PaCkFan_n_MD
12-22-2007, 07:27 AM
http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071222/PKR01/712220372/1989
Posted December 22, 2007
Salary-cap space continues to be a boon to Packers' prospects
Thompson will have about $25 million to work with in 2008, thanks in part to creative contract provisions
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com
When the Green Bay Packers recently signed Craig Nall as their No. 3 quarterback, they netted another $1.5 million in salary-cap room in 2008 with an increasingly common contractual maneuver.
The move will give the Packers about $25 million in spending room under the projected $116 million cap in 2008 when the league year starts in early March.
It's the third time this year they've deployed this bookkeeping device, which uses up excess cap space at the end of the year by pushing it into the following season's cap.
According to a source with access to NFL salary information, Packers Vice President Andrew Brandt put a provision in Nall's contract that calls for him to make a $1.5 million incentive bonus if Nall blocks six punts and plays on 65 percent of the team's special-teams plays this year. He obviously can't reach that. However, salary-cap rules mandate that because the incentive was added to a contract during the season, it counts against this year's cap immediately, then when he doesn't reach it, the Packers will get a cap credit of $1.5 million next year.
The Packers put the same provisions in contracts signed this season by tight ends Donald Lee ($2 million) and Ryan Krause ($4 million). So, Brandt and General Manager Ted Thompson moved a total of $7.5 million in excess cap room this year to next season.
"If you're able to put some forward," Thompson said, "it gives you some more flexibility for next year, whether it be for signing your own guys or signing somebody else's."
In the last couple of years, the Packers have become one of the NFL's cap-healthy teams by using such tactics, as well as their pay-as-you-go philosophy of front-loading contracts rather than paying big signing bonuses that are prorated over the length of a deal. Thompson and Brandt have the Packers in a perpetual cycle of having so much cap room each year they're able to sign a couple of key players to contract extensions during the season and still push extra cap space into the next year, while never having to re-work contracts or cut players just to serve short-term cap needs.
"It's all about the greater good," Brandt said, "and allowing us to make sound decisions without cap room being an issue."
The Packers have a little more than $1 million in cap room this year, and they'll probably use the rest of that with incentives players reach this season. For instance, Pro Bowl bonuses alone for Al Harris ($200,000), Aaron Kampman ($100,000) and Donald Driver ($100,000) will eat up $400,000.
The Packers are in the enviable position of being 12-2 with the league's youngest team, plus with plenty of cap room to use in free agency next year if Thompson chooses. The Packers have only three players who will be restricted free agents this offseason: defensive end Colin Cole and running backs Vernand Morency and Noah Herron, and only Cole will for sure get a restricted free-agent tender when the league year starts in March. So, the Packers will lose only a fraction of that $25 million in cap space there.
Thompson and Brandt also are benefiting from the fiscal restraint they showed last offseason, when they signed only one unrestricted free agent, backup cornerback Frank Walker. Probably the best move they made was dropping out of the bidding for declining halfback Ahman Green. Thompson tried to re-sign him and even went higher than expected by offering a deal that included about $6 million in first-year pay, but Green went to Houston, which offered the 30-year-old $8.5 million in first-year pay. Green played in only six games this season and is on injured reserve because of a knee injury.
The ample cap room for next year gives Thompson some flexibility in his offseason moves. For instance, defensive tackle Corey Williams will be an unrestricted free agent, and the emergence of Johnny Jolly and drafting of Justin Harrell at that position make it unlikely Thompson will get into the expensive bidding for Williams. Jolly was a blossoming starter before injuring a shoulder and going on injured reserve, and the Packers will want to get Harrell on the field regularly after drafting him with their top pick this year. So, Thompson probably will be reluctant to make a major investment in Williams with only so many snaps to go around.
However, Thompson at least can consider putting the franchise tag on Williams, which probably will be worth close to $7 million next year, and then try to trade him. That appears to be an unlikely scenario — Williams could sign the tender immediately, and if the Packers couldn't trade him, they'd have to pay him the contract — but it's a deal Thompson could afford financially if he wants to take the risk.
