Handswarmer 645 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/agents-take-heres-what-comes-next-for-chiefs-and-how-they-can-build-on-success/ The Chiefs have $159.85 million of 2019 salary-cap commitments with 44 players under contract, according to NFLPA data. Under offseason cap accounting rules, the top 51 salaries (i.e. cap numbers) matter. Just over $715,000 of unused cap room, which is the NFL's second-smallest amount, can be carried over to the upcoming league year. The NFL's preliminary projections put the 2019 salary cap between $187 million and $191.1 million. The Chiefs will have approximately $26.7 million cap space after factoring in a full complement of players, the carryover of existing cap room, and once tenders for restricted free agents and exclusive rights players with expiring contracts as well as the proven performance escalator for eligible 2016 draft picks are taken into consideration, provided the salary cap is set at $190 million. Kansas City is top heavy cap-wise. Five players with cap numbers over $10 million are taking up a combined $81,168,400 of cap space. That's slightly over 50 percent of Kansas City's current 2019 cap commitments. Four players have one of the NFL's five-highest 2019 cap numbers at their respective positions. Outside linebacker Justin Houston has the team's biggest cap number at $21.1 million. It's the fourth-highest figure in the NFL among non-quarterbacks. Houston's ability isn't the issue. It's his availability. He has missed 21 games in the four seasons since signing a contract in 2015 that made him the NFL's second-highest-paid non-quarterback, including four in the middle of this season with a hamstring injury. Trading or releasing the 30 year old would free up $14 million of cap space. The Chiefs would have to be comfortable with 2018 second-round pick Breeland Speaks assuming a much bigger role next season in order to part ways with Houston. Speaks started in place of Houston during the four games Houston missed while injured. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins has the third-biggest wide receiver cap number at $19.2 million. When he signed his three-year, $48 million contract as a free agent last March, $8.21 million of his $11.95 million 2019 base salary was fully guaranteed . Restructuring Watkins' contract for cap purposes would make it more difficult for the Chiefs to move on in 2020, when his $14 million salary doesn't have any guarantees because the $7 million in bonus proration attributed to that year would increase. The Chiefs haven't gotten much return on their investment in three-time first team All-Pro safety Eric Berry since he signed a six-year, $78 million contract in 2017 to become the NFL's highest-paid safety. He ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the 2017 season opener. A heel injury, which may require surgery, limited Berry to two games this game this season before his return for the AFC Championship. Berry's $16.5 million 2019 cap number is second among safeties. When he signed his deal, $10.2 million of Berry's $12.4 million 2019 base salary was guaranteed for injury. Last march, $2.95 million of the $10.2 million became fully guaranteed. The remaining $7.25 million is fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2019 league year, which is March 15. The Chiefs could potentially pick up $9.55 million of cap space by releasing Berry with a post-June 1 designation before the March 15 guarantee date for the $7.25 million. NFL teams can release two players each league year prior to June 1 that will be treated under the cap as if they were released after June 1. With a post-June 1 designation, a team is required to carry the player's full cap number until June 2 even though he is no longer a part of the roster. The player's salary comes off the books at that time unless it is guaranteed. Kansas City would have $6.95 million of dead money, which is cap charge for a player no longer on a team's roster, for 2019. Berry would remain on Kansas City's books in 2020 with an $8 million cap charge that would relate to his $20 million signing bonus. The heel surgery could compromise Kansas City's ability to release Berry in this manner. An inability to pass a physical by March 15 could put the Chiefs on the hook for $7.25 million depending on the actual language of Berry's injury guarantee. If that's case, only $2.3 million would 2019 cap space would be gained from the post-June 1 designation. Pro Bowl left tackle Eric Fisher has Kansas City's fourth-biggest cap number at $13.65 million. Three-time All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce's $10,718,400 cap number is the fourth-largest in the league at his position. Dee Ford's next deal Ford picked the right time to start living up to the potential that made him the 23rd overall pick in the 2014 draft. The outside linebacker had a breakout season with an expiring contract, which followed an injury-plagued 2017. Ford's six sacks and four forced fumbles in five October games helped him garner AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors. His 78 quarterback pressures according to Pro Football Focus were third in the NFL and first among edge rushers. He also tied for eighth in the NFL with a career-high 13 sacks. Ford is a prime candidate for a franchise tag because his 2018 play is an outlier and the immense importance of players who can pressure opposing quarterbacks. The linebacker number is expected to be approximately $15.6 million, with the 2019 salary cap projected to be in the $190 million range. Putting a franchise tag on Ford would reduce Kansas City's cap space to the $11 million neighborhood. Any reluctance by the Chiefs to hand Ford a lucrative multi-year contract would be justifiable, given that his play this season is an outlier. Ford would be in such high demand if the Chiefs let him hit the open market because he is a highly productive pass rusher in his