Ballard and Steichen are safe

[YDFL Commish]

Getting the ball at the 35 is insane! Complete 1 or 2 medium range passes, and you're in this generation's FG range.

The NFL as a league is so stupid.

[Puck]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

Where do you think the cap space to sign a top DE is going to come from? We currently have $34M in cap space, so will probably need to restructure/cut some guys just to bring back Jones, Pierce, Cross, and anyone else we want to keep.

See if this helps. They can spread this out for 5 years. Maybe Sherck can better explain it. If I am reading this correctly they can pay the player up front and it will only count against the cap so much per yr.

That has been an issue in the past with liquid money from Jim. The girls have sold off a shit ton of Jim's stuff so they could be flush with cash to make thia hapen

From Grok

NFL signing bonuses are included in the team's salary cap, but they are not charged in full immediately. Instead, they are prorated (spread evenly) over the life of the contract, up to a maximum of five years.For example:A $20 million signing bonus on a four-year contract adds $5 million to the cap each year.
On a five-year (or longer) contract, it adds $4 million per year (or less if spread over five).

This proration rule comes from the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and allows teams to manage cap space by spreading the impact, while the player typically receives the full bonus upfront. If the player is cut or traded early, the remaining prorated amount accelerates as dead money on the cap (potentially spread over two years with a post-June 1 designation).This system is widely used for restructures—converting base salary into signing bonuses to create immediate cap relief—and remains in effect as of 2025-2026 under the current CBA. Unlike roster bonuses (which often hit the cap in full in the year earned), signing bonuses benefit from this spreading mechanism.

NFL signing bonuses are typically paid to the player up front—often as a lump sum shortly after signing the contract (within days or weeks), or at minimum in installments with the bulk received quickly.This is a key reason signing bonuses are attractive to players: they get a large amount of guaranteed money immediately, while the team spreads (prorates) the salary cap impact over the contract's length (up to 5 years).In most cases, the full bonus is paid immediately or very soon after signing.
Contracts can include deferred payments or installments (e.g., part paid on signing, the rest within the first year or by the next March), but the CBA ensures significant portions are paid promptly—at least half within 12 months, with the rest by the following March 31 unless otherwise specified.
Rare exceptions exist (like some rookie deals with minor deferrals), but the standard practice is upfront payment to provide player security.

This upfront cash flow is why teams often convert base salary into signing bonuses during restructures—the player gets the money right away, creating immediate cap relief for the team.

[IndyNorm]

Originally Posted by Puck

See if this helps. They can spread this out for 5 years. Maybe Sherck can better explain it. If I am reading this correctly they can pay the player up front and it will only count against the cap so much per yr.

That has been an issue in the past with liquid money from Jim. The girls have sold off a shit ton of Jim's stuff so they could be flush with cash to make thia hapen

From Grok

NFL signing bonuses are included in the team's salary cap, but they are not charged in full immediately. Instead, they are prorated (spread evenly) over the life of the contract, up to a maximum of five years.For example:A $20 million signing bonus on a four-year contract adds $5 million to the cap each year.
On a five-year (or longer) contract, it adds $4 million per year (or less if spread over five).

This proration rule comes from the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and allows teams to manage cap space by spreading the impact, while the player typically receives the full bonus upfront. If the player is cut or traded early, the remaining prorated amount accelerates as dead money on the cap (potentially spread over two years with a post-June 1 designation).This system is widely used for restructures—converting base salary into signing bonuses to create immediate cap relief—and remains in effect as of 2025-2026 under the current CBA. Unlike roster bonuses (which often hit the cap in full in the year earned), signing bonuses benefit from this spreading mechanism.

NFL signing bonuses are typically paid to the player up front—often as a lump sum shortly after signing the contract (within days or weeks), or at minimum in installments with the bulk received quickly.This is a key reason signing bonuses are attractive to players: they get a large amount of guaranteed money immediately, while the team spreads (prorates) the salary cap impact over the contract's length (up to 5 years).In most cases, the full bonus is paid immediately or very soon after signing.
Contracts can include deferred payments or installments (e.g., part paid on signing, the rest within the first year or by the next March), but the CBA ensures significant portions are paid promptly—at least half within 12 months, with the rest by the following March 31 unless otherwise specified.
Rare exceptions exist (like some rookie deals with minor deferrals), but the standard practice is upfront payment to provide player security.

This upfront cash flow is why teams often convert base salary into signing bonuses during restructures—the player gets the money right away, creating immediate cap relief for the team.

I'm no Sherck, but I do know enough to be dangerous. I'm assuming it would take at least a similar type of contract as the one the Texans signed Hunter to which included a $36.8M signing bonus spread over 5 years w/ a year 1 cap hit of $20M.

I'm sure we'll have to pay Jones more than what we paid him this year ($15M cap hit), Pierce will likely get at least MPJ money ($18M cap hit in year 1), and Cross will be looking to get paid as well.

Obviously there's ways to create cap space and lower the initial cap hit from a signing, but I don't see us being able to re-sign our own and bring in a top flight DE without making some really tough cuts.

[Puck]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

I'm no Sherck, but I do know enough to be dangerous. I'm assuming it would take at least a similar type of contract as the one the Texans signed Hunter to which included a $36.8M signing bonus spread over 5 years w/ a year 1 cap hit of $20M.

I'm sure we'll have to pay Jones more than what we paid him this year ($15M cap hit), Pierce will likely get at least MPJ money ($18M cap hit in year 1), and Cross will be looking to get paid as well.

Obviously there's ways to create cap space and lower the initial cap hit from a signing, but I don't see us being able to re-sign our own and bring in a top flight DE without making some really tough cuts.

