Creating Cap Room

[sosa39rams]

What I'm hearing: " A league source tells NFL.com Rams RT Jason Smith "won't be back" at his current 2012 base salary of $10 million, and is a candidate for release.This seconds a recent Profootballtalk.com report, which said Smith has been issued an ultimatum to take a pay-cut or be released. Only $1 million of his 2012 salary is guaranteed. Limited by concussions to just 29 of a possible 48 games since being the No. 2 overall pick of the 2009 draft, Smith has been abysmal in pass protection and only marginally better against the run. He's on the verge of washing out of the league."


" Rams C/G Jason Brown is a candidate for release this offseason.
The move would save $2.8 million under the salary cap. Less than three years into a five-year, $37.5 million contract, Brown was benched for journeyman Tony Wragge last November. Brown is due $5 million in base salary this year, with a prohibitive $7.2 million cap figure. The Rams are going to have to overhaul the O-Line for the second time in three seasons. "


That leaves us with 2 expensive offensive lineman we could release or re-struct. All I hear is about Jason Smith not coming back, but I really think thats the 1 guy with the best opportunity for Fisher to turn his career around.

People are talking about re-doing or releasing Ron Bartell as well, though I think his 7 million dollar salary is ok.

I really think some guys should turn in some cash. Jason Brown, Jason Smith, Sam Bradford, Ron Bartell, Chris Long, and Lloyd should come back. That way we create another $10 million in space and can afford a big time FA class and turn the team around quickly.

[GROUND DOG 39]

Great news if true Sosa. Two terrible fits for our team. The news ties in nicely, with how I was hoping Jeff Fisher would deal with the players in question. Its lovely that now the Rams can cut ties without being held to ransom. Long overdue in my opinion.

[ZiaRam]

Cut their sorry buts and be done with it... i don't want some expensive backups!! who's with me?

[ZiaRam]

BTW some helpful numbers u guys might not be aware of of other teams we will be competing against in FA. These 5 teams have 40 million plus in free cap room with 3 having 60 million plus.

60m+
Bengals
Bucs.
Chiefs

40m+
Broncos
Jags
Niners
SeaHawks
Redskins

I think we will be there next year?

[fliptalianstallion]

Why don't we just restructure Bradford's contract down to a $50 million guaranteed contract. I don't know the incentives, but chopping this year's contract down to $9 million will help save $3 million (he's due ~$12 million for the 2012 season). We definitely need to restructure Smith and Brown's contract, and if they refuse, expect them to be released and get paid less anyways. I still think Fisher's capable of reviving Smith's career, not so sure about Brown though, losing a beloved family member, especially in the military can make quite an impact in your production at work.

[TekeRam]

Great news if true Sosa. Two terrible fits for our team. The news ties in nicely, with how I was hoping Jeff Fisher would deal with the players in question. Its lovely that now the Rams can cut ties without being held to ransom. Long overdue in my opinion.

Really don't know what you mean about not being held to ransom... if the two are cut, we save about $3M against the cap. If Smith is cut outright, he will still count over $10M on the cap due to signing bonus acceleration. Cutting Brown only saves a backup's salary, $0.6M.

[TekeRam]

Fliptalian, just what are you meaning by restructuring his contract down to $50M guaranteed? A player's cap charge is based on two things, base salary(including roster/workout/likely to be earned bonuses), and a pro-rated amount of his signing bonus.

Bradford's cap charge is essentially $15.6M. He has a base salary of $12M. Now, what has he done in his first two years that would make him agree to restructure his contract down to pay him less money? Been Offensive Rookie of the Year and set rookie passing records? Fought through a high ankle sprain and receivers who couldn't catch bees if you lined their hands with honey?

The ONLY way that we'll be able to restructure Sam's contract, and I assume that we will, is to turn his salary into a signing bonus. This will be able to spread his salary this year over the next three. Essentially, for every $4 we give him as a bonus, we gain $3 in cap room. For instance, my suggestion is to lower his base salary to $4M, and give him his other $8M in a signing bonus. His cap charge would go down to $9.6M, saving us $6M against the cap, and his cap charge for 2013, 14 and 15 will go up by $2M each.

