Thread: Packers can do it again in NFC North

[size=13pt]Packers can do it again in NFC North[/size]

by Alex Marvez
foxsports.com

Updated: February 18, 2008, 11:56 AM EST 206


This is the eighth story in an eight-part series analyzing each division as the Feb. 29 start of the free-agent signing period approaches. Featured today: The NFC North....

Why is it that every one of these articles shows the Vikings as having the least amount of cap space in the division?
I always hear numbers like 30M in other threads and stories and then read 17M at Fox sports... do they just not do any research before posting the stuff or what?

"BleedinPandG" wrote:

Why is it that every one of these articles shows the Vikings as having the least amount of cap space in the division?
I always hear numbers like 30M in other threads and stories and then read 17M at Fox sports... do they just not do any research before posting the stuff or what?

Fox Sports or the members here?

"BleedinPandG" wrote:

Why is it that every one of these articles shows the Vikings as having the least amount of cap space in the division?
I always hear numbers like 30M in other threads and stories and then read 17M at Fox sports... do they just not do any research before posting the stuff or what?

I think most of the confusion is that most on this site keep asking the same question as you without taking into account the salaries of the players the team resigned during 2007.

Long story short, we have 49 players on contract, 10 UFA, 1 RFA, 1 Player that will be out due to illness (Prayers are with you Keneche), and at least one most of us want gone (T-will).

Mike Doss S
Unsigned
Robert Ferguson WR
Unsigned
Spencer Johnson DT
Unsigned
Mewelde Moore RB
Unsigned
Tony Richardson FB
Unsigned
Darrion Scott DE
Unsigned
Dontarrious Thomas LB
Unsigned
Ronyell Whitaker CB
Unsigned
Tank Williams S
Unsigned
Restricted Free Agents

Heath Farwell LB
Unsigned

We will probably have to spend CAP money on at least 3 of them (bolded) which will take up a chunk, sign our rookies (another chunk) and then use the rest on FA to fill voids left by guys like Keneche and upgrades at WR, DE as needed.

Again, most just don't want to come to grips that we have roughly $15 mil (I like 17 even better) but that is were we stand based on everything but numbers from last year before we signed some key vets to long term contracts.

When I think about our offseason needs I think about what it will take to beat Green Bay. That focuses our needs.
Can we stop Kampman? Will our wide receivers get open while being mugged by their hand checking physical cover corners?
Can we find a way to pressure Favre?
Can we stop their balanced attack now that they have Grant?
Can we stop Lee?

If we want to be superbowl champions we better look toward solving some of these problems with our free agent and draft aquisitions.
Hard to win a championship if you can't win your division.
Wild card win ala Giants would be great though less likely.

"Marrdro" wrote:

"BleedinPandG" wrote:

Why is it that every one of these articles shows the Vikings as having the least amount of cap space in the division?
I always hear numbers like 30M in other threads and stories and then read 17M at Fox sports... do they just not do any research before posting the stuff or what?

I think most of the confusion is that most on this site keep asking the same question as you without taking into account the salaries of the players the team resigned during 2007.

Long story short, we have 49 players on contract, 10 UFA, 1 RFA, 1 Player that will be out due to illness (Prayers are with you Keneche), and at least one most of us want gone (T-will).

Mike Doss S
Unsigned
Robert Ferguson WR
Unsigned
Spencer Johnson DT
Unsigned
Mewelde Moore RB
Unsigned
Tony Richardson FB
Unsigned
Darrion Scott DE
Unsigned
Dontarrious Thomas LB
Unsigned
Ronyell Whitaker CB
Unsigned
Tank Williams S
Unsigned
Restricted Free Agents

Heath Farwell LB
Unsigned

We will probably have to spend CAP money on at least 3 of them (bolded) which will take up a chunk, sign our rookies (another chunk) and then use the rest on FA to fill voids left by guys like Keneche and upgrades at WR, DE as needed.

