The Ravens can restructure salaries to make room

**wickedsolo** · 12-28-2012, 11:05 AM

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...eate-cap-room/

The Bucs did it. Why can't the Ravens? Everyone on here seems hellbent that paying Flacco is going to kill the cap. Well, the Bucs just cleared off nearly $20 mill against next year's cap by restructuring VJax's deal and Carl Nicks' deal...and they JUST signed those deals a year ago.

I'm not saying that the Bucs and the Ravens are in the same boat, they're not, but this just goes to show you that there are ways to move money around so as not to kill the cap next year and still remain competitive in 2013 and in the future.

Ngata, Rice, Suggs, Boldin, Jacoby, Webb, and even McClain could all have their current deals restructured in some way (Ravor may have more insight into this) to make cap room.

**pslholder96** · 12-28-2012, 11:16 AM

I'm not buying the "bucs did it why can't the ravens do it" arguement. One of the reason why the ravens have put a good product on the field for the last 5 years is their ability to manage their cap without doing a lot of heavy duty restructuring like the Bucs just did.

**bmorecareful** · 12-28-2012, 11:25 AM

The Ravens have a lot of prudent personnel/contract moves they could consider this offseason.

I think re-structures for Ngata, Webb, and Yanda are definite possibilities. They'd free up a good chunk of money on those deals.

There are also several guys for whom extensions make a lot of sense. Boldin and Jacoby both have untenable cap numbers next year and I think we'll lose at least one of them. If we want to retain either of them, extensions would lower their 2013 cap numbers substantially.

As much as we might not like it, an extension for Michael Oher is also a strong possibility. I have a sinking suspicion that the Ravens believe he is the LT of the future, and I don't like that thought very much, but if they want him around now's a good year to buy low and extend him. He's been durable, he's shown some flashes, and he has versatility. I don't necessarily love him as our LT but I do love him as one of our 5 linemen of the future.

All told, just making 3 or 4 of the moves I've mentioned would free up north of 15 million, easily clearing the books for Flacco's franchise tag if necessary. Locking him up on a long-term deal would probably leave 10 million or so on the books--enough to lock up Ellerbe and perhaps 2 more players, depending on the contracts.

**Section 502 Raven** · 12-28-2012, 11:35 AM

the ravens will make the hard choices like they have in the past ie. heap, mason, etc. they won't sell the future for the present. that's a redskin strategy.

boldin will be a tough call. he's got the ravens mentality but he is expensive and slow.

**wickedsolo** · 12-28-2012, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

I'm not buying the "bucs did it why can't the ravens do it" arguement. One of the reason why the ravens have put a good product on the field for the last 5 years is their ability to manage their cap without doing a lot of heavy duty restructuring like the Bucs just did.

I'm not arguing that the Ravens should model themselves after teams like Bucs.

What I am saying is that this is a good example of a team addressing potential cap issues heading into free agency, so if the Ravens DID feel that re-signing Flacco to a big contract would prohibit them from exploring upgrades via free agency, then there are currently guys on this roster with big contracts that could be restructured. I don't know all the ins and outs of the cap, which is why I said Ravor might be able to add more to this, BUT what I do know is that every year multiple teams (successful and unsuccessful) find ways to improve their rosters and fall under the cap.

**wickedsolo** · 12-28-2012, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

As much as we might not like it, an extension for Michael Oher is also a strong possibility. I have a sinking suspicion that the Ravens believe he is the LT of the future, and I don't like that thought very much, but if they want him around now's a good year to buy low and extend him. He's been durable, he's shown some flashes, and he has versatility. I don't necessarily love him as our LT but I do love him as one of our 5 linemen of the future.

Agreed. It isn't optimal, but they could get Oher for a song right now.

Originally Posted by Section 502 Raven

the ravens will make the hard choices like they have in the past ie. heap, mason, etc. they won't sell the future for the present. that's a redskin strategy.

boldin will be a tough call. he's got the ravens mentality but he is expensive and slow.

I would tend to agree with this except if you look at some of the dead money hits that will happen with cutting certain players, it makes it a bit less palatable.

**Reedpixuoff** · 12-28-2012, 11:43 AM

Boldin and Jacoby are in the last year of their contracts so it would have to be a contract extension or an outright paycut.

Rice and Webb both have low base salaries so there's really nothing to gain there.

