in cap room, signed 6 free agents to big money deals, and STILL have $34 million in cap room?

  31. in reply to
    ————————————

    It is my understanding any “shortfall of the 99% cash requirement”, will be made up by dispersing the remainder to all members of the teams that fall under the cap limits…

    So players currently on these teams listed may be seeing some bonus checks…

    ————————————

    In the past there has never been a “league” minimum like this, so it’s a little hazy on how it will work out. However, reports have been that the difference will not be directly paid to players but rather a lump sum payment given from the owners revenue to the players union. They could do it with it what they please.

    In cases of individual teams being under in the past the difference was evenly distributed to players on the roster for that season.

    Keep in mind that even if they end up 100 mill under that’s still only 3m per owner. I do not think the owners are very worried about being under.

    For people complaining, it would have been reckless for the NFL to force 99% cap usage on an individual team basis. Would have put 1/4 of the owners into situations where they have to spend money poorly and hurt their long-term status.

    I root for the 49ers, so yea it’s frustrating for the team to have 30m in space. You now what would be more frustrating? If they paid 4 average players 8m/yr in order to get to a forced minimum.

  32. So with 24 mill left, the bears still let olin kruetz sign with the 49ers. Sure he’s not the same guy from 5 years ago but he was a leader. Spend the money, or drop your ticket prices.

  33. I’m guessing by the time the Bears pay Matt Forte a new contract that cap number won’t be so impressive. I would guess a big chunk of that will be for him.

  34. Pat Bowlan is one of the best owners in football, but I have heard that he has been a little strapped for cash lately. I think that the broncos are still holding out for Ty Warren, and also, they are #2 on the waiver wire, so when rosters cuts are made, they need cap space to sign these players. Have faith Broncos fans, theres alot of wok to be done, and just throwing money at it isn’t gonna help.

  35. Of course the bengals have the most. Mike Brown is just CHEAP. He’ll low-ball every contract.

  36. Prior to free agency, the Miami Herald reported the Jaguars were $35 million under the salary cap. Since then they have signed all their draft picks, plus 6 big money free agents. And you’re telling me they are now $34 million under the cap?

    This doesn’t seem plausible to me.

  37. hashsview says: Aug 2, 2011 8:20 AM

    “Money has not value unless you spend it.”

    /groan.
    Anybody who has a wife knows that thought process all too well…

  38. Attention fans, each team builds themselves differently. Dan snyder tries to build a winner by high priced free agents and then he fails when there is no chemistry or they are not team players. Steelers draft well and pay them well when they perform and add high priced free agents very seldom except for maybe a hole or spot that needs a lil help. The sttelers is the model the bad teams need to follow because they are always consistently winning and when somebody does leave they just plug in a new person and has no drop off, and why?? cause they develop their own and have a great system players buy into.

    The bad teams right now are building the draft picks and developing there system. I love my Browns and was dissapointed they didnt dive into free agency, then i took step back and thought.. hmm are they ready to win now? probably not. we over pay for free agents now and then not resign the joe thomas’s or hadens then they leave the team cause we cant afford to keep them.. so draft well and pay your own players before you add free agents make the most sense.. build a team in the smart way and you wont have to cut everybody you signed now because you need to pay your home built players or let them go.. hmm rather not develop great players for other teams.. thats just me.

  39. Hey idiots who haven’t been paying attention, you won’t be able to use Snyder as an example of overspending anymore. The past two offseasons, this team has gotten 3 years younger overall and are still around 20 mil under cap.

  40. _________________
    texline1 says: Aug 2, 2011 9:13 AM

    Irishdawg,Do you mean losing when you say “I think it is VERY smart to play it the way our front office is.”? Also, there is no “our front office”. You are a fan, not a part of the team, no matter how much you wish it was so.

    ————–
    I am also a Browns fan, and I am tired of hearing “Wait til next year.”, especially before the season has even started. If the goal of every team, every year, is not win the super bowl, then they are defrauding the fans. Why would I want to pay to see a team that has already given up on the season before it starts? But you will, and so will a bunch of other rose colored glasses wearers, ensuring that this defrauding continues far into the future. They will not spend money on fielding a competitive team because they don’t have to. “Fans” like you will make sure of it.
    ________________

    @texline1…

    1st of all, I don’t pretend to be a part of the front office, but being a fan of a single team in the NFL, does preclude me as stating our front office meaning MY TEAM THAT I FOLLOW. Thanks for attacking a fellow fan, you are what gives Browns fans a bad name…

    2nd, I DON’T mean losing…I mean learning and putting forth a 100% effort every Sunday. Doesn’t mean I am happy with losing, but a Super Bowl team will not be made by hiring 3-4 over priced free agents that will get you over a small hump for 1-2 years and in cap trouble for 5-6 years, ignorance is bliss.
    ————————
    You are not a Browns fan if you are calling out true fans opinions of an obvious situation.