prime that he would quickly join Aaron Donald, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Khalil Mack, who won the award in 2016, in the $20 million per year non-quarterback club. A long-term deal will likely require a bigger commitment by the Chiefs than the one made to Houston in 2015, when he was Kansas City's franchise player. Houston, who was coming off a 2014 season in which he came close to breaking Michael Strahan's single-season record of 22.5 sacks by posting an NFL-leading 22 sacks, signed a six-year contract averaging $16,833,333 per year with $52.5 million in guarantees. The deal, which was done when the salary cap was $143.28 million, is outdated in the current pass-rusher market. It averages over $22 million per year if adjusted to the expected 2019 salary cap environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer 8,694 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 nothing earth shattering there I think we already knew most of that.. People gotta go in favor of cheaper players and we are stuck with a couple ..gonna have to find some real hidden talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidfriend 1,151 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 I don't think Berry was a realistic cut this year, so reading that doesn't do a lot for me. The best thing is to hope he can rebound and contribute enough till he at least is a logical cut. Looking over the body of work for Justin Houston, I don't see how you can decide to not release him. The Chiefs aren't in the right place to pay him that kind of money. Watkins will be gone after 2019, which is when a Tyreek Hill extension would really start to kick in. And this decision could ultimately backfire, but I think the right move at this point would be to let Chris Jones play out the final year of his rookie contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiefsFoolFan 149 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Great find, Hands. In my mind we find a way to let Berry go. He did not look like the same player this year. Any word on whether or not he is getting surgery on the bone spurs this off-season? I am on the fence regarding Dee Ford. His off-sides penalty was very disheartening. Should we franchise tag him or let him go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FANATIC 852 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 3 minutes ago, ChiefsFoolFan said: Great find, Hands. In my mind we find a way to let Berry go. He did not look like the same player this year. Any word on whether or not he is getting surgery on the bone spurs this off-season? I am on the fence regarding Dee Ford. His off-sides penalty was very disheartening. Should we franchise tag him or let him go? FORD? Yes you could lose a top rushing player in the NFL because of a mistake. You can replace him with lots average talent maybe. So you get little pass rush & may still get a penalty in a critical time. Yes cut the guy for that mistake. There were no other mistakes or missed plays in that game. Its all on FORD????????????????????? 🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggjliv4 1,292 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 14 minutes ago, FANATIC said: FORD? Yes you could lose a top rushing player in the NFL because of a mistake. You can replace him with lots average talent maybe. So you get little pass rush & may still get a penalty in a critical time. Yes cut the guy for that mistake. There were no other mistakes or missed plays in that game. Its all on FORD????????????????????? 🙄 Exactly. How many big plays did Ford make to help get us to that game over the season? But one big mistake is all that matters. Rediculous, especially when the tackle was in the backfield and should have been called for illegal formation which means the play would never have happened. Hope you people don't have kids as quick as you turn on people. Shit. Franchise this year only, prove he's for real, then decide next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidfriend 1,151 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 32 minutes ago, FANATIC said: FORD? Yes you could lose a top rushing player in the NFL because of a mistake. You can replace him with lots average talent maybe. So you get little pass rush & may still get a penalty in a critical time. Yes cut the guy for that mistake. There were no other mistakes or missed plays in that game. Its all on FORD????????????????????? 🙄 There are other reasons to move on from Dee, but not being on the right side of the ball is comically stupid and is also a clear indicator of just how damn bad Bob Sutton was at his job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkuenn 3,613 Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Tag and either he signs for a good deal after proving it or we can trade him too on the tag. Worse comes to worse we have him tagged next year leading then into the CBA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iluvhouse24 1,808 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 5 minutes ago, kkuenn said: Tag and eitherbhebaigns for a good deal after proving it or we can trade him too on the tag. Worse comes to worse we have him tagged next year leading then into the CBA? This is a good one even for you kyle. Eitherbhebaigns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIChiefsFan 262 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 I think Berry either restructures his contract or he is gone. Last year the top free agent safeties weren't even getting signed and once they did they signed for way less than they thought they would. Guys like Boston, Burnett, and Reid signed for like $2,000,000 on one year contracts. No one is going to pay $12,500,000 for a safety that has missed most of the last two years and is likely going to be coming off another surgery. One way or another he will be taking a pay cut. The Chiefs have stuck by him and I