McClain should be cut, not restructured.

We need to get out of the Ngata contract, not deeper into it.

Suggs we can save around 2.7m on in 2013 but it increases his 2014 cap number to 15.75m

**wickedsolo** · 12-28-2012, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Reedpixuoff

Boldin and Jacoby are in the last year of their contracts so it would have to be a contract extension or an outright paycut.

Rice and Webb both have low base salaries so there's really nothing to gain there.

McClain should be cut, not restructured.

We need to get out of the Ngata contract, not deeper into it.

Suggs we can save around 2.7m on in 2013 but it increases his 2014 cap number to 15.75m

Dont quote me on this, but I believe that there are ways to push money into bonuses, etc and that (or a portion of that) can be discounted from the player's overall cap hit.

Regarding cutting McClain - I think they'd have to eat something like 3 mill in dead money if they did that. Might not be worth it.

**jonboy79** · 12-28-2012, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Reedpixuoff

Boldin and Jacoby are in the last year of their contracts so it would have to be a contract extension or an outright paycut.

Rice and Webb both have low base salaries so there's really nothing to gain there.

McClain should be cut, not restructured.

We need to get out of the Ngata contract, not deeper into it.

Suggs we can save around 2.7m on in 2013 but it increases his 2014 cap number to 15.75m

Couldn't possibly disagree much more on Ngata. He was playing DPOY level football to start each of the last 2 seasons, and only slowed due to nagging injuries he CHOSE to play through,. I'm all for getting deeper into his deal.

Vonta Leach is another good option for an extension to lower the cap. Jacoby Jones fits that to a T as well.

**Haloti92** · 12-28-2012, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Dont quote me on this, but I believe that there are ways to push money into bonuses, etc and that (or a portion of that) can be discounted from the player's overall cap hit.

You can turn base salary into a bonus, the benefit of which is that the bonus can be spread out over 5 years or the length of the deal whichever is less. But as has been said, the amount of money pushed into the future is dependent on the amount of base salary in the year. Jackson's base salary for 2013 was scheduled to be $13M. Rice's base for 2013 is scheduled to be only $1M (plus a $7M option bonus that is already going to be prorated and cannot be restructured to create any room). I think Ngata's base salary is like $4M only in 2013. Looks like Suggs' base for 2013 is $6.4M.

We should just wait for BMore Ravor to explain the details, but I am fairly sure we don't have as much low-hanging fruit in terms of freeing up present cap space through restructuring like the Bucs did with Jackson (i.e. huge base salaries that can be coverted into bonuses), and that is assuming we would want to harm the future for the present by using such moves which is debatable.

**wickedsolo** · 12-28-2012, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Haloti92

You can turn base salary into a bonus, the benefit of which is that the bonus can be spread out over 5 years or the length of the deal whichever is less. But as has been said, the amount of money pushed into the future is dependent on the amount of base salary in the year. Jackson's base salary for 2013 was scheduled to be $13M. Rice's base for 2013 is scheduled to be only $1M (plus a $7M option bonus that is already going to be prorated and cannot be restructured to create any room). I think Ngata's base salary is like $4M only in 2013. Looks like Suggs' base for 2013 is $6.4M.

We should just wait for BMore Ravor to explain the details, but I am fairly sure we don't have as much low-hanging fruit in terms of freeing up present cap space through restructuring like the Bucs did with Jackson (i.e. huge base salaries that can be coverted into bonuses), and that is assuming we would want to harm the future for the present by using such moves which is debatable.

I guess it depends on what the cap (not NFL set cap...the Ravens' cap) could look like in 2014, 2015, etc. Suggs will be entering the last years of his deal as will Ngata, but it seems like there will be a lot of money coming off the books in the future...

**Benny8444** · 12-28-2012, 12:22 PM

We are not the team from Western PA, THe one that always restructures deals and is in cap trouble every year and now cought up to the point where they have to make A LOT of cuts.

We may re do one or two but thats it. The Ravens dont like doing this and by having Ray/Boldin take a pay cut it would make this a non issue as would signing Flacco.

If they re did one contract to prorate over a long term It would be Ngata or Suggs. Webb wont get touched for at least a couple of years.