Again, most just don't want to come to grips that we have roughly $15 mil (I like 17 even better) but that is were we stand based on everything but numbers from last year before we signed some key vets to long term contracts.

Marr,

Does some of that money also tie into the way Bryzzy structures contracts and the incentives he writes into them?
I seem to remember reading once that the cap number this time of the year also includes the dollars in the contracts that were incentive based and that before the FA period they revise the numbers to indicate which incentives were met and all of that money that accounts for incentives not met then gets taken off the books and we then recapture some more cap room. I think he said he did that to give the team some wiggle room to sign free agents on the back end while making the players and agents look better on the front end due to somewhat inflated numbers that in the end they are unlikely to achieve.

I may be way off base with this but that is what I recall.

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"Marrdro" wrote:

"BleedinPandG" wrote:

Why is it that every one of these articles shows the Vikings as having the least amount of cap space in the division?
I always hear numbers like 30M in other threads and stories and then read 17M at Fox sports... do they just not do any research before posting the stuff or what?

I think most of the confusion is that most on this site keep asking the same question as you without taking into account the salaries of the players the team resigned during 2007.

Long story short, we have 49 players on contract, 10 UFA, 1 RFA, 1 Player that will be out due to illness (Prayers are with you Keneche), and at least one most of us want gone (T-will).

Mike Doss S
Unsigned
Robert Ferguson WR
Unsigned
Spencer Johnson DT

Unsigned
Mewelde Moore RB
Unsigned
Tony Richardson FB
Unsigned
Darrion Scott DE
Unsigned
Dontarrious Thomas LB
Unsigned
Ronyell Whitaker CB

Unsigned
Tank Williams S

Unsigned
Restricted Free Agents

Heath Farwell LB
Unsigned

We will probably have to spend CAP money on at least 3 of them (bolded) which will take up a chunk, sign our rookies (another chunk) and then use the rest on FA to fill voids left by guys like Keneche and upgrades at WR, DE as needed.

Again, most just don't want to come to grips that we have roughly $15 mil (I like 17 even better) but that is were we stand based on everything but numbers from last year before we signed some key vets to long term contracts.

Marr,

Does some of that money also tie into the way Bryzzy structures contracts and the incentives he writes into them?
I seem to remember reading once that the cap number this time of the year also includes the dollars in the contracts that were incentive based and that before the FA period they revise the numbers to indicate which incentives were met and all of that money that accounts for incentives not met then gets taken off the books and we then recapture some more cap room. I think he said he did that to give the team some wiggle room to sign free agents on the back end while making the players and agents look better on the front end due to somewhat inflated numbers that in the end they are unlikely to achieve.

I may be way off base with this but that is what I recall.

I don't know then the "Likely to be Earned" credits are given back.

Good article here on that stuff:

http://www.vertgame.com/sal_cap.html

=Z=

"Zeus" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"Marrdro" wrote:

"BleedinPandG" wrote:

Why is it that every one of these articles shows the Vikings as having the least amount of cap space in the division?
I always hear numbers like 30M in other threads and stories and then read 17M at Fox sports... do they just not do any research before posting the stuff or what?

I think most of the confusion is that most on this site keep asking the same question as you without taking into account the salaries of the players the team resigned during 2007.

Long story short, we have 49 players on contract, 10 UFA, 1 RFA, 1 Player that will be out due to illness (Prayers are with you Keneche), and at least one most of us want gone (T-will).

Mike Doss S
Unsigned
Robert Ferguson WR
Unsigned
Spencer Johnson DT
Unsigned
Mewelde Moore RB
Unsigned
Tony Richardson FB
Unsigned
Darrion Scott DE
Unsigned
Dontarrious Thomas LB
Unsigned
Ronyell Whitaker CB
Unsigned
Tank Williams S
Unsigned
Restricted Free Agents

Heath Farwell LB
Unsigned

We will probably have to spend CAP money on at least 3 of them (bolded) which will take up a chunk, sign our rookies (another chunk) and then use the rest on FA to fill voids left by guys like Keneche and upgrades at WR, DE as needed.

