Offseason: Players we can cut that would provide the most cap savings...

[Big Turk]

Just no. People playing Madden and thinking it's reality has ruined perceptions of how things work in real life.

Edited January 30, 2021 by Big Turk

[Rock'em Sock'em]

Cut: Brown, Butler, Smith

Re-sign: Feliciano, William, Boettger, Bojorquez

After that, they will still be about 5M over the cap and will need to restructure Morse and Hughes or make another high salary cut.

Add in draft picks and a couple serviceable league minimum veterans and that's your 2021 team.

Key losses: Milano, Brown, Wallace, Norman, Roberts. Yeldon, we hardly knew ya.

 

Priority 1: Allen to have another great offseason and keep improving like he has every year so far.

Priority 2: Find a running game.

 

[John from Riverside]

4 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Addison, Jefferson, and Butler or Brown or Morse. 

I go with Addison, Jefferson, and Butler

 

Restructure Brown and Morse

 

Why in the HELL are people trying to get rid of Smoke.......WHY?

[Doc]

36 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I go with Addison, Jefferson, and Butler

 

Restructure Brown and Morse

 

Why in the HELL are people trying to get rid of Smoke.......WHY?

 

Age, cap savings and...age.

[SoCal Deek]

Wait a minute...they PAY Lee Smith? Who knew?

[ganesh]

8 hours ago, balln said:

love these posts.

 

i would love to cut all of them. but hughes and addison will need to keep one unless they can sign a vet for cheaper and draft another. Then you will have to rely on D Johnson, AJ, vet and rookie. its a gamble for sure. but gotta make tough decisions. Would jerry re do contract? 

Jerry is already paid on the lower end of the DE market...There is nothing to cut. 

 

It is  a waste to cut Morse as his dead cap and cap are the same.  

 

What about Tyler Kroft?  

 

We are also getting Norman's  7M off the books and Murphy's  10M off the books

[atlbillsfan1975]

28 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Jerry is already paid on the lower end of the DE market...There is nothing to cut. 

 

It is  a waste to cut Morse as his dead cap and cap are the same.  

 

What about Tyler Kroft?  

 

We are also getting Norman's  7M off the books and Murphy's  10M off the books

Kroft is a FA.

Norman won’t be back either, he is a FA. Same with Murphy.

Jefferson, Butler, and Addison are goners. None of those players lived up to what they got paid. 

If Brown goes, I hope we have someone to replace him. I like Gabe but he has a lot of work to do before he is a number 2. 
Milano is going someplace else that will way overpay for him. 

[pigpen65]

Addison 100% should go. The rest of them all have pros and cons but there's no question with Addison. Terrible signing.

[Rock-A-Bye Beasley]

5 hours ago, Dkollidas said:

I think you need to consider what Brown and Hughes would do with a 1yr extension. Cut their cap hits by about $4M each in 2021, and in 2022 they each have cap hits around $6M with limited dead cap of cut (maybe $1m-$2m each). This way you do three things...

 

1) cut salary cap in 2021, by a total of about $8M

 

2) keep players that have been relatively productive (Brown hurt, Hughes slowly decreasing with age but still effective)

 

3) save the money keep those guys, but have relatively easy outs after the 2021 season.

exactly. Everyone’s commenting like it’s cut or keep at those prices. 
 

In addition to those two extensions, Butler and Jefferson can be asked to take a pay cut or take a hike. There’s a good chance they take the pay cut especially if the cap is  lowered significantly. 
 

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Rock-A-Bye Beasley

[somnus00]

10 hours ago, NewEra said:

We will be worse off if we cut Jerry Hughes.   Mark it down

Hughes doesn't make it home very often. But he gets pretty consistent pressure. Plus he's a leader in the locker room. We should keep him.

[GoBills!]

Keep Jerry, he needs help on the line he is a good leader as well. Restructure Brown he is 30 and injuries will likely happen maybe add a year to his deal to cut his cap number. Hyde I am 50/50, He isn't a ball hawk,  but he is decent. I lean towards moving on since he is 30 and likely could be replaced in this system by similar younger talent. The rest can go.

[Thurman#1]

18 hours ago, bills6969 said:

It's looking like the Salary cap for next year will be somewhere around the $175mm mark.  If this is the case,  we won't have much room to do anything in free agency.   In order to create some room, we're going to need to let some guys go.  Here is a list players we can cut a reasonable price that would provide highest Cap savings:

 

1. John Brown - Dead cap 1.6m;  Cap savings 7.9m

2. Jerry Hughes - Dead cap 2.1m; Cap savings 7.5m

3. Vernon Butler - Dead cap 1m; Cap savings 6.8m

4. Quinton Jefferson - Dead cap 1.5m; Cap savings 6.5m

5. Mario Addison - Dead cap 4m; Cap savings 6.1m

6. Micah Hyde - Dead cap 1.6m; Cap savings 5.2m  

7. Mitch Morse - Dead cap 5.5m; Cap savings 4.8m

8. Lee Smith - Dead cap 0;  Cap savings 2.25m

 

Imo, you absolutely cut ties with 1 thru 4. These are guys whose value to the team does not exceed the cap savings we would attain by letting them go.  This would equate to about $29m in cap savings.  Add in 5 thru 8 (excluding Hyde; too valuable to team to cut) and we're at a cool 42m of cap savings.  These players can all be replaced in the draft or cheaper route in FA.