Posted December 22, 2007
Salary-cap space continues to be a boon to Packers' prospects
Thompson will have about $25 million to work with in 2008, thanks in part to creative contract provisions
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com
When the Green Bay Packers recently signed Craig Nall as their No. 3 quarterback, they netted another $1.5 million in salary-cap room in 2008 with an increasingly common contractual maneuver.
The move will give the Packers about $25 million in spending room under the projected $116 million cap in 2008 when the league year starts in early March.
It's the third time this year they've deployed this bookkeeping device, which uses up excess cap space at the end of the year by pushing it into the following season's cap.
According to a source with access to NFL salary information, Packers Vice President Andrew Brandt put a provision in Nall's contract that calls for him to make a $1.5 million incentive bonus if Nall blocks six punts and plays on 65 percent of the team's special-teams plays this year. He obviously can't reach that. However, salary-cap rules mandate that because the incentive was added to a contract during the season, it counts against this year's cap immediately, then when he doesn't reach it, the Packers will get a cap credit of $1.5 million next year.
The Packers put the same provisions in contracts signed this season by tight ends Donald Lee ($2 million) and Ryan Krause ($4 million). So, Brandt and General Manager Ted Thompson moved a total of $7.5 million in excess cap room this year to next season.
"If you're able to put some forward," Thompson said, "it gives you some more flexibility for next year, whether it be for signing your own guys or signing somebody else's."
In the last couple of years, the Packers have become one of the NFL's cap-healthy teams by using such tactics, as well as their pay-as-you-go philosophy of front-loading contracts rather than paying big signing bonuses that are prorated over the length of a deal. Thompson and Brandt have the Packers in a perpetual cycle of having so much cap room each year they're able to sign a couple of key players to contract extensions during the season and still push extra cap space into the next year, while never having to re-work contracts or cut players just to serve short-term cap needs.
"It's all about the greater good," Brandt said, "and allowing us to make sound decisions without cap room being an issue."
The Packers have a little more than $1 million in cap room this year, and they'll probably use the rest of that with incentives players reach this season. For instance, Pro Bowl bonuses alone for Al Harris ($200,000), Aaron Kampman ($100,000) and Donald Driver ($100,000) will eat up $400,000.
The Packers are in the enviable position of being 12-2 with the league's youngest team, plus with plenty of cap room to use in free agency next year if Thompson chooses. The Packers have only three players who will be restricted free agents this offseason: defensive end Colin Cole and running backs Vernand Morency and Noah Herron, and only Cole will for sure get a restricted free-agent tender when the league year starts in March. So, the Packers will lose only a fraction of that $25 million in cap space there.
Thompson and Brandt also are benefiting from the fiscal restraint they showed last offseason, when they signed only one unrestricted free agent, backup cornerback Frank Walker. Probably the best move they made was dropping out of the bidding for declining halfback Ahman Green. Thompson tried to re-sign him and even went higher than expected by offering a deal that included about $6 million in first-year pay, but Green went to Houston, which offered the 30-year-old $8.5 million in first-year pay. Green played in only six games this season and is on injured reserve because of a knee injury.
The ample cap room for next year gives Thompson some flexibility in his offseason moves. For instance, defensive tackle Corey Williams will be an unrestricted free agent, and the emergence of Johnny Jolly and drafting of Justin Harrell at that position make it unlikely Thompson will get into the expensive bidding for Williams. Jolly was a blossoming starter before injuring a shoulder and going on injured reserve, and the Packers will want to get Harrell on the field regularly after drafting him with their top pick this year. So, Thompson probably will be reluctant to make a major investment in Williams with only so many snaps to go around.
However, Thompson at least can consider putting the franchise tag on Williams, which probably will be worth close to $7 million next year, and then try to trade him. That appears to be an unlikely scenario — Williams could sign the tender immediately, and if the Packers couldn't trade him, they'd have to pay him the contract — but it's a deal Thompson could afford financially if he wants to take the risk.