2014-15 NFL Discussion thread

[Sheriff Fatman]

who gets the better draft spot next season

the eagles as they didnt make the play offs or the panthers as they performed worse over the season?

Eagles.  They get pick 20 which is the last pick for a non-play off team.  Panthers will pick later depending on where they get to in the post-season.

[Sheriff Fatman]

also with the contracts do teams not try to extend contracts before they become free agents
some pretty big names out of contract just now

Salary cap is the big issue, which means teams sometimes have to release star players to get under the cap.  Big contracts (e.g. QBs) tend to be back-end loaded for salary cap hits so if you have a franchise QB about to get a big bump in pay in, say, year 4 of his contract then it may mean you can't keep your stud WR who's rookie contract has ended and will command a huge bump in salary from a free agency deal.

Quite often, teams get around this by restructuring big contracts and converting guaranteed salary into bonuses, which gives players the money up front and reduces their ongoing cap hit.

It's quite a delicate juggling act, but it means that you'll see some surprising departures each year.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Just saw this on ESPN, and don't understand exactly what it means...

In a deal turned into the NFL office Monday, quarterback Tom Brady restructured his contract to give the New England Patriots $24 million more in cash to spend this offseason, according to league sources.

Under the new deal, Brady changed the $24 million in "skill" guarantee to only "injury" guarantee, meaning that Brady now would get the guaranteed money only if he were injured.

Brady also now can be released by the Patriots without any liability, but he then would become an unrestricted free agent, free to command the type of guaranteed money he has agreed to surrender.

Brady will receive a $1 million bump in each of the three remaining years of the deal. His base salaries will now be $8 million in 2016, $9 million in 2016 and $10 million in 2018.

The move frees up cash for the Patriots to use on other players. New England needs the cash to help re-sign some of its own free agents, including cornerback Darrelle Revis, safety Devin McCourty, tackle Nate Solder and running back Shane Vereen, among others.


Obviously he's never gonna get through all his dough anyway, but is he essentially taking a paycut, so that the team can strengthen?

Seem to remember reading something similar last year, or the year before, or was I dreaming?

This is a good example of the cap-space contract restructuring described in the last post, albeit this is slightly different to the norm as it's not a simple restructuring via finding different ways to pay out the same money.

Looks like he's giving up a lot of guaranteed bonus money, which he'll now only get if injured, but getting additional $1m salary each year.  He also loses security of pay-off in his contract if released, but as an unrestricted free agent in that case he'd get an equivalent deal elsewhere (and the Patriots wouldn't release him anyway, unless he was injured, in which case he'd still get the guaranteed money in his contract).

Seems odd at first, but for Brady its obviously more important that the team stays competitive by retaining key players on the roster instead of him taking up huge amounts of cap space and seeing them move elsewhere, which is why he's agreed to do it.

[Marky147]

I read the article, and then made the mistake of reading a few comments. It's like NVG on 2p2, and the person has a different perspective on it dependent on who they support!

Seems like the sensible thing to do, if you're already rich, and you want to give yourself the best chance of winning more rings.

Wonder if Cutler will offer to restructure his deal...

[TightEnd]

why a coach might go to college football, + no interference, total control

Click to see full-size image.

why they paid this one

[tikay]

I read that 4 Head Coaches were relieved of their duties at Season's end, or left for whatever reason. Why, just poor results?

Does NFL have "Next Coach to be Sacked/Hired" Markets, like the Manager's Markets over here in Association Football?

[Marky147]

Certainly has a good record of improving teams!

So why has he left the 49ers, is it purely down to a clash of personalities with the owner?

[TightEnd]

I read that 4 Head Coaches were relieved of their duties at Season's end, or left for whatever reason. Why, just poor results?

Does NFL have "Next Coach to be Sacked/Hired" Markets, like the Manager's Markets over here in Association Football?

not really

the NFL teams soon put out short-lists of who they are interviewing.

they also have to cpmply with the "rooney rule" - have to interview someone of ethinc minoirty for Head coach positions

whole thing is pretty transparent, compared to our system of massive market moves by in the knows etc

[TightEnd]

Certainly has a good record of improving teams!

So why has he left the 49ers, is it purely down to a clash of personalities with the owner?

certainly the organisation appears to have become very dysfunctional.

the offense hasn't fired all season either, which hasn't helped

michigan have certainly outbid oakland, who tried hard to get him this week

[Marky147]

Certainly has a good record of improving teams!

So why has he left the 49ers, is it purely down to a clash of personalities with the owner?

certainly the organisation appears to have become very dysfunctional.

the offense hasn't fired all season either, which hasn't helped

michigan have certainly outbid oakland, who tried hard to get him this week

Amazing that there is so much money available at the college level.

Is it funded by rich alumni of the Universities?

[TightEnd]

Certainly has a good record of improving teams!

So why has he left the 49ers, is it purely down to a clash of personalities with the owner?

certainly the organisation appears to have become very dysfunctional.

the offense hasn't fired all season either, which hasn't helped

michigan have certainly outbid oakland, who tried hard to get him this week

Amazing that there is so much money available at the college level.

Is it funded by rich alumni of the Universities?

Yes donations (and college fees) (and the share of the college football TV deal)

college football was estimated to be a $10bn marketplace last year

and the players aren't paid (well, not officially)

[Marky147]

Certainly has a good record of improving teams!

So why has he left the 49ers, is it purely down to a clash of personalities with the owner?

certainly the organisation appears to have become very dysfunctional.

the offense hasn't fired all season either, which hasn't helped

michigan have certainly outbid oakland, who tried hard to get him this week

Amazing that there is so much money available at the college level.

Is it funded by rich alumni of the Universities?

Yes donations (and college fees) (and the share of the college football TV deal)

college football was estimated to be a $10bn marketplace last year

and the players aren't paid (well, not officially)

Buddy Garritys all over the place, handing out envelopes

[Sheriff Fatman]

I read that 4 Head Coaches were relieved of their duties at Season's end, or left for whatever reason. Why, just poor results?

Does NFL have "Next Coach to be Sacked/Hired" Markets, like the Manager's Markets over here in Association Football?

The Monday after the regular season ends is known as "Black Monday" as it's the traditional day when coaches of underperforming teams get fired in the NFL.  4 is about standard, to be honest, but there were also a few General Managers and co-ordinators relieved of their duties as well.

Sounds brutal but it gives teams the maximum amount of time to build for the following season.

[AndrewT]

Certainly has a good record of improving teams!

So why has he left the 49ers, is it purely down to a clash of personalities with the owner?

certainly the organisation appears to have become very dysfunctional.

the offense hasn't fired all season either, which hasn't helped

michigan have certainly outbid oakland, who tried hard to get him this week

Amazing that there is so much money available at the college level.

Is it funded by rich alumni of the Universities?

The football coaches are public officials - here's the job of the highest paid publicly funded official in each state.

Click to see full-size image.

[Marky147]

Certainly has a good record of improving teams!

So why has he left the 49ers, is it purely down to a clash of personalities with the owner?

certainly the organisation appears to have become very dysfunctional.

the offense hasn't fired all season either, which hasn't helped

michigan have certainly outbid oakland, who tried hard to get him this week

Amazing that there is so much money available at the college level.

Is it funded by rich alumni of the Universities?

The football coaches are public officials - here's the job of the highest paid publicly funded official in each state.

Click to see full-size image.

Incred!