Every time you see that Brady, Manning, or Roethlisberger restructuring their contracts to "save" their teams money, this is what they are doing. Getting paid up front as opposed to through the season. None of them, and not Bradford either, are giving up a single dollar.

[Johnblaze]

Why do people keep using Jason browns brothers death as an
excuse why his play declined?
Didn't his brother die a few years ago?
If that's the case his play would have declined a while back.

IMO, there is no excuse for his decline, he has been terrible and should be asked to
pay his 2011 salary back to the club..lol

[TekeRam]

John, actually his play did decline a few years back, and you never know if something may have gotten his mind preoccupied with his brother again. Afterall, he is human.

Second, considering that Brown did a rather good job in 2010 when he actually had more responsibility in that he was calling out the blocking assignments, there has to be some reason for why his play declined. I'm not saying excuse, I'm saying a reason. Maybe he didn't fit the new blocking scheme of McDaniels. Maybe he had some minor injuries that didn't cause him to miss time, but caused some problems, lord knows that we had our share of weight room incidents. There is a reason, we just don't know it, and may never know it.

Third, he actually played alright as he filled in for injuries at guard, and was better than a street free agent by any means.

Fourth, how much do you really want that backup salary of $600,000? An average Brown is much better than whom we could get for that money otherwise.

Last, really, asking him to pay back his salary when he earned it by being one of the few to NOT get put on IR?

[emuen]

Browns brother was killed in 2003... The ESPN background story was posted in 2011 however, so that must be what people think about?
So the brother died while Brown was in college. It hardly has anything to do with him not delivering in an Rams-uniform.

[GROUND DOG 39]

Really don't know what you mean about not being held to ransom... if the two are cut, we save about $3M against the cap. If Smith is cut outright, he will still count over $10M on the cap due to signing bonus acceleration. Cutting Brown only saves a backup's salary, $0.6M.

Is it still as much as $10M Teke, that hurts. So he is STILL holding us to ransom, but at least it is doable this time. I think its time to cut are losses with Smith. I don't even want to see him restructure the deal, as its still terrible business going forward. I feel Ive been patient enough, watching Smith being consistently abused, as our starting tackle since he was drafted. Time to bring in some new faces around Rams Park Mr Fisher.

If the Rams do retain him, which is likely. MAYBE he could become a decent guard in time. But I will refuse to watch the Rams, whilst he is attempting to play tackle. Common sense needs too prevail at some point.??

[TekeRam]

Same thing happened to Robert Gallery. Supposed to be a great LT, became a RT, and eventually moved to guard. I'll happily take a good LG in Smith than having to cut him. Even if he's a bit over paid, if he can start 14 games at LG this year and do ok, I'll be satisfied. But, truth is, we don't know. I still want to see him at RT. I think most of his problem has been getting his bell rung and apparently our former line coach not teaching technique.

[RAMarkable]

Same thing happened to Robert Gallery. Supposed to be a great LT, became a RT, and eventually moved to guard. I'll happily take a good LG in Smith than having to cut him. Even if he's a bit over paid, if he can start 14 games at LG this year and do ok, I'll be satisfied. But, truth is, we don't know. I still want to see him at RT. I think most of his problem has been getting his bell rung and apparently our former line coach not teaching technique.

And we can add Leonard Davis to that list also. The guy was a slug at OLT and went on to be a Pro Bowler at Guard.

Sometimes it just takes awhile to find the right fit for a guy...

[TekeRam]

And we know that Smith has been good at run blocking but his problem has been those speed rushers in pass protection. Well, put him where he's engaging tackles or ILB's he can throw. Might be the best of all things for us.

[Rammed]

Same thing happened to Robert Gallery. Supposed to be a great LT, became a RT, and eventually moved to guard. I'll happily take a good LG in Smith than having to cut him. Even if he's a bit over paid, if he can start 14 games at LG this year and do ok, I'll be satisfied. But, truth is, we don't know. I still want to see him at RT. I think most of his problem has been getting his bell rung and apparently our former line coach not teaching technique.

You know how many headbutts a guard gets?