would hope that if he is going to be signing somewhere for less, that he returns the favour and signs with us. Of course that rarely happens and I don't expect Berry to do that. In all likelihood he is wearing a different jersey next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkuenn 3,613 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 47 minutes ago, Iluvhouse24 said: This is a good one even for you kyle. Eitherbhebaigns Fixed the damn B or N gets me by the space bar every time on my phone fat fingering it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkuenn 3,613 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 25 minutes ago, VIChiefsFan said: I think Berry either restructures his contract or he is gone. Last year the top free agent safeties weren't even getting signed and once they did they signed for way less than they thought they would. Guys like Boston, Burnett, and Reid signed for like $2,000,000 on one year contracts. No one is going to pay $12,500,000 for a safety that has missed most of the last two years and is likely going to be coming off another surgery. One way or another he will be taking a pay cut. The Chiefs have stuck by him and I would hope that if he is going to be signing somewhere for less, that he returns the favour and signs with us. Of course that rarely happens and I don't expect Berry to do that. In all likelihood he is wearing a different jersey next year. With his history he has to know he wont get much and with his age too. Restructure and get a good deal for both sides knowing he already collected 2 years of salary doing nothing that still set him up for life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidfriend 1,151 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 30 minutes ago, VIChiefsFan said: I think Berry either restructures his contract or he is gone. Last year the top free agent safeties weren't even getting signed and once they did they signed for way less than they thought they would. Guys like Boston, Burnett, and Reid signed for like $2,000,000 on one year contracts. No one is going to pay $12,500,000 for a safety that has missed most of the last two years and is likely going to be coming off another surgery. One way or another he will be taking a pay cut. The Chiefs have stuck by him and I would hope that if he is going to be signing somewhere for less, that he returns the favour and signs with us. Of course that rarely happens and I don't expect Berry to do that. In all likelihood he is wearing a different jersey next year. I think the Chiefs are going to have a real difficult time pulling that off for two reasons. One being that he's about getting as much money as possible. I get it, but it puts the team in a spot. Two being that he's not going to pass a physical before the new year begins and a lot of his money for 2019 is going to become guaranteed. They're gonna have to ride with him and hope it all works out for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iluvhouse24 1,808 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 47 minutes ago, liquidfriend said: I think the Chiefs are going to have a real difficult time pulling that off for two reasons. One being that he's about getting as much money as possible. I get it, but it puts the team in a spot. Two being that he's not going to pass a physical before the new year begins and a lot of his money for 2019 is going to become guaranteed. They're gonna have to ride with him and hope it all works out for now. They cant designste him post june 1st if he cant pass a physical can they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidfriend 1,151 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 34 minutes ago, Iluvhouse24 said: They cant designste him post june 1st if he cant pass a physical can they? They certainly could, but the dead cap figure would be so high that it wouldn't be a smart move to do it unless you were just certain that he will never play again. Which in that case you'd work on a settlement of some sort. The physical itself would just push his guaranteed $$ for 2019 from about 3m to over 10. Carrying 15 or so m in dead cap to gain 2 or so in relief that would immediately need to be used to sign a replacement, isn't really the best situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iluvhouse24 1,808 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 40 minutes ago, liquidfriend said: They certainly could, but the dead cap figure would be so high that it wouldn't be a smart move to do it unless you were just certain that he will never play again. Which in that case you'd work on a settlement of some sort. The physical itself would just push his guaranteed $$ for 2019 from about 3m to over 10. Carrying 15 or so m in dead cap to gain 2 or so in relief that would immediately need to be used to sign a replacement, isn't really the best situation. When does the league yr start? Can they designate him before those guarantees kick in on 3/15 and 3/16? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dksww 484 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 22 minutes ago, Iluvhouse24 said: When does the league yr start? Can they designate him before those guarantees kick in on 3/15 and 3/16? Its March 13th 4pm EST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefensiveMan 758 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 5 hours ago, liquidfriend said: I don't think Berry was a realistic cut this year, so reading that doesn't do a lot for me. The best thing is to hope he can rebound and contribute enough till he at least is a logical cut. Looking over the body of work for Justin Houston, I don't see how you can decide to not release him. The Chiefs aren't in the right place to pay him that kind of money. Watkins will be gone after 2019, which is when a Tyreek Hill extension would really start to kick in. And this decision could ultimately backfire, but I think the right