Salary Cap?????

[bruce4life]

Anyone Know Our Cap Status Right Now

[Rip32]

The NEW NFL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT moved the NFL Salary Cap for 2006 up to 102 million, thus providing the St. Louis Rams an additional 7.5 million dollars of cap space. The extra cap space put the St. Louis Rams "in the neighborhood" of 25.5 million dollars under the NFL Salary Cap entering the NFL's 2006 FREE AGENCY PERIOD!

Starting Point: $25,500,000 Salary Cap Space

Rams Free Agency Signings

Isaac Bruce - 3 Year Deal worth 15 Million with 1 Million Signing Bonus

Jim Thomas wrote:
The contract breaks down as follows. Bruce gets a $1 million signing bonus; $5 million in base salary in 2006; $4 million in base salary ’07; and $5 million in base salary in ’08. The entire $6 million that Bruce receives in ’06 -- the $1 million signing bonus, plus the $5 million base salary -- is guaranteed.

So, including some past pro-ration from prior renegotiations, Bruce counts $7.273 against the salary cap this season, a reduction of nearly $2.8 million from his prior 2006 cap count of $10.04 million.


Rams Cap Space After Signing Bruce: $18,227,000

Corey Chavous - 5 Years 16 Million / 4 Million Signing Bonus / 1 Million 2006 Roster Bonus

Chavous Base Salaries
2006 - $1,500,000.00
2007 - $2,250,000.00
2008 - $3,000,000.00
2009 - $2,000,000.00
2010 - $2,250,000.00
Total Base Salaries $11,000,000.00

Chavous' Signing and Roster Bonus Prorated over 5 Years
2006 - $1,000,000.00
2007 - $1,000,000.00
2008 - $1,000,000.00
2009 - $1,000,000.00
2010 - $1,000,000.00
Total Signing and Roster Bonus $5,000,000.00


Corey Chavous' 2006 Salary Cap Hit $2,500,000.00

Rams Cap Space After Signing Chavous: $15,727,000

Will Witherspoon - 6 Years 33 Million / 9 Million Signing Bonus

Witherspoon Base Salaries
2006 - $2,000,000.00
2007 - $4,000,000.00
2008 - $4,000,000.00
2009 - $2,500,000.00
2010 - $5,000,000.00
2011 - $5,000,000.00
Total Base Salaries - $22,500,000.00

Witherspoon's Signing Bonus Prorated over *5 Years
2006 - $1,800,000.00
2007 - $1,800,000.00
2008 - $1,800,000.00
2009 - $1,800,000.00
2010 - $1,800,000.00
Total Signing Bonus - $9,000,000.00

*NFL's New CBA only allows for signing bonuses to be prorated for a maximum of 5 years.

Will Witherspoon's 2006 Salary Cap Hit $3,800,000.00

Rams Cap Space After Signing Witherspoon:$11,927,000

Fakhir Brown - 5 Years 12 Million / 2.5 Million Signing Bonus

Brown's Base Salaries
2006 - $950,000.00
2007 - $950,000.00
2008 - $1,950,000.00
2009 - $2,450,000.00
2010 - $2,950,000.00
Total Base Salaries - $9,250,000.00

Brown's Signing Bonus Prorated over 5 Years
2006 - $500,000.00
2007 - $500,000.00
2008 - $500,000.00
2009 - $500,000.00
2010 - $500,000.00
Total Signing Bonus - $2,500,000.00

Either Brown's deal is $11,750,000, or he has another $250,000 workout or roster bonus scheduled somewhere in the future.

Fakhir Brown's 2006 Salary Cap Hit $1,450,000.00

Rams Cap Space After Signing Brown: $10,477,000

The Rams say they want to keep 5 million for the NFL Draft, which seems about right because last year the Rams NFL Draft Rookie Signing Pool was $4,604,330. The Rams should make out really good this year with compensatory picks, after losing three former first round draft picks in this year’s free agency. With those extra picks the Rams pool will most definitely be around 5 million and some change.

With the Rams keeping a $5,000,000 reserve to sign their 2006 Draft Picks, they still have $5,477,000 million in cap space to fill some more holes before the upcoming NFL Draft in April. That should be enough to sign a backup QB, Punter, and a solid DT.

Thats not including the Frerotte deal

[sbramfan]

Great Info RIP. Thanks.

So looks like after Frerotte, we can hopefully get Baker to Punt, and then hopefully some "body" at DT with the remaining change.

..and the FA moves will be completed at that.

[fred10licious]

on point RIP,thanks

[bruce4life]

mucho gracias senor!!!!!!

[RamWraith]

This years loss in free agency will not count for comp picks until next season. If we get any this year they will be based on what we lost/gained and the performance/salary of them free agents from last season. Thus, I believe we will receive no compensatory picks this year. MAYBE, a seventh from Fisher.

The Rams should make out really good this year with compensatory picks, after losing three former first round draft picks in this year’s free agency. With those extra picks the Rams pool will most definitely be around 5 million and some change.

[bigredman]

I have mixed emotions about how the Rams are spending their cap this year. I'll reserve judgement until after the preseason.

[Bruce=GOAT]

I have mixed emotions about how the Rams are spending their cap this year. I'll reserve judgement until after the preseason.

I noticed in a previous post that you think the Rams are spending too much time/money on the D side of the ball. While I am not agreeing nor disagreeing with this opinion, where do you think we should go in the draft?

Just curious as now is a topsy turvy time of year where every move could pay serious dividends next season.

[bigredman]

I noticed in a previous post that you think the Rams are spending too much time/money on the D side of the ball. While I am not agreeing nor disagreeing with this opinion, where do you think we should go in the draft?

Just curious as now is a topsy turvy time of year where every move could pay serious dividends next season.

Ahhhh the draft.....I say if we can't get one of the top prospects at linebacker, then trade down. Regarding the draft....I've always said that its such a crap shoot...I really don't put much stock in it, unless you are in the top three and looking for a franchise player (QB, RB, OT or a mean and nasty defensive player).