**Benny8444** · 12-28-2012, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

I guess it depends on what the cap (not NFL set cap...the Ravens' cap) could look like in 2014, 2015, etc. Suggs will be entering the last years of his deal as will Ngata, but it seems like there will be a lot of money coming off the books in the future...

I agree, Ray and Boldin will have to take pay cuts to stay and there wont be much dead money. and in a few years Ngata and Suggs will be in that boat. By waiting it means there is less of a hit in the future as you have already taken a hit for most of what you have paid the player.

**Coastergenius** · 12-28-2012, 01:44 PM

"Restructuring" contracts doesn't save the team any cap room, it just delays the cap hit. If we soften the cap hit next year, it will just mean that there will be less cap room in the future.

**GOTA** · 12-28-2012, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Coastergenius

"Restructuring" contracts doesn't save the team any cap room, it just delays the cap hit. If we soften the cap hit next year, it will just mean that there will be less cap room in the future.

100% true

Didn't the Ravens just restructure Yanda this offseason? That was an attempt to free up some room because Rice's tag was killing them in free agency. I can't see them doing to much of it since it really does just keep pushing things down the line until you can't push them anymore. More likely they'll make some cuts to get a little more space.

**pslholder96** · 12-28-2012, 02:57 PM

I'm okay with a little bit of restructuring but nothing significant because too much restructuring is just an indictment of how bad the contract was structured to begin with. Something you can't accuse the ravens of too often. I think we'll be able to sustain our winning ways by drafting better and cutting loose aging veterans. Something the ravens have not been shy about over the last couple of years.

**Ravens75** · 12-28-2012, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by GOTA

100% true

Didn't the Ravens just restructure Yanda this offseason? That was an attempt to free up some room because Rice's tag was killing them in free agency. I can't see them doing to much of it since it really does just keep pushing things down the line until you can't push them anymore. More likely they'll make some cuts to get a little more space.

Yanda was just restructured this past off season so I don't see it.

In addition restructuring deals is what's killing the Steelers. I think the Ravens will say goodbye to some veterans ala last year and count on the young guys they draft and are already here to be at least serviceable (speaking of young guys look for Adrian Hamilton to have a sack or 2 as well as a FF on Sunday.....I just have a gut feeling).

Even with those changes the Ravens should be in good shape to win the division for a third year in a row because the Steelers are about to really pay the piper and the Bengals simply never push themselves over the hump with a key FA signing (ie another real receiver to compliment AJ Green) even though they have plenty of cap space. The Browns will be rebuilding yet again.

**BigRob** · 12-28-2012, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by Benny8444

We are not the team from Western PA, THe one that always restructures deals and is in cap trouble every year and now cought up to the point where they have to make A LOT of cuts.

What cuts will they have make they would not make in any event? The Steelers were 20 plus million over the cap last year. With restructures they are 15 million over this year. The cap was flat.

Who did they not sign to extensions that was prevented by the cap? Regardless of their cap figures, they were not going to give Wallace Fitzgerald money.

They will cut the veterans they were going to cut all along this year. By next year they will have a nice chunk of money under the cap.

**BigRob** · 12-28-2012, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...eate-cap-room/

The Bucs did it. Why can't the Ravens? Everyone on here seems hellbent that paying Flacco is going to kill the cap. Well, the Bucs just cleared off nearly $20 mill against next year's cap by restructuring VJax's deal and Carl Nicks' deal...and they JUST signed those deals a year ago.

I'm not saying that the Bucs and the Ravens are in the same boat, they're not, but this just goes to show you that there are ways to move money around so as not to kill the cap next year and still remain competitive in 2013 and in the future.

Ngata, Rice, Suggs, Boldin, Jacoby, Webb, and even McClain could all have their current deals restructured in some way (Ravor may have more insight into this) to make cap room.

Bucs were able to do it now because they still had a huge amount of money under the cap for 2012. You have to have the room under the current cap year to do this. The Raven's do not.

**Section 502 Raven** · 12-28-2012, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Benny8444

We are not the team from Western PA, THe one that always restructures deals and is in cap trouble every year and now cought up to the point where they have to make A LOT of cuts.

We may re do one or two but thats it. The Ravens dont like doing this and by having Ray/Boldin take a pay cut it would make this a non issue as would signing Flacco.

If they re did one contract to prorate over a long term It would be Ngata or Suggs. Webb wont get touched for at least a couple of years.

i think its called Pissburg.