Salary Cap Question re: Stafford

I have a Question for anyone who understands the salary cap better than I do. I'm wondering if the Hawks can AFFORD to take Matt Stafford at #4, keep Hasselbeck and Wallace at least through 2009, and sign all the other anticipated draft picks? Can we do all that under the salary cap, or would taking Stafford mean we have to release someone to clear cap space?

almost 3 years ago diehard82 8 comments 0 recs |

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If we take Stafford at #4

the first two years of his contract will probably be relatively cheap, but the later years will be significantly more expensive. At that point in time it’s likely that Walter Jones and Matt Hasselbeck are off the book.

This could change if there’s an uncapped 2010.

by BrianL on Apr 6, 2009 4:27 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks BrianL

That makes sense.

by diehard82 on Apr 6, 2009 5:20 PM PDT up reply actions

BrianL.... There are many far more educated on the cap than I am... but...

Isn’t the cap far to fluid a subject to really have an idea what the cap impact would be prior to the 53 man roster finalization?

Bring Your Game, Leave Your Name.

by iverson2169 on Apr 7, 2009 8:26 PM PDT up reply actions

I can't say for certain what taking Stafford or any other player would mean in terms of cap space

but the general idea is that the pick’s first few years will be cheaper than the last few. Whether or not those first few years are cheap enough to get by without having to cut someone is something that I can’t really answer at this point.

I suspect as we get closer to draft day someone like Mike Sando or Ask the Commish will have a set of updated numbers that will make things a bit more clear.

by BrianL on Apr 7, 2009 11:42 PM PDT up reply actions

The cap's fluid, but predictable.

Teams can rely on the overall cap increasing a certain percentage every year, and plan future salaries accordingly.

Also, for the draft every team has a “Rookie Cap”: each franchise is allotted a certain dollar amount with which to sign all of its drafted players. The formula’s secret (a lot like the comp pick system) but based around how many picks a team has and what order they’re in. This is basically a “cap within the cap”, for example, the ’Hawks may have $120M in cap room for ’09, $20M of which can be used to sign their incoming draft class.

Whoever we draft at #4 will be expensive, but the ’Hawks have already had notice to structure their cap accordingly. And because of the rookie cap and the salary slotting system, there will be known parameters on the deal. The hang up in negotiations is always sweating the smaller details in the contract.

But the bottom line is that the ‘Hawks know all of this, and have had ample time to prepare their budget. If we were to draft Stafford, like was said before, it’d be pretty easy to structure his deal in a way to where his big cap charges wouldn’t kick in until Hass’s contract was off the books.

by jteckmann on Apr 9, 2009 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Realistically

what chances that a new collective bargaining agreement isn’t signed before 2010, and the uncapped year actually happens? 5%? 10%? And if it we do see an uncapped season, who will come out looking like the NY Yankees and spend ungodly amounts on payroll? Besides Dallas, i mean…