Hawks busy playing Santa

dnc

Resigned KJ Wright for four years yesterday, inked Cliff Avril for four today.

I figured Wright was going to happen, but I'm pretty surprised they're giving Avril $16 million guaranteed. I love him as a player, and pass rush is so huge for this defense, but I'm not sure where all the cap room is going to come from since they still have to resign Wilson and Wagner.

Am I wrong for thinking the Avril signing closes the door on having Lynch back next year?

SteveInShelton

The awesome part about this is Hook armchair GM's were convinced re-signing KJ Wright guaranteed Avril was gone. Then he gets extended the next day. Hooks have football dialed in as well as Ecklund.

I dunno, I think it's pretty easy to manipulate the cap to do whatever you want with. Example, the Saints had like negative cap room last off season and still signed Jairus Byrd to a monster deal. I'm going to guess that if they want Lynch back next year they will make it happen.

dnc

Scuttlebutt seems to be this means no Maxwell. Not sure I love the idea of Tharold Walking Penalty Simon starting at corner next year, but he certainly seems to be improving. If he can stay healthy letting Maxwell walk might work out.

HuskiesADW

No the Hawks have plenty of cap flexibility.

This off-season they will clear 10 + MM in "dead" money (3MM Bryant, 2.4MM Rice, 2.1MM Clemens + other cuts). They will probably cut a few players this off-season so let's project about 7 MM in cap savings from "dead" money.

Significant Cap increases next year:
Sherman from 3.6MM to 12.2MM
Bennett from 4MM to 8 MM
KJ Wright 1.5 MM to something higher (Not sure what signing bonus is to calculate it real quick)
also
Wilson and Wagner should both get extensions that will significantly impact the cap.

Significant Cap decreases:
Okung 11.2MM to 7.3MM
Avril 9.2 MM to something lower (I think about 6MM against the cap next year) I didn't really look at his contract yet in terms of how big his signing bonus is.

FA:
Carpenter 2.4 MM Cap hit
Williams 2MM Cap hit
Johnson 1.4 MM Cap hit

Potential cuts (after June 1st):
Lynch (7 MM in cap savings)
Okung (5MM in cap savings)
Unger (3.4 MM in cap savings)
Miller (3 MM in cap savings)
McDaniel (3 MM in cap savings)

Without factoring in the Wright/Avril extensions the Hawks salary cap going into the off-season will be at around 106MM. They also have about 2.8MM in rollover cap and will have about 30MM (+/- 3MM) in cap space this off-season. The cap should also go up again so that will give the Hawks a lot more flexibility here to something around 50MM in cap space.

Just throwing out ball park numbers:
Wilson 16 MM
Avril at about 6MM
Wright about 5 MM
Wagner 6 MM

Draft pool (I am not sure how much they will spend here. Probably similar to last year).

The Hawks will still have the cap to potentially extend Maxwell as well. Otherwise I don't think anyone else should be extended (unless I am overlooking someone). Maybe Hill (what year was he drafted? If he is eligible for an extension maybe get something done here).

If the Hawks want to keep Lynch they have the money to do so and I think they should as they don't have a good replacement on the roster.

I would also like the Hawks to address the OL/WR hole(s) and maybe a TE. Rest will be depth signings. I can see the Hawks potentially signing a key free agent even with the extensions for Wilson/Avril/Wright/Wagner. I doubt Smith gets an extension. I am not sure about Maxwell as I don't know how much he will want as a FA.

This is a rough estimate. NFL cap situation is a little confusing because of signing bonuses, partially guaranteed contracts, dead money, etc. But it should give you a rough estimate of what the cap looks like.

TBH I am really tired of listening to all the 12s on sports radio pretending they know everything about football and who will be on the team next season. Pete/John are smart and have done an incredible job in the draft (albeit the last two drafts are mehhh thus far) and in managing their cap.

For instance the 49ers and Broncos will have a lot of cap issues in the next year or two while we will not.

I just hope the Hawks can somehow sign Wilson without giving him a deal similar to Kap. Hopefully he signs a more team friendly deal (I.E., Tom Brady).

HuskiesADW

SteveInShelton said:

The awesome part about this is Hook armchair GM's were convinced re-signing KJ Wright guaranteed Avril was gone. Then he gets extended the next day. Hooks have football dialed in as well as Ecklund.

I dunno, I think it's pretty easy to manipulate the cap to do whatever you want with. Example, the Saints had like negative cap room last off season and still signed Jairus Byrd to a monster deal. I'm going to guess that if they want Lynch back next year they will make it happen.

You can only manipulate the cap so much. If you do it too often you will end up like the Raiders a few years ago with 30-40 MM In dead money. The Cowboys have constantly been re-negotiating Romo's deal and his cap hits will hurt a lot in the next couple of years.

dnc

HuskiesADW said:

No the Hawks have plenty of cap flexibility.

This off-season they will clear 10 + MM in "dead" money (3MM Bryant, 2.4MM Rice, 2.1MM Clemens + other cuts). They will probably cut a few players this off-season so let's project about 7 MM in cap savings from "dead" money.

Significant Cap increases next year:
Sherman from 3.6MM to 12.2MM
Bennett from 4MM to 8 MM
KJ Wright 1.5 MM to something higher (Not sure what signing bonus is to calculate it real quick)
also
Wilson and Wagner should both get extensions that will significantly impact the cap.

Significant Cap decreases:
Okung 11.2MM to 7.3MM
Avril 9.2 MM to something lower (I think about 6MM against the cap next year) I didn't really look at his contract yet in terms of how big his signing bonus is.