move at this point would be to let Chris Jones play out the final year of his rookie contract. Watkins was our best receiver Sunday. I don't think you part ways with him. Hill, yes was taken out of the game yet I saw no fire from when they released the mic'd up. I'd rather pay Chris Jones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilkie 1,518 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 5 hours ago, liquidfriend said: I don't think Berry was a realistic cut this year, so reading that doesn't do a lot for me. The best thing is to hope he can rebound and contribute enough till he at least is a logical cut. Looking over the body of work for Justin Houston, I don't see how you can decide to not release him. The Chiefs aren't in the right place to pay him that kind of money. Watkins will be gone after 2019, which is when a Tyreek Hill extension would really start to kick in. And this decision could ultimately backfire, but I think the right move at this point would be to let Chris Jones play out the final year of his rookie contract. No. Watkins was the best wide receiver on the field Sunday. Time and again Mahomes went to him to avoid the double coverage. He is too valuable in And Reid offensive scheme. Doubters? Look at our offensive outrage he was hurt. That third option Chiefs have withSammyseparates men from boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidfriend 1,151 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 39 minutes ago, wilkie said: No. Watkins was the best wide receiver on the field Sunday. Time and again Mahomes went to him to avoid the double coverage. He is too valuable in And Reid offensive scheme. Doubters? Look at our offensive outrage he was hurt. That third option Chiefs have withSammyseparates men from boys. It's going to be a salary issue. You just can't have multiple guys be the highest paid player at a bunch of positions and not be in salary cap hell. They're gonna have to replace some high priced vets with younger dudes, which means they gotta start drafting better. They can't have Watkins and Hill be top 5 paid WR's, Mahomes #1 paid QB, 2 edge rushers getting paid massively, Chris Jones getting a mega deal and carry the Eric Berry contract while paying Hitchens that awful deal. They're gonna have to make some deep cuts to fit some guys in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidfriend 1,151 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 1 hour ago, DefensiveMan said: Watkins was our best receiver Sunday. I don't think you part ways with him. Hill, yes was taken out of the game yet I saw no fire from when they released the mic'd up. I'd rather pay Chris Jones. We don't even know if Chris Jones is going to translate over well if they change schemes totally. Watkins wasn't getting the attention that Hill had and really struggles to stay in the line up. While the wide open Offense is fun to watch, I can't say I was ever a fan of the deal he got. Buffalo traded him and the Rams let him walk away and proceeded to trade for another WR for a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mloe68 1,521 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 1 hour ago, DefensiveMan said: Watkins was our best receiver Sunday. I don't think you part ways with him. Hill, yes was taken out of the game yet I saw no fire from when they released the mic'd up. I'd rather pay Chris Jones. They will certainly pay Hill and Jones who are both elite and really young. Ford is the wild card because of his back. And Nelson because he may be overpaid elsewhere. Houston’s days here are numbered. Same with Berry. Neither will be here beyond 2019. Is there a scenario they could restructure and keep Watkins. I think so because they can easily backload Tyreek and go all in until Mahomes has to be paid in 2021. But contract sure looks structured to let him walk in 2020. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefensiveMan 758 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, liquidfriend said: We don't even know if Chris Jones is going to translate over well if they change schemes totally. Watkins wasn't getting the attention that Hill had and really struggles to stay in the line up. While the wide open Offense is fun to watch, I can't say I was ever a fan of the deal he got. Buffalo traded him and the Rams let him walk away and proceeded to trade for another WR for a reason. Give him another year. See if he can stay in the lineup. Is it worth paying Tyreek honestly? If we really believe in Mahomes and his abilities he should be like Tom Brady and make everyone else better right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidfriend 1,151 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 13 minutes ago, DefensiveMan said: Give him another year. See if he can stay in the lineup. Is it worth paying Tyreek honestly? If we really believe in Mahomes and his abilities he should be like Tom Brady and make everyone else better right? Would seem to be pretty foolish to let the most lethal weapon in the NFL walk away. Seems pretty knee jerk of a reaction to base that off a single game against a Hall of Fame coach that's the best at taking away what you do best and making you beat him another way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sith13 1,746 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 8 hours ago, ChiefsFoolFan said: Great find, Hands. In my mind we find a way to let Berry go. He did not look like the same player this year. Any word on whether or not he is getting surgery on the bone spurs this off-season? I am on the fence regarding Dee Ford. His off-sides penalty was very disheartening. Should we franchise tag him or let him go? Probably both. Tag him and look for a trading partner. Berry is having the surgery soon (if not already) according to the news prior to the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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