Time for me to earn my class pessimist label. I've been reading posts since the Super Bowl about guys we "have" to keep, to find a way to get done, etc. Doing my remedial math and going over some basic numbers, I just really don't see that we can do much of anything at all, let alone sign anybody to pretty large contracts, i.e. Bennett and Golden.
From the reports on the radio, we're currently somewhere around 1-2 million over the cap. I've seen arguments that we're 1-2 million under, but whatever, we'll just consider it that we're at the cap for these purposes. This, of course, is without Bennett's money, without Tate, Breno, McDaniels/Donald, Hauschka, etc., etc., etc.
So, first, we've got to find a way to field a team, right? We need some bodies on the D-Line, maybe some on the O-Line. Just in order to field a team, we can cut Sidney Rice, right? The popular names that everybody throws around to cut are Rice, Miller, Red and Clem. Saves us 24 million against the cap this season. Right? Follow me?
The popular sentiment around here is that we immediately can spend that 24 million. We can give 8 of it to Bennett, 6 to Golden, re-sign Breno and McDaniel and Hauschka, maybe re-negotiate Red and basically be done with it right? I know contracts are for more complex than this, but we're in the ballpark.
A few things keep looming in my head. Sure, we have those four guys that are "dead weight". But we really don't have anybody like this coming up in the next few years. The next steps are to start talking about cutting guys like Lynch and Mebane. A little different from cutting Sidney Rice and Zach Miller. So we're not going to have the luxury of just cutting dead weight every year. The fat will basically be trimmed after this one-time deal.
The other issue I see is that we can't afford to be at the cap. By the end of next season, we need to find a way to come up with 30 million, maybe more, to keep Russell Wilson and Sherman. Thomas may not cost a bunch up front, but his contract will be really big in later years too. Okung may actually save us a couple of million up-front as he has a pretty big cap number now. 30 million, gentlemen (and ladies), 30 milllion. 30 million.
So, I view this as our one chance. I view the cutting of Rice, Miller, Red and Clem as our chance to keep Richard Sherman. If you want to find a way to do it, that is your way to do it. But you need to change your philosophy from "if there is any way to keep player x, we'll find it", to "if there is any way to cut player x, we have to do it". We are deepest team in the NFL? Time to prove it.
If we want to keep Sherman, we can't afford Bennett. We can't afford Golden. We can't afford Breno. We probably can't afford McDaniel. Maybe McDonald, maybe McDaniel if he comes really cheap on a short deal. Probably can't afford Hauschka.
If Bowie looks ready, gotta save the money. If Willson/McCoy look ready, gotta save the money. If Jordan Hill isn't ready, still gotta save the money. Unless you think we don't need Sherman. Then it makes things a bit more breathable.
After Russell and Sherm are done, we're going to have more than 50 million tied up in four players. Then you start talking Mebane, Kam, Lynch, Okung, and you've got like 75 million tied up in 8 players. 2/3 of your cap in 8 players. I don't think we have room to add another 7-8 million dollar contract. I don't even think we have room to add another 4 million dollar contract, long-term.
Am I wrong? Am I missing something? Please, please don't simply respond by saying John Schneider finds a way because he's John Schneider. I would love to think that we can re-sign and extend everybody and all hold hands around the fire, but I don't even know that a miracle can do this. The good news, is that most of the guys will be back next year, let's go get another one.