But isn't one form of a bonus or guarantee something that CIG wil have to have in cash to make the payment? Meaning She pays it ahead of time and that amount is spread out of 4-5 years

[ChoppedWood]

Originally Posted by Kray007

Okay, this post isn’t intended to defend Steichen or Ballard or anyone or anything about the organization.

It’s a simple question sparked by the inability of the team to win against Seattle. The Seahawks get the ball with 42 seconds left and 31 seconds later, kick a winning FG.

For most the hundred year history of the league, that would have been inexplicable, considered an epic fail, a two or three time in a season occurrence.

But, has the ground shifted under our feet? Are we living in a new age, crafted by the dynamic kickoff and the league’s incessant drive to extract every last ounce of excitement from the game? How does that combine with the new rules for kicking balls that seem to be driving an explosion of what seems possible on FG attempts?

A few years ago, you would have seen teams blast a kickoff into the end zone. The result, 1st and 10 at the 20. 60 yard field goals were unheard of, anything from 50 out was a prayer. So, you had to move 50 yards in your 40 seconds.

Nowadays, teams are getting starting field position at the 35 or 40. In order to put yourself in position for a 60 plus yard FG, you might have to only move the ball 10 or 15 yards.

In those circumstances, 42 seconds is an eternity.

We saw this play out as early as week 2, when the Giants played Dallas. The Giants take the lead with 19 seconds left, Dallas moves 18 yards and Aubrey kicks a 64 yarder to send it into OT.

I think that it’s changing the way coaches use timeouts at the end of halves. We’ve gone from trying to bleed the clock on D to calling timeouts, trying to conserve every last second. Teams are getting a couple of extra plays, an extra half minute of time to score all because coaches are trying to jockey themselves into a position where they get the ball back with 30 or 40 seconds left.

I think that the result is that the importance of special teams play has just escalated. You need a kick return game that gets you to the 40. You need to stop runners from crossing the 25. You need a kicker who’s money from 60.

I completely agree, the new rules clearly foster the ability to score at the end of games. I can't remember the exact stat, but I heard it earlier this week, something like 73% of the games this year were one score games. Yes, it is all part of the Roger Goodell plan to manufacture more intrigue- I hate the man for living but he is a master marketing machine.

All that said, we lost that game against Seattle because Lou played like a scared little whimp allowing them to just gobble up yards with zero resistance in the most critical point in our season to that point, which is of course why I fucking pray some idiot GM hires him (they won't because they aren't stupid).

[Kray007]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

Where do you think the cap space to sign a top DE is going to come from? We currently have $34M in cap space, so will probably need to restructure/cut some guys just to bring back Jones, Pierce, Cross, and anyone else we want to keep.

Spotrac has the number at $52 Million, which is substantially more than Over The Cap’s 34. Part of that is the fact that Spotrac is counting only the top 41 players. Another part is that they peg the cap in 2026 at a higher number. Another curiosity is that, just a day ago, Over The Cap was saying the Colts had $45 Million in cap space. I’m not sure what changed in 24 hours.

My guess is that the number will end up just a bit over $40 Million, and you’re right that we need to carve out a chunk of cap space.

So, how to do it?

Right now, there are four players on the roster…Buckner, Nelson, Pittman, and Taylor…who count a combined $95 Million against the cap. Inking them to new contracts, each with first year cap hits of $12 Million, would free up $47 Million and give you a certain amount of roster certainty.

There are another three players…Zaire Franklin, Grover Stewart, and Kenny Moore….who count $35 Million. Arguably, they are each past their prime, and cutting them would open up another $29 Million. A less harsh option would be to request that they sign new deals for less money.

If Charvarius Ward retires, we get $25 Million in cap relief if we want to take him to arbitration and wrench back the prorated $13 Million of his signing bonus. Personally, I think that that would send a bad message to the locker room, that if you suffer a catastrophic injury, the team will try to extort money from you.

Alternatively, there are a dozen players on the roster who earn a combined $144 Million in salary and bonuses. If you convert that money to bonuses and extend it over the maximum 5 years allowed by the CBA, you can free up well over $100 Million.

[Hoopsdoc]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

I'm no Sherck, but I do know enough to be dangerous. I'm assuming it would take at least a similar type of contract as the one the Texans signed Hunter to which included a $36.8M signing bonus spread over 5 years w/ a year 1 cap hit of $20M.

I'm sure we'll have to pay Jones more than what we paid him this year ($15M cap hit), Pierce will likely get at least MPJ money ($18M cap hit in year 1), and Cross will be looking to get paid as well.

Obviously there's ways to create cap space and lower the initial cap hit from a signing, but I don't see us being able to re-sign our own and bring in a top flight DE without making some really tough cuts.

Pierce will get upwards of 20 million per year. If not here, then somewhere else.

Personally, I’d be fine with letting Pittman go and making Pierce our number one receiver.

[Brylok]

Originally Posted by Hoopsdoc

Pierce will get upwards of 20 million per year. If not here, then somewhere else.

Personally, I’d be fine with letting Pittman go and making Pierce our number one receiver.

I still think Pierce will leave unless we overpay him. He'd thrive with a team like the Patriots and Drake Maye. Or any contender with a real franchise QB. Other than developing under Reggie Wayne, he's just wasting his time here. Just my opinion.

[YDFL Commish]

We have $$$. Restructure some contracts. Cut some dudes (Zaire) and we're in business. At this point though, it looks like weak FA class.

[Racehorse]

I don't know if there is a way to get a transcript of today's show, but on 1025 The Game, in Nashville, they were discussing which WC team should be the model for the Titans to follow. One said Jax and another said NE. When it was Derrick Mason's turn, he said he would not look to one of them, but to Indianapolis. I guess a former NFL WR turned radio host is clueless, too.
Here is a link to the show. https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2665590155
They were talking about it around the 2:30 mark, if my memory is right.