WSJ: What's Behind All the NFL Blowouts

[GhostRider]

Here is a post season accolade that could be used to carry money over to the following year.

"Clayton makes the Pro Bowl"

"Clayon makes the Pro Bowl" is more of a post-apocalyptic accolade -- considering it's accomplishment will undoubtedly mean the end-times are upon us.

Or 1/3 of the world's population has already been wiped out.  Then, he'd probably have a good shot at success.

[Madman]

Interesting article about how teams like the Bucs play with the numbers to reach the cap FLOOR.
 
Loopholes in the League's Vaunted Salary Cap Help Some Teams Spend to Win�and Lose...

One of the fundamental principles of the National Football League is that every team should have a realistic shot at winning every time it steps on the field. This season, that's not the case.

To manage their payrolls, teams hired "capologists" to find new ways to interpret the rules and to push actual spending up or down based on the owners' wishes. Agents say teams looking to spend less�or more�than the minimum have found loopholes.

A person familiar with the finances of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers says that last season, the team signed two free-agents, running back Noah Herron and defensive end Patrick Chukwurah, for contracts that totalled $25 million. Under the rules of the salary cap, the Buccaneers were charged that full amount for the players. But to actually earn that money, each player had to, among other things, block six punts apiece�an exceedingly difficult prospect. In the end, neither player ended up taking a single snap. Mr. Herron was paid $157,000 and Mr. Chukwurah $71,000, although the team's salary-cap number reflected the full value of their contracts. Tampa Bay, which ranked among the lowest teams in spending last season, has lost all six of its games. Tampa Bay and NFL officials declined to comment.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704224004574489773943949070.html

[Blaze688]

SIX PUNTS A PIECE?

Holy crap.  Can you imagine if Chukwurah actually pulled it off?

[Madman]

But to actually earn that money, each player had to, among other things, block six punts apiece

'Among other things' being the key words... I'm sure they worked in TD passes and extra points as well.

[alldaway]

Post season accolades, etc.

[Booker Reese]

The problem with that article is that the Bucs actually spent $104 million in 2008, which was 23rd in the league.

I believe those oddities in Chuk's contract were in there not so much to get to the floor, but in order to carry over the cap room into this year.  The loophole Allen is using is called "Likely To Be Earned Incentives." GMs use them to carry over cap room - the entire idea of the mechanism is to make it impossible to reach.

That post-season accolades stuff is entirely different.

After all, if the Bucs were worried about meeting the floor last year, they easily could have structured Hovan's signing bonus of $13 million so that it hit the cap entirely in 2008. Instead, that $13 million is stretched out over each year of his contract.

[GhostRider]

Further proof that Ownership here is NOT interested in winning.

[Booker Reese]

Read my post - this article gets it wrong - the Bucs spent more than enough on actual salaries to get to the cap floor in 2008 had they been structured for that result.

The contract oddities in the contracts mentioned are for an entirely different reason - it's designed to carry the cap room over year to year.

[TheShadow]

This can't be. I've heard from all corners about how the Glazers spent more money than anyone else in our division and aren't being cheap.

Somebody's wrong.

[GhostRider]

Read my post - this article gets it wrong - the Bucs spent more than enough on actual salaries to get to the cap floor in 2008 had they been structured correctly.

Link?

[Booker Reese]

Link to my post?

It's right above you. The salary info, which I've linked to multiple times is right here:

http://content.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/default.aspx

[alldaway]

Here is a post season accolade that could be used to carry money over to the following year.

"Clayton makes the Pro Bowl"

[Booker Reese]

Here is a post season accolade that could be used to carry money over to the following year.

"Clayton makes the Pro Bowl"

That's true. 

[Feel Real Good]

Additionally, agents have incentives to put those kind of clauses into contracts so they can say "I got $25 million for Patrick Chukwurah. Think about how much I could get for you." It goes both ways.

[Booker Reese]

Here's another major problem with that article:

Chuk wasn't signed until August 28 - in other words, right before the season started. Noah Herron was signed in November of 2008 - in the middle of the season.

If their contracts were designed to keep the team above the "floor" than the Bucs were in violation of the salary cap for most of 2008.