    You say giving up? I say building a future…BIG difference!

    We have tried the route of signing big name contracts and it got us NO WHERE!!

    We are starting a very young foundation that will be able to sustain a long prosperous run at prominence, not a one and done for 7 years pretender…

    lastly, don’t pay to see them…don’t need you in your corporate box of people that are only here for a Super Bowl Title or jump ship..
    ___________________________________
    We need a sustainable roster that will see us through for the next decade, not a one year run and start over…

  41. texline1 says:
    Aug 2, 2011 9:13 AM
    Irishdawg,Do you mean losing when you say “I think it is VERY smart to play it the way our front office is.”? Also, there is no “our front office”. You are a fan, not a part of the team, no matter how much you wish it was so. I am also a Browns fan, and I am tired of hearing “Wait til next year.”, especially before the season has even started. If the goal of every team, every year, is not win the super bowl, then they are defrauding the fans. Why would I want to pay to see a team that has already given up on the season before it starts? But you will, and so will a bunch of other rose colored glasses wearers, ensuring that this defrauding continues far into the future. They will not spend money on fielding a competitive team because they don’t have to. “Fans” like you will make sure of it.
    ___________________________________

    So you would rather the Browns spend millions on big name FA’s to try and win now (when clearly they aren’t ready) instead of building for the future?! So what you’re saying is they should act like the Redskins? Yeah, because that’s been working real good for the Redskins, right?! What do the the teams that are competitive year in and year out have in common (ie. Steelers, Ravens, Pats etc)? They built their teams through the DRAFT!

    I’d much rather the Browns continue doing what they are doing by building a team through the draft that will hopefully set them up for success for years to come, not just this year.

  42. @texline1

    One last thing, you do realize “WE” have to extend contracts to Joe Thomas, Ahtyba Rubin and Peyton Hillis…right?

    These three alone will raise our cap hit by $12-14M..

    Tom Heckert wants to PAY “OUR” young players, not over priced free agents that may or may not fit the system. I certainly trust him making “OUR” roster decisions over the likes of you who just wants a big name free agent to ease your mind.

  43. Dawg, until you start writing their paychecks, they are not YOUR team that you support. They are A team that you support. Secondly, what makes you think that being a fan of the same team precludes me from calling you out on your wait til next year kool-aid opinion? Lastly, I am no “corporate box holder”. I am a poor man that has neither the money, nor the time, to spend watching a team that keeps feeding it’s fans the same line year after year. They are cheap. Period. Cash is their ONLY motivator.

  44. “Your good you, your very good you” I do not know how many times I heard it reported from all the media outlets that Teams are going to be forced to spend the minimum this year.

    You can forget Cincy, Tampa and many other from spending until forced to in 2013. You would think the media would have had that one out there. It is very important information with many Fans thinking their Teams will be spending like drunken sailors.

  45. I don’t want the Broncos to force money on an under-performer…but $26 mil should have been enough to get Cullen Jenkins or Mebane…just sayin’.

  46. ____________________________________
    Dawg, until you start writing their paychecks, they are not YOUR team that you support. They are A team that you support.
    ————–
    Secondly, what makes you think that being a fan of the same team precludes me from calling you out on your wait til next year kool-aid opinion?
    ————–
    Lastly, I am no “corporate box holder”. I am a poor man that has neither the money, nor the time, to spend watching a team that keeps feeding it’s fans the same line year after year. They are cheap. Period. Cash is their ONLY motivator.
    __________________________________
    Well, I am not rich either, yet I spend my hard earned money to support the franchise, who in turn writes the paychecks, so call me crazy but..my $400 or so dollars spent per year on the club goes towards part of that franchise, making me a part of the equation…

    No fan support= No team, not rocket science…
    ———-
    2nd, comments like a kool-aid opinion, not a reasonable comment/argument to the contrary. It would be different if you said that by adding playerA, the team would improve in such a way…but attacking an opinion with unsubstantiated words is not being a fellow fan, it is being a hater.
    ————
    I completely understand the economics aspect of your situation, the time aspect? not so much…you have time to complain about the franchise, even on off NFL time on these boards, so you obviously have SOME free time…

    I’ll admit that Lerner is clueless as far as American Football and not Futeball is concerned, but cheap and money hungry is not his foray. He wants a championship for this team and FINALLY hired men for the front office to get the job done.

