benchmobbin02 wrote:The difference in our arguments is I think guys like Malcom Smith, Nate Allen, Lee Smith, Rodney Hudson, Dan Williams, Mike Crabtree are filling major roles not minor roles. You call it nickel and dime stuff and I see smart contracts offered by Reggie that have filled big positions of need. You note our position having cap space. I see it as a good thing even if we have to pay a little back to the NFLPA after next year (Educate yourself on what having cap space means before you list it as a negative -
http://www.bucsnation.com/2015/3/13/8208069/nfl-salary-cap-floor-explained-its-basically-irrelevant).
The level of misunderstanding here is just.. amazing.
Malcolm Smith, Hudson, Williams, and Crabtree are filling roles. I'd argue that Hudson and Williams are doing it at above average level, and that Crabtree and Malcolm are about average.. Allen is injured, and the only reason he wasn't IR'd immediately like Ross was was simply to save money, and Lee Smith is doing OK as a blocker. Those guys you listed: 31.5m in salary for 6 players, and that's not including FA busts like Lofton, TRich, and Ponder. But the sad thing is - in free agency, getting that production for 45m in 7 players is actually pretty good. It pales in comparison to making a trade for an elite receiver and giving him 1/3 of that money, but for free agency its actually a huge +.
I think one of us needs education: opportunity cost. We will be spending money on nothing, or spending money on something. And if there's a 14m gap between us and the floor, and franchising Jeffery costs 14m with no future costs, what sounds better to you? This is simple logic, not bending over backwards to make everything the Raiders do seem good. It is literally wasting cap and literally wasting money. I guess as fans its irrelevant, unless you want your team to spend and get better players.
It puts us in great position to sign our young guys to nice extensions (Carr, Mack, Carrie, Murray, Jackson, Jelly, King, Autry and Roberts). All these guys are on track to be in the running for raises in the next 1 or 2 yrs or so. It also gives us room resign some key guys whether they were on prove it deals (Aldon Smith and Crabtree) or they are just still performing at a good level and we wanna keep them around (Penn and MAYBE Tuck and CWood). And we'll still have room add a few pieces to the core every year on good contracts.
Extensions are still 1 year away for Murray/Autry, 2 years away for Mack/Carr/Carrie/Jackson/Jelly.. and really, Marquette King and Roberts? What are they going to cost us exactly? Aldon Smith and Crabtree are the *lone* concerns, as Penn will find a cold market - ask one of the best elderly OL in the league, Evan Mathis - and Woodson will not play next season. Most teams would take advantage of this fiscal opportunity, especially if the league was going to take the money directly from their pockets anyways.
Just think about what kind of shape we'd be in if we extend most of those guys above, resign Penn, A Smith and Crabtree and still bring in 3 or 4 guys in FA the quality of M. Smith, Williams, Hudson, and Nate Allen. We hit on 3 to 4 draft picks as we have the last 3 drafts. VERY GOOD shape. Reggie knows what he is doing. And people still doubt.
This is based on the the premise that Reggie refuses to trade draft picks for players. And we know that's not true, Matt Flynn/Matt Schaub, so I'd hold off on accusing anyone doubting *your* opinion as someone doubting Reggie. He has turned us around, slowly. And in building through the draft, you manage your cap down to a very low level, and not spending it in a year you lose the money anyways is the same as pissing away any other asset. We will be around the 85m in cap available area before any resigns occur. Since most top FAs dont change teams because of the franchise tag, is our goal to just sign overpriced stopgap players again and again? I would hope Reggie has enough foresight to know that a pro bowl WR in his prime is a bargain for a pick that may or may not work out, just to preserve fiscal solvency that you argue he won't use! It's baffling, it makes no sense at all to act like we're good enough to pass on a gift, even a hypothetical one like Jeffery for a 3rd
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