FA:
Carpenter 2.4 MM Cap hit
Williams 2MM Cap hit
Johnson 1.4 MM Cap hit

Potential cuts (after June 1st):
Lynch (7 MM in cap savings)
Okung (5MM in cap savings)
Unger (3.4 MM in cap savings)
Miller (3 MM in cap savings)
McDaniel (3 MM in cap savings)

Without factoring in the Wright/Avril extensions the Hawks salary cap going into the off-season will be at around 106MM. They also have about 2.8MM in rollover cap and will have about 30MM (+/- 3MM) in cap space this off-season. The cap should also go up again so that will give the Hawks a lot more flexibility here to something around 50MM in cap space.

Just throwing out ball park numbers:
Wilson 16 MM
Avril at about 6MM
Wright about 5 MM
Wagner 6 MM

Draft pool (I am not sure how much they will spend here. Probably similar to last year).

The Hawks will still have the cap to potentially extend Maxwell as well. Otherwise I don't think anyone else should be extended (unless I am overlooking someone). Maybe Hill (what year was he drafted? If he is eligible for an extension maybe get something done here).

If the Hawks want to keep Lynch they have the money to do so and I think they should as they don't have a good replacement on the roster.

I would also like the Hawks to address the OL/WR hole(s) and maybe a TE. Rest will be depth signings. I can see the Hawks potentially signing a key free agent even with the extensions for Wilson/Avril/Wright/Wagner. I doubt Smith gets an extension. I am not sure about Maxwell as I don't know how much he will want as a FA.

This is a rough estimate. NFL cap situation is a little confusing because of signing bonuses, partially guaranteed contracts, dead money, etc. But it should give you a rough estimate of what the cap looks like.

TBH I am really tired of listening to all the 12s on sports radio pretending they know everything about football and who will be on the team next season. Pete/John are smart and have done an incredible job in the draft (albeit the last two drafts are mehhh thus far) and in managing their cap.

For instance the 49ers and Broncos will have a lot of cap issues in the next year or two while we will not.

I just hope the Hawks can somehow sign Wilson without giving him a deal similar to Kap. Hopefully he signs a more team friendly deal (I.E., Tom Brady).

We've found Salary Cap Superiority Guy.

Good stuff.

I was highly critical of the 2013 draft, but with Hill and Simon emerging it doesn't appear to be quite the dumpster fire I once thought.

HuskiesADW

Yeah I agree. Hill has been doing very well as a pass rushing DT in the nickle and Simon's emergence make Maxwell somewhat expendable (if he wants too much money). Though if he leaves the Hawks secondary will lose a lot of depth with Maxwell/Johnson.

Again those are rough estimates. I could be off by quite a bit (especially if the cap doesn't go up significantly again) but that is all I can do while at work.

DugtheDoog

HuskiesADW said:

Again those are rough estimates. I could be off by quite a bit (especially if the cap doesn't go up significantly again) but that is all I can do while at work.

Were lucky you even poast here at all

SteveInShelton

HuskiesADW said:

SteveInShelton said:

The awesome part about this is Hook armchair GM's were convinced re-signing KJ Wright guaranteed Avril was gone. Then he gets extended the next day. Hooks have football dialed in as well as Ecklund.

I dunno, I think it's pretty easy to manipulate the cap to do whatever you want with. Example, the Saints had like negative cap room last off season and still signed Jairus Byrd to a monster deal. I'm going to guess that if they want Lynch back next year they will make it happen.

You can only manipulate the cap so much. If you do it too often you will end up like the Raiders a few years ago with 30-40 MM In dead money. The Cowboys have constantly been re-negotiating Romo's deal and his cap hits will hurt a lot in the next couple of years.

Good point. I read somewhere a few weeks ago too where they think the Saints are fucked because they keep re-negotiating contracts to afford new players. I'm guessing Denver will be in trouble with that too, but who are we kidding they are fucked anyway when Manning retires.

dnc

SteveInShelton said:

HuskiesADW said:

SteveInShelton said:

The awesome part about this is Hook armchair GM's were convinced re-signing KJ Wright guaranteed Avril was gone. Then he gets extended the next day. Hooks have football dialed in as well as Ecklund.

I dunno, I think it's pretty easy to manipulate the cap to do whatever you want with. Example, the Saints had like negative cap room last off season and still signed Jairus Byrd to a monster deal. I'm going to guess that if they want Lynch back next year they will make it happen.

You can only manipulate the cap so much. If you do it too often you will end up like the Raiders a few years ago with 30-40 MM In dead money. The Cowboys have constantly been re-negotiating Romo's deal and his cap hits will hurt a lot in the next couple of years.

Good point. I read somewhere a few weeks ago too where they think the Saints are fucked because they keep re-negotiating contracts to afford new players. I'm guessing Denver will be in trouble with that too, but who are we kidding they are fucked anyway when Manning retires.

Elway is doing everything he can to chase a championship while Manning's around. Once he retires they could be chasing the number one pick within two or three years, it's going to be an epic collapse.

I have questioned some of Schneider's decisions of late but dude seems to understand how to build a champion now and still compete later. We are very lucky to have him. No sarkasam.

CuntWaffle

Extend Bobby Fucking Wagner!!!

dnc

CuntWaffle said:

Extend Bobby Fucking Wagner!!!

No chance they let him walk

dhdawg

Wagner is getting his money, Schneider isn't stupid

Fire_Marshall_Bill

Hawks are setting up well for a Patriotesque run of 10-14 win seasons. They're still incredibly young.