What Other Options We Have To Increase Cap Space?

[Yatagarasu]

Right Now, I think our Front Office has done a great job in managing our cap space that we have the ability to keep our stud players unlike other teams where they have to unload a bunch of contracts. To increase our cap, there are a few players certain to go to the chopping board, however, it might be interesting if we can redo their contracts to save ourselves more cap space.

This Source gives a lot of insight on our current cap situation.
[url="http://www.ravens24x7.com/columns/The-Money-Clip-Baltimore-Ravens-Salary-Cap-Analysis/RAVENS-ROSTER-OUTLOOK-The-Salary-Cap-will-usher-in-change"]http://www.ravens24x...usher-in-change[/url]

First up is [b]Domonique Foxworth[/b].

Everyone knows he's gone due to his expensive price tag and emergence of our young corner. However, according to ESPN, Foxworth's recovery isn't going well and that could lead to a new path that instead of releasing him, the front office might go for a injury settlement, which may save more cap space unless Foxworth is going all out to get as much money as he can since his career is in jeopardy. Another one is retirement, Foxworth's knee hasn't been healthy, which could waive his contract if he fails the physical and get medical retirement. I believe these two options could lead to open more cap space instead of releasing him. I doubt any other teams are going to pick him up for more than veteran salary due to his health.

[url="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/41761/domonique-foxworths-future-is-uncertain"]http://espn.go.com/b...re-is-uncertain[/url]

Next up is [b]Lee Evans[/b].

I believe our trade for Lee Evans was a disaster. Buffalo basically robbed us of a 4th rounder to unload a steep contract for a player with declining health and skills. Or maybe he was fine, he went to the wrong system because Cam loves big WRs, which Lee Evans is not. The team can save $4.375 M by releasing him, which is a given. However the possibility of redoing his contract is out there. However he already cost the team $1.383 M from his previous contract. Therefore signing to let's say $1.5 M with $2 M incentive is basically not going to save us a lot of money. Ozzie and the front office has more tapes and info on Lee Evans to see if he's viable veteran going forward. From the eyes of the fans, his stay in Baltimore is slim because Torrey Smith can do his job as a vertical stretcher for a fraction of his contract. I doubt his contract will be redone, since releasing him and resigning him for veteran minimum save more on the cap. Also, I believe his skills will be better served elsewhere where physicality is not the main factor.

[b]Chris Carr[/b]:

I think Chris Carr's contract is very friendly, where he only cost us $3.65 M and we can save $2.5 M if we release him after 6/1. However, instead of going to conclusion about his contract, I believe the front office will use him as a back-up since two of our starting cornerbacks (Webb, Williams) are in the restricted market. With Webb and Williams in the market, there could be a risk that teams might be willing to pay the high draft for the cornerbacks, if so, I think Chris Carr will stay as a Raven to help balance the veteran presence in the secondary. It's true that people think a player shouldn't be paid more than $3 M to just be a benchwarmer or a 5th cornerback. Another option could be trading him to a cornerback needy team for a mid draft pick. This is a viable option, if we can keep our secondary intact with Webb, Williams, Smith, Gorrer, Brown, and other CBs. I believe the best option is the trade.

[b]Billy Cundiff[/b]:

Perfect example of failing expectation after receiving a big contract. I don't know what happened, maybe it's the calf injury, but it was just a bad year. Billy Cundiff was good last year, but maybe because he was paying for that big contract. One problem, I'm having is his long range accuracy. How could one of the highest paid kickers in the league can't even nail 50 yarders without any sweat? This coming training, if Cundiff's strength of automatic touchbacks and short range accuracy comes below expectation, I think a new kicker is a possibility. That $2.2 M could be used elsewhere.

[b]Bryant McKinnie[/b]:

He's currently a stopgap tackle, who is filling in until the team can decide on a franchise left tackle. His $3.7 M contract is not guaranteed, so the good news is that if one of our young tackles emerges or McKinnie comes to Ravens' Training Camp like he did last year as a Viking, the team will have no problem using that money elsewhere.