    He has questionable hires over the past 10 years, while knowing very little about football. That is his crime, not spending. The Browns have spent according to the GM/coaching philosophy over this last decade..Now they are doing it Heckert and Holmgren’s way…Which is hopefully(hope being the key element here) going to put us back on the map where we belong.

  47. To the discruntled Browns fan, realise that your team made the prestigious list more then once of the NFL’s worst free agent pickups. Your team has a long history even when they were good of overspending in free agency for guys that were big names but never panned out.

    Jeff Garcia, Andre Rison, Donte Stallworth, Jake Delhomme & Trent Dilfer just to name a few. The fact that your team is not spending huge on free agency and is concentrating on developing it’s own YOUNG talent shows that for once in a long time the management might actually know what it’s doing instead of getting it’s team building skills from playing Madden on the rookie difficulty setting. If the Browns defense can continue to hold every other team to less then 20 points a game like they did last year and their offense can function at all, they will be a good team soon. Your team has the best offensive line in the NFL with the only missing piece of the puzzle being a decent QB. Now if only the Redskins could follow Clevelands lead.

  48. mrfrostyj –

    I totally agree with you. The Browns have had a penchant for only taking marquee players who are either still pretty good and just don’t fit in personality/character wise (Jeff Garcia, Andre Rison)- or they take marquee names who are past their prime (Delhomme, Ted Washington, Willie McGinest, Bobby Engram).

    It’s refreshing for a change to watch them do what they’re doing now- stick to developing young talent and only adding FAs based on (potential) needs, instead of trying to buy their way into the playoffs. It would be 10 times as satisfying reaching the postseason knowing the players developed into great athletes instead of just trying to buy a championship, like the Miamidelphia Heagles.

  49. chadman128 says:
    Aug 2, 2011 9:40 AM
    I’m guessing by the time the Bears pay Matt Forte a new contract that cap number won’t be so impressive. I would guess a big chunk of that will be for him.

    Brah. Forte is not going to be making 15mill season. Think 4-8mill over the contract life. So no, still too much cap space. Hope Angelo has something up his sleeve.

  50. The Bengals need to extend Leon Hall, Jerome Simpson, Rey Maualuga, Reggie Nelson, Adam Jones, and possibly guys like Andre Caldwell, Manny Lawson, and possible pick up the option on Andre Smith.

    It’s a good thing they have so much cap space because these extensions are vital.

  51. If you guys are monitoring comments, can we get a story on how the Steelers’ cap issues are affecting attempts to sign Woodley and any efforts to negotiate a new contract with Polamalu before the season starts? Could we make even a low-key move in the secondary, o-line, or receiving corps if we wanted, or are our hands tied when it comes to bringing in outside talent?

  52. Quote: “The Bengals need to extend Leon Hall, Jerome Simpson, Rey Maualuga, Reggie Nelson, Adam Jones, and possibly guys like Andre Caldwell, Manny Lawson, and possible pick up the option on Andre Smith.

    It’s a good thing they have so much cap space because these extensions are vital.”

    No good players are gonna stay with the Bengals any longer than they have to. Joseph was just the beginning. Really Carson was the beginning. He left 50 million on the table just to get away from Mike Brown. Any good players are going to play out their contracts and get out of town and away from Mike Brown as fast as they can.

  53. I see a lot of comments from Cleveland Browns fans here. I am also a life long Browns fan. I like parts of what all of you have posted. I think the bottom line is that ALL of us Browns fans are frustrated with losing. We all agree that as a young team we must build the core of our team through the draft. I didn’t think we would go on a spending rampage in free agency. What I did think we would do was improve our depth at some very thin positions like WR, DE, and CB.

    Injuries are running rampant already as training camps have opened. Being a 5-11 team last year I had hoped we would add more than we have so far to our roster. All of our draft picks are now signed. Adding a couple of veteran free agents would go a long way to showing all of us season ticket holders that we aren’t going to a gun fight armed with a knife.

