Restructure, restructure, restructure... Isn’t this just kicking the financial obligation can down the road? Eventually you have to pay the accumulating debt! Is the NFL pay cap strategy evolving (devolving?) to the “max out my credit cards and make minimum payments” philosophy? This pay cap stuff is too complex... Brzezinski is a financial sorcerer!
Yes, you are kicking cap-hits down the road, which isn't always great, but the cap usually goes up each season, so it's a bit more like one of those pay check advance places than maxing out your credit card. NFL payroll comes down to 2 things. Cap space and Cash
You are borrowing cap space from the future years (or your next paycheck) using the Ownership Group's cash (this may be in place of some item of value that you give the loan shark as collateral, or it could just be represented by the high interest rate. Either way, it just means you can't do it for free). The assumption is that the cap will go up (you get your next paycheck in full) but there is always the risk that the cap may go down because of a pandemic causing massive loss of revenue (your hours got cut)
I wonder if the Vikings are a tough sell for some of the free agent WR. Your signing to be the WR3 on a team that doesn't us 3 receiver sets that often. Keenan Cole (signed with Jets anyway) and similar players probably aspire to be somewhere as a WR2 to put up stats and increase future earnings
Not gonna cost 5-6 M for draft class! That might be the cost to sign the class.. but each signing results in a replacement of a player already on the roster... their famously large amount of late round picks actually create more cap room ... you guys know this so stop reporting the 5-6 M figure.. thanks
I enjoyed the read but I don't enjoy the complete lack of attention to the O-line. We are supposed to wait and see if they can 'patchwork' a decent O-line... We currently have a proven right tackle and the rest is sub-par without sufficient backup. Hill and Beebee, our total Offense signings... are we supposed to be excited? Our schedule is going to require a remarkably improved O-line or we will likely finish under 500 again.
The potential of signing Clowney is intriguing. While his pass rush numbers have been more decent to good than great, he has historically been elite against the run (better than 80 PFF grade in the 5 years prior to 2020). Considering Hunter is also good against the run, is there an argument to be made for signing Clowney because that front 4 will completely eliminate opposing run games? The Vikings seem to be betting that the way to defeat the increased use of the play action is to be able to stop or at least the run without committing extra bodies. Is it worth it to have a slightly worse pass rush if it in allows Zimmer to play light in box and force teams into obvious passing situations where his creative coverages and blitzes can be most effective?
I'm beginning to wonder if Harrison Smith is quietly trying to force his way out of Minnesota. Seemed like he would have been the most logical target for restructure but still hasn't happened. Since safeties seem to be a dime a dozen, are the Vikings trying to make Smith take less money?
Matthew I’m all the way with you on your first strategy. The problem is I’m worried the Vikings aren’t. Devoting a lot of the remaining cap space to 2 players has me wondering if they are going to shell out the rest to another bigger name and leave us with a Week 1 starting LG or Safety that is currently bagging groceries somewhere.
I saw this morning that the Rudy cut has officially been designated as a post-June 1 release, so they get $8M in cap space on June 2nd. That should take care of any cap increase that an O'Neill extension will cause right?
If you’re recording a podcast today, what time will that be so I know when to start looking for more Vikings signings?
Restructure, restructure, restructure... Isn’t this just kicking the financial obligation can down the road? Eventually you have to pay the accumulating debt! Is the NFL pay cap strategy evolving (devolving?) to the “max out my credit cards and make minimum payments” philosophy? This pay cap stuff is too complex... Brzezinski is a financial sorcerer!
Yes, you are kicking cap-hits down the road, which isn't always great, but the cap usually goes up each season, so it's a bit more like one of those pay check advance places than maxing out your credit card. NFL payroll comes down to 2 things. Cap space and Cash
You are borrowing cap space from the future years (or your next paycheck) using the Ownership Group's cash (this may be in place of some item of value that you give the loan shark as collateral, or it could just be represented by the high interest rate. Either way, it just means you can't do it for free). The assumption is that the cap will go up (you get your next paycheck in full) but there is always the risk that the cap may go down because of a pandemic causing massive loss of revenue (your hours got cut)
Excellent analogies! Thank you
I wonder if the Vikings are a tough sell for some of the free agent WR. Your signing to be the WR3 on a team that doesn't us 3 receiver sets that often. Keenan Cole (signed with Jets anyway) and similar players probably aspire to be somewhere as a WR2 to put up stats and increase future earnings
Not gonna cost 5-6 M for draft class! That might be the cost to sign the class.. but each signing results in a replacement of a player already on the roster... their famously large amount of late round picks actually create more cap room ... you guys know this so stop reporting the 5-6 M figure.. thanks
I enjoyed the read but I don't enjoy the complete lack of attention to the O-line. We are supposed to wait and see if they can 'patchwork' a decent O-line... We currently have a proven right tackle and the rest is sub-par without sufficient backup. Hill and Beebee, our total Offense signings... are we supposed to be excited? Our schedule is going to require a remarkably improved O-line or we will likely finish under 500 again.
Sam-
The potential of signing Clowney is intriguing. While his pass rush numbers have been more decent to good than great, he has historically been elite against the run (better than 80 PFF grade in the 5 years prior to 2020). Considering Hunter is also good against the run, is there an argument to be made for signing Clowney because that front 4 will completely eliminate opposing run games? The Vikings seem to be betting that the way to defeat the increased use of the play action is to be able to stop or at least the run without committing extra bodies. Is it worth it to have a slightly worse pass rush if it in allows Zimmer to play light in box and force teams into obvious passing situations where his creative coverages and blitzes can be most effective?
I'm beginning to wonder if Harrison Smith is quietly trying to force his way out of Minnesota. Seemed like he would have been the most logical target for restructure but still hasn't happened. Since safeties seem to be a dime a dozen, are the Vikings trying to make Smith take less money?
Matthew I’m all the way with you on your first strategy. The problem is I’m worried the Vikings aren’t. Devoting a lot of the remaining cap space to 2 players has me wondering if they are going to shell out the rest to another bigger name and leave us with a Week 1 starting LG or Safety that is currently bagging groceries somewhere.
I saw this morning that the Rudy cut has officially been designated as a post-June 1 release, so they get $8M in cap space on June 2nd. That should take care of any cap increase that an O'Neill extension will cause right?
<a href="https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1372525814433075203?s=20">Field Yates</a>
That seems correct, yes. Also enables them to strike some deals before and during training camp if players get hurt.