Again, most just don't want to come to grips that we have roughly $15 mil (I like 17 even better) but that is were we stand based on everything but numbers from last year before we signed some key vets to long term contracts.

Marr,

Does some of that money also tie into the way Bryzzy structures contracts and the incentives he writes into them?
I seem to remember reading once that the cap number this time of the year also includes the dollars in the contracts that were incentive based and that before the FA period they revise the numbers to indicate which incentives were met and all of that money that accounts for incentives not met then gets taken off the books and we then recapture some more cap room. I think he said he did that to give the team some wiggle room to sign free agents on the back end while making the players and agents look better on the front end due to somewhat inflated numbers that in the end they are unlikely to achieve.

I may be way off base with this but that is what I recall.

I don't know then the "Likely to be Earned" credits are given back.

Good article here on that stuff:

http://www.vertgame.com/sal_cap.html

=Z=

Hey, thanks for the link. There was some good info on there.

I found this interesting:

Here's another little-known technicality. Those "likely to be earned" incentives mentioned above? Well, when they're not reached, they become cap credits the following year, which can mean a hidden bonanza for an underachieving franchise. A team that plays poorly, and which writes incentives into many of its player contracts, may actually reap a reward the year after. Case in point: the 2004 Vikings, who were an astounding $33 million under the cap. In actuality, the Vikings' cap was almost $95 million�the official cap for 2004 was $80.582 million�because Minnesota got more than $14 million in cap credits that year for "likely to be earned" incentives that weren't earned by their players in 2003.

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"Marrdro" wrote:

"BleedinPandG" wrote:

Why is it that every one of these articles shows the Vikings as having the least amount of cap space in the division?
I always hear numbers like 30M in other threads and stories and then read 17M at Fox sports... do they just not do any research before posting the stuff or what?

I think most of the confusion is that most on this site keep asking the same question as you without taking into account the salaries of the players the team resigned during 2007.

Long story short, we have 49 players on contract, 10 UFA, 1 RFA, 1 Player that will be out due to illness (Prayers are with you Keneche), and at least one most of us want gone (T-will).

Mike Doss S
Unsigned
Robert Ferguson WR
Unsigned
Spencer Johnson DT

Unsigned
Mewelde Moore RB
Unsigned
Tony Richardson FB
Unsigned
Darrion Scott DE
Unsigned
Dontarrious Thomas LB
Unsigned
Ronyell Whitaker CB

Unsigned
Tank Williams S

Unsigned
Restricted Free Agents

Heath Farwell LB
Unsigned

We will probably have to spend CAP money on at least 3 of them (bolded) which will take up a chunk, sign our rookies (another chunk) and then use the rest on FA to fill voids left by guys like Keneche and upgrades at WR, DE as needed.

Again, most just don't want to come to grips that we have roughly $15 mil (I like 17 even better) but that is were we stand based on everything but numbers from last year before we signed some key vets to long term contracts.

Marr,

Does some of that money also tie into the way Bryzzy structures contracts and the incentives he writes into them?
I seem to remember reading once that the cap number this time of the year also includes the dollars in the contracts that were incentive based and that before the FA period they revise the numbers to indicate which incentives were met and all of that money that accounts for incentives not met then gets taken off the books and we then recapture some more cap room. I think he said he did that to give the team some wiggle room to sign free agents on the back end while making the players and agents look better on the front end due to somewhat inflated numbers that in the end they are unlikely to achieve.

I may be way off base with this but that is what I recall.

You could be way off base I and I wouldn't know.
I can talk a good game when it comes to football strategy and stuff like that but when it comes to the CAP I am a YUTZ.

Until someone smart tells me different, we have roughly 15-20 Mill to spend this year. That has to go towards our Rookie class, FA deemed necessary to fix holes that have cropped up (Keneche) or for players that we need as immediate impact guys.

