Ask The Expert - Salary Cap

[Dabruise]

Here's the place for your burning salary cap, trade and some collective bargaining questions. Our resident guru ( and I don't use the term lightly) Bmore Ravor, has graciously volunteered to answer all your numbers questions so you can sleep soundly tonight. Fire away but be patient, he's only one man and he can't live here.

[Fletchterps]

I have a question. We keep hearing about Dick Cass' two-year window and how the Ravens are heading down the road toward cap hell in '08. Why is that? Why are there other successful teams -- like the Steelers and Patriots, to name two -- who never go to cap jail? And how come there are teams like the Redskins who set themselves up for cap jail, only to make parole every year? Maybe Dick Cass should see how these teams "manage" the cap before putting up the white flag on '08 so early.

[PurpleRulz]

I have a question. We keep hearing about Dick Cass' two-year window and how the Ravens are heading down the road toward cap hell in '08. Why is that? Why are there other successful teams -- like the Steelers and Patriots, to name two -- who never go to cap jail? And how come there are teams like the Redskins who set themselves up for cap jail, only to make parole every year? Maybe Dick Cass should see how these teams "manage" the cap before putting up the white flag on '08 so early.


I think we are making more of this than what will probably occur. Players such as Ray Lewis, Jamal Lewis, McNair, Mason, Pryce, Rolle, Mulitalo, Flynn, MA, Vincent, and maybe even Stover will have retired by the end of 2008. Each of these guys are in the November of their careers, and if we win a SB this year and/or next year, these guys may decide to call it a career.

I think players such as Suggs, Scott, Ngata, hopefully AD, Clayton, Heap, Demetrius, and anyone picked up in the 2007 and 2008 drafts will be key in retooling after the 2008 season.

[B-more Ravor]

I have a question. We keep hearing about Dick Cass' two-year window and how the Ravens are heading down the road toward cap hell in '08. Why is that? Why are there other successful teams -- like the Steelers and Patriots, to name two -- who never go to cap jail? And how come there are teams like the Redskins who set themselves up for cap jail, only to make parole every year? Maybe Dick Cass should see how these teams "manage" the cap before putting up the white flag on '08 so early.

Well, some would argue that the Ravens have often overpaid to retain their star players, while the 2 teams you named have often been more willing to let those guys go. Also, neither of those teams are generally interested in giving their older (28+) veterans new deals (Philly's approach is similar).

As PR said, I don't think we are going to be in cap hell - like 2002 - because it'll be more natural attrition this time. If they decided to keep all of those guys, then we would be way over the cap, but at that point, guys like Ogden, Ray, McNair, Rolle, Mulitalo, etc. would be cheaper to cut than keep. Because of this, the cap won't be as much of a problem, but replacing those guys will.

One thing going for the Ravens this time around is that, to date, they have not restructured any deals that would come back to haunt them at that point. The restructuring of deal in order to free up present cap space at the expense of future cap space is what landed them in so much trouble back in 2002.

[MikeinGlennDale]

The front office has done nothing short of a tremendous job in rebuilding this squad.

As to the question of 'cap hell' see Steve McNair.

Yes, the Ravens will lose some of their veterans, but here's hoping that new blood will infuse the team; particularly the offensive line.

[PARavensJeff]

Do you know what will be the cap #'s in 07, 08, 09, 10?

Didn't Cass backtrack & say it was a misunderstanding & everything would be fine in o8?

[B-more Ravor]

Do you know what will be the cap #'s in 07, 08, 09, 10?

Not sure, but it's likely to go up by $6-7M every year.


Didn't Cass backtrack & say it was a misunderstanding & everything would be fine in o8?

Yes, he did. I think what he originally meant was that we could expect a large roster turnover in 2007-08 because of the age, and high cap numbers, of some of the older vets - Ray, Odgen, Stover, McNair, Mason, Rolle, etc. So, while it is cap related, the release/retirement of those guys will actually free up a lot of cap space, so their impact won't be like it was in 2002 when the release of so many players didn't really open up any cap space to acquire replacements.