Lee Evans' and Domonique's contracts should be enough to cover Ray Rice. However, to keep Grubbs might cost us more cuts or reconstruction from our higher paid players like Suggs, Ngata, Lewis, and Reed. I believe the Front Office is highly capable in keeping a competitive team for the 2012 season.

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

Foxworth is almost a given to be cut.

Following Ozzie's comments about upgrading the receiver position (and playing younger guys), I think Evans is almost certainly going to be asked to at least take a pay cut or will be cut.

I'm not sure that Webb's and Williams's RFA status helps Carr to stay on the team. He couldn't stay healthy and was outperformed by Gorrer in the limited snaps we got to see him.

Cundiff will probably have to fight for his job this camp with another kicker.

No way we cut McKinnie. I don't see any reason that the Ravens aren't happy with his play and I doubt they want to enter next year with the possibility of three new starters on the O-line, especially given the comments that they like continuity.

[Guest RBates]

No mention of Matt birk? He can go ahead and retire also.

[GrimCoconut]

[b]Domonique Foxworth[/b]: possible injury settlement or retirement. That would be best for the team. He already got enough money from us for nothing! I am grateful for his work on the CBA, but he is my least favorite Raven. I will celebrate when he is gone. I would be happy if he didn't get another cent of Biscotti's money.

[b]Lee Evans[/b]: Ozzie said when it comes to keeping players, he looks at the whole body of work. If you look at Lee's body of work for us this season, there isn't much of a body to see. Maybe just a hand and that's it. Lee has potential and I think he will rebound from this--problem is, he is expensive and we have Torrey. At his current salary, I would be surprised to see him return.

[b]Chris Carr[/b]: trade him. Webb isn't going anywhere, and I doubt Williams walks. I suspect Web & Williams get a 1st & 2nd respectively.

[b]Billy Cundiff[/b]: keep him but get some competition. It's never a bad thing to get some competition, and I honestly think we should always give the kicker competition. You never know what you may find.

[b]Bryant McKinnie[/b]: lol, he's not going anywhere. They liked him & were pleased with his production.

Overall, I see cap casualties as Chris Carr, Lee Evans, Domonique Foxworth, & perhaps David Reed. Reed's been injured twice in two years and had to go on IR. He's Demetrius Williams 2.0 with a return game, and even there he is a fumble machine. I like his return ability, but it's time to move on and find a replacement in this deep WR draft.

DFox 5.6M-8.6M (release/retirement/settlement), LEvans 4.375M, CCarr 600k/3.45M (release-trade), DReed 540K. If those four are gone, that's a savings from 11.115M-16.965M. That is a huge number off the cap. Trading Carr is our best case scenario. I know we could at least get a 7th round pick for him.

[oldcoltsfan]

How about Billy Cundiff retires and we can free up his salary.

[Bazooka Joe]

I hope someone does offer Webb a deal that we'd match. That makes our job easy.

McKinney ain't going anywhere, but we will draft his heir this year.

Lee Evans. I think he accepts a paycut and returns. We need to have more than one field stretcher and Lee hasn't forgotten how to play WR.

Carr can go.

As for our UFAs, Rice, AYENBADEJO, Nakamura, Wilson are the 4 that I think will return. Redding, JJ, McClain, Zibby, Grubbs, are goners.

[latenighthero]

[quote name='oldcoltsfan' timestamp='1328366656' post='984658']
How about Billy Cundiff retires and we can free up his salary.
[/quote]
Ya I would like to see us restruture his contract or cut him ($15 mil over 5 years) but it seems as though someone will have to beat him out in the preseason for that to occur.

[Ravenseconbeast]

Lets just say with billy cundiff, not a single person is willing to deal with him if we were to cut him. He would be a complete d-bag if he were to refuse restructuring his contract. He cant shoot a 50yarder, he is a 75% career kicker, cant kick a 32 yarder on AFCC game, and he is the 2nd highest paid kicker in NFL.

Whoever Billy Cundiff agent is, he sure fooled us out of a money selling Cundiff. Must be Foxworth's agent

[BloodRaven]

What are the cap hit/penalties for these guys?