    No matter how much we as Cleveland fans are the butt of jokes, we will always root for and stay painfully loyal to our team. Here we go Brownies, Here we Go!

  54. 1) The Bengals it seems won’t spend the money to get better players to make a better team and maybe not be such a laughingstock around the league.

    2) About a month ago they were rated as the worst organization in professional sports.

    Could there be a connection between #1 and #2?

    Discuss

  55. maybe every team will need to do what the panthers did: throw away all bunch of money on one player. i mean maybe everybody in the world has no idea who charles johnson is but we all know how much he makes.

  56. The life of a Chiefs fan…. Our owner chips in 150 million towards renovations of Arrowhead(about 35% of total costs), and then, after driving up the value of his team in doing so, proceeds to take his 150 million back through payroll cuts. We’ve been one of the bottom 3 in payroll every year since we started the renovations. Un-freakin-believable. Not to mention he lists his primary address as Tahiti, so he can avoid paying U.S. taxes.

    I want to move to Philadelphia, where there teams are actually trying to win it all. I think, win or lose, that’s what fans really want. They want to know their team is going for it.

  57. Anyone wants to see how to build an NFL team from complete rubbish in 4 years, take a look at the Lions.

    The last 4 years the Lions have moved back up late in round one or two…or HAD a late round one pick via trade (thank you, Dallas)…and added six young, talented, long term starters.

    Calvin Johnson
    Gosder Cherilus
    Matthew Stafford
    Brandon Pettigrew (pick from Dallas)
    Ndamokung Suh
    Jahvid Best

    Then, this year they took Nick Fairley in round one (a pleasant surprise) and then traded up in round two, after taking WR Titus Young, (who pencils in as their WR2-WR3 with CJ and Nate Burleson) and grabbed Mikel Leshoure, who fills a need for a powerful, between the tackles guy, which the Lions haven’t had since parting ways with Jones, several years ago.

    While doing all this they also managed to pick up their starting middle linebacker in DeAndre Levy (remember the pick-six against Chicago(?), last year) and Louis Delmas at safety.

    These guys are all signed and starting, and Detroit also has two guys wh0 made the Pro Bowl on special teams (Wendling and Ekejiubah) and a genuine return threat in Stefan Logan.

    Note that in all the names mentioned, only two, Burleson and Logan, were not draft picks, and prior to this year the only other significant free agent signing was Kyle Vanden Bosch, who brought a mammoth locker room presence, and starts at right defensive end.

    Detroit also stole Rob Sims from Cleveland to solidify their offensive line, which allowed the sixth fewest sacks in the NFL last year, and Corey Williams, who plugged in at DT as a huge run stuffer and mentor to Suh, and now Fairley, as well.

    All that in four years, and Detroit is under the cap. That is how you build a football team.

  58. @blackheld sho says;

    “Anyone wants to see how to build an NFL team from complete rubbish in 4 years, take a look at the Lions”

    “All that in four years, and Detroit is under the cap. That is how you build a football team.”

    Please take no offense to this, I mean no animosity towards you or the Lions, but statements like above should be reserved for teams that actually turn themselves into winners…

    At this point you are speculating that they will have a winning season and all signs point to it being a possibility(if not probability)…but they are still the team that has only won 17 out of 66 games in the 4 year span that you are quoting and have not had a winning season since 2000.

    So, forgive me for not sending e-mails to the GM asking him to emulate the Lions recent history…

  59. The salary cap means nothing. With creative accounting the teams can spend as much or as little as they want each year. The owners who are willing to spend big have, and will always have a competitve advantage. Fortunatly for the game money cant always buy championships. Instead of wasting time on worrying about how much this or that team is spending on players, yu should consider what they are spending on coaches, delvelopment and scouting, et al. The Patriots spend about 25 million more than the bengals on there scouting and player development department. That is where the organizational differences are.

  60. Meanwhile, while PFT only talks about blackouts and spews small market negativity – the Jaguars sign 4 defensive starters @ 100M….. high character, quality free agents coming into their prime years.

    Yes that would be the 27th ranked defense, which almost played well enough to clinch the division in Indy in week 15 with a banged up MJD and Garrard.

    Gene Smith. Remember the name. Everyone will be talking about him soon.

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