re: $20 mil Over to $20 mil Under the Cap in 3 Easy Steps(and Lose Only 3 Players)

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how do we get better on draft day if our GM is just pretty much specializes in the cap?

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better scouts.


Loomis is a bean counter that uses the potential future cap increase to his advantage. The only problem arises when he gives contracts to certain players in a great year and their play declines (Harper and Smith).

Other than that, the way we are going into 2015 free agency, it is actually very flexible.

160.5mil cap hit

Restructure:
Jr Galette -> 150.035mil
Jimmy Graham -> 145.165mil
Jairus Byrd -> 139.261mil
Curtis Lofton -> 135.142mil (After 2015, extend him)

Cut:
Jahri Evans -> 129.142mil (lose 5mil in dead cap)
David Hawthorne -> 126.152mil (lose 3mil in dead cap)
Rafael Bush -> 124.202mil (lose 0 in dead cap)

Extend:
Drew Brees 3yr/45mil (5mil signing bonus)
2015 and 2016 base salary 10mil, prorated bonus 8.4mil (18.4mil cap hit from 26.4mil)
2017-2019 base salary 19.5mil, prorated bonus 1.0mil (20.5mil cap hit)

116.202mil after Brees' extension; 23.798 mil cap space if the cap is 140mil

seriously all of that and we have 23.8mil to play with. still not counting the possibilities with Colston, Grubbs, Bunkley, and Cam Jordan w/ an extension

23.8mil
Re-sign Ingram to a 4yr/16mil contract (for ease -3mil since we backload)
Re-sign PRob to a 2yr/6mil contract (for ease -2mil since we backload)

18.8mil left:
Mike Iupati (G) top 5 guard averages 7.67mil salary.
- He is 27, arguably a top 5 guard, a 5yr/40mil contract seems to be in order. Lets say we hit about 4mil of cap hit this year

14.8mil left:
BJ Raji (DT)
- If we're playing a 3-4, we need a true NT. Enter BJ Raji who anchored GB's defense before his injury. I'm honestly not sure what his worth is. He signed a 1yr/4mil contract, he wanted 8mil/yr annually before his injury. Somewhere I think he can get a 2yr/10mil easily. For ease lets say 4mil cap hit this year

10.8mil left
Still can look at players like Brandon Graham, Chris Culliver, and Perrish Cox.

Not sure where the FO goes though, this FA class seems rather weak at solid starters, but very loaded at top tier players (Suh, D. Thomas, J. Thomas, D. Bryant, etc.)