Based on the anticipated spending levels of teams that will be competing with us for the same "Talent" we are behind them in the power curve as most of them are in the 30 - 40 Mil range of CAP space.

Best case scenario the way I see it:

a.
We wait to see what happens with these guys.
They might not get an offer from another team allowing for us to sign them at a reasonable price.
Again, I think that is a poohie way to do business.......How happy will these guys be getting lowballed, however, it is done alot.
Rough guess some were in the 4-7 Mil area here.

Mike Doss S
Unsigned
Robert Ferguson WR
Unsigned
Tony Richardson FB
Unsigned
Dontarrious Thomas LB
Unsigned

b.
Then you save some cash by drafting to fill these positions as most of them are backup types with a good starter in front of them.......

Tank Williams S

Unsigned
Darrion Scott DE
Unsigned
Spencer Johnson DT

Unsigned
Mewelde Moore RB
Unsigned
Ronyell Whitaker CB

Unsigned

c.
As well as plan on getting a 2nd tier player at either WR or DE
and 1 top level DE or WR depending on who is available via FA.
(Plan on 7-8 Mil - Probably a low number)

d.
Draft were you still have holes....Probably still gonna need a S and a DE and throw in a WR or QB in the later rounds as projects/developmental guys.

e.
And you let Heath playout his last year and see what he produces.
Restricted Free Agents

Heath Farwell LB
Unsigned

Again, there are some many permiations that can be thought out, but the key point is, we don't have all the money most of us thought we were gonna have going into the offseason and probably won't be huge players in the FA market.

Long story short, for you guys that want to replace guys at TE, OL etc, were we have investments already you might not be very happy at the end of the FA period.

"Zeus" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"Marrdro" wrote:

"BleedinPandG" wrote:

Why is it that every one of these articles shows the Vikings as having the least amount of cap space in the division?
I always hear numbers like 30M in other threads and stories and then read 17M at Fox sports... do they just not do any research before posting the stuff or what?

I think most of the confusion is that most on this site keep asking the same question as you without taking into account the salaries of the players the team resigned during 2007.

Long story short, we have 49 players on contract, 10 UFA, 1 RFA, 1 Player that will be out due to illness (Prayers are with you Keneche), and at least one most of us want gone (T-will).

Mike Doss S
Unsigned
Robert Ferguson WR
Unsigned
Spencer Johnson DT

Unsigned
Mewelde Moore RB
Unsigned
Tony Richardson FB
Unsigned
Darrion Scott DE
Unsigned
Dontarrious Thomas LB
Unsigned
Ronyell Whitaker CB

Unsigned
Tank Williams S

Unsigned
Restricted Free Agents

Heath Farwell LB
Unsigned

We will probably have to spend CAP money on at least 3 of them (bolded) which will take up a chunk, sign our rookies (another chunk) and then use the rest on FA to fill voids left by guys like Keneche and upgrades at WR, DE as needed.

Again, most just don't want to come to grips that we have roughly $15 mil (I like 17 even better) but that is were we stand based on everything but numbers from last year before we signed some key vets to long term contracts.

Marr,

Does some of that money also tie into the way Bryzzy structures contracts and the incentives he writes into them?
I seem to remember reading once that the cap number this time of the year also includes the dollars in the contracts that were incentive based and that before the FA period they revise the numbers to indicate which incentives were met and all of that money that accounts for incentives not met then gets taken off the books and we then recapture some more cap room. I think he said he did that to give the team some wiggle room to sign free agents on the back end while making the players and agents look better on the front end due to somewhat inflated numbers that in the end they are unlikely to achieve.

I may be way off base with this but that is what I recall.

I don't know then the "Likely to be Earned" credits are given back.

Good article here on that stuff:

http://www.vertgame.com/sal_cap.html

=Z=

Very interesting read my friend.
Thanks.