[arnie_uk]

There is about three or four topics already covering that same article and our potential cuts. do you guys not search the last page or two to see if what your posting is already being talked about?

[tctony]

If we can resign Evans to Ricky Williams-esque contract then I am all for it. He still has skills and he showed it during the playoffs. Yes he could've caught that ball, but the guy made a great defensive play. We need all the serviceable wideouts we can get.

[CapoRocky]

Evans need an incentive-laden contract based on his production. We sure lost out on him this year when he went down with the ankle injury and didn't return to form until the playoffs. I think that he would not hurt us if he returned under those conditions, but there is no way that we should pay big money for a 4th string receiver. I'd much rather go with a rookie to challenge our picks this year for the 4th slot. Doss and Williams were forgotten over the course of the year, but they will be back in training camp ready to learn. I'm sure that Ozzie has something in mind either in the draft or in FA. Birk or Gurode needs to return for a year to help a rookie train up for the job. McKinnie is a not going to hurt us for another year. Foxworth is gone. Cundiff needs to beat out a challenger to convince me that he is worth the money. I'll never trust him again.

[tctony]

[quote name='CapoRocky' timestamp='1328481874' post='985981']
Cundiff needs to beat out a challenger to convince me that he is worth the money. I'll never trust him again.
[/quote]

We should've never trusted him in the first place. He is a career 76% kicker.

[B-more Ravor]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1328365783' post='984653']
Overall, I see cap casualties as Chris Carr, Lee Evans, Domonique Foxworth, & perhaps David Reed. Reed's been injured twice in two years and had to go on IR. He's Demetrius Williams 2.0 with a return game, and even there he is a fumble machine. I like his return ability, but it's time to move on and find a replacement in this deep WR draft. [/quote]
They won't be releasing Reed for Cap purposes, the savings is too minimal when you consider that he's going to be replaced by a guy making only marginally less (if at all). As such, there's no reason to release him now. He'll have to keep his job in August and may be released then, but not now.
[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1328365783' post='984653']DFox 5.6M-8.6M (release/retirement/settlement), LEvans 4.375M, CCarr 600k/3.45M (release-trade), DReed 540K. If those four are gone, that's a savings from 11.115M-16.965M. That is a huge number off the cap. Trading Carr is our best case scenario. I know we could at least get a 7th round pick for him.
[/quote]

Not exactly sure what you are trying to get at with the split numbers above, but no matter whether a player is released, traded or retires, he's still treated the same with regard to the Cap. There's only going to be $5.6M in savings when Foxworth is released. Even if he retired or there was an injury settlement, it's the same.

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='Ravens1990' timestamp='1328489688' post='986090']

We should've never trusted him in the first place. He is a career 76% kicker.
[/quote]

Graham would have gotten us to OT in the Patriots game. It's anyone's guess who would have won after that, but we could be beating the Giants right now.

[Fricknmaniac]

[quote name='CapoRocky' timestamp='1328490814' post='986101']

Graham would have gotten us to OT in the Patriots game. It's anyone's guess who would have won after that, but we could be beating the Giants right now.
[/quote]

And it's hard to think with how the Ravens dominated those last 10 minutes that they wouldn't have won the game in overtime.

[Raven43hike]

[quote name='oldcoltsfan' timestamp='1328366656' post='984658']
How about Billy Cundiff retires and we can free up his salary.
[/quote]
How old is Condiff, 26 cant be much older than that so retire doubt it, he'll compete for a job next season.

[Radinho84]

[quote name='Raven43hike' timestamp='1328497889' post='986492']
How old is Condiff, 26 cant be much older than that so retire doubt it, he'll compete for a job next season.
[/quote]
i think he is 31....
still young for a kicker. but he missed on the big stages this year and everybody saw it. he struggled bad this year. i hope it was because of his leg injury. all in all i like billy a lot and you could see that something wasn´t okay when he rarely kicked touchbacks. he had 5 fewer yards to kick and also struggled to get the ball in the end zone. that should tell one something....