 

 

 

 

Sooner or later, Jerry Hughes is going to lose a step. Until he does, cutting him (or Hyde) for such a small savings is nuts.

 

Lotulelei will be back, and that will make one of our interior DLs expendable. Cut more of them than that and you'll just have to pay similar money to replace them. They run a platoon. So they need four starter quality interior DLs and four starter quality exterior DLs.

 

And your list includes the dead cap and yet your calculations do not.

 

More, you're blithely assuming you can replace these guy in the draft or cheaper. A little bit cheaper, yeah, maybe. But bringing in guys who wouldn't be less effective especially in year one is not going to be nearly as easy or as cheap as you assume.

 

Several of these guys will almost certainly go. The likelihood of all, or even most, going is far less.

[machine gun kelly]

16 hours ago, bills6969 said:

 

If you actually read my post you would know that I wasn’t suggesting we cut all these guys. I was just pointing out the potential cap savings we could get with cutting these players.  With Hyde,  I specifically pointed out that he was too valuable to cut.  Reading comprehension is not your strong suit I guess.

I read you’re post, but you didn’t come up with the replacements, and then how much are the first four or more replacements going to cost.  

[Thurman#1]

16 hours ago, bills6969 said:

 

If you actually read my post you would know that I wasn’t suggesting we cut all these guys. I was just pointing out the potential cap savings we could get with cutting these players.  With Hyde,  I specifically pointed out that he was too valuable to cut.  Reading comprehension is not your strong suit I guess.

 

 

 

IMO it ain't so much his reading comprehension as your very unclear writing.

 

Your last sentence is, "These players can all be replaced in the draft or cheaper route in FA." That could easily be read to mean that you think all eight of them should go because they could easily be replaced.

[Buddo]

It isn't certain that the Cap will be at the floor of $175 million. 

 

Within a couple of years, there are going to be new TV deals negotiated with many of the networks, and with the ratings for the NFL being very good, if not great, there will be a lot more money available within about 3 years, and some of it will arrive sooner (after 2021 Fox will have to sign a new deal).

 

Imho, there are too many teams in 'cap hell', (or at least immediately over the cap) if the number stays at $175m , that the NFL will likely be prepared to come up some.

 

I also think they will be forced to, to an extent, by the NFLPA.

 

I don't think they will stick to this year's figure of $195m (iirc), but I can see them compromise to where it gets up from the floor to around $185m.

 

Without looking the numbers up, I think that that extra $10 million, will lift quite a few teams out of immediate 'cap hell', to a point where they will at least be able to largely maintain their rosters.

 

Imho, the Bills will probably be trying to do a fair few re-structures, in the first instance.

 

I would also say, that given this years success, there are a fair few guys who will view that favourably, assuming it is done in such a way that means they can't lose out from it. It would also be in their own best interests to do so, as I think FA this off season is going to be feast or famine. i.e. some guys will get some big bucks, but the 'mid tier' FA will be gone the way of the dinosaur for 2021.

 

 

[Don Otreply]

It would be really cool if we had threads that were centered around who we would bring in to specifically replace a perceived under performing player and then show the difference in costs between those two players, vs let’s cut the whole defensive line to save money with no real forethought of how to replace the talent and scheme knowledge that just got blown up in that scenario....  

 

what am I saying, that’s never gonna happen.... 😁

 

Go Bills!!!

 

 

[ganesh]

10 hours ago, pigpen65 said:

Addison 100% should go. The rest of them all have pros and cons but there's no question with Addison. Terrible signing.

The problem is Addison's cap hit...it is either a dead cap of 4M or a  cut-cap of 6M.   Since we have already let Murphy go, we definitely have to have a backup DE and Addison would play that role at 6M.  This is with even if we go after a FA DE or a high Draft pick

[TheyCallMeAndy]

Y’all know restructuring is a thing and depth is really important, right?

[stinky finger]

20 hours ago, BeastMode54 said:

I don't think, even though it makes sense, to have a mass cutting of players. We have a great culture and the team really seems to bond and get along with each other. I'd be worried it would mess up the teams chemistry a little or thoughts about the FO. maybe Im overthinking this as some of them have only been here a year. 

 

I hear you, but the culture doesn't stop with this crew. It feeds itself with who's left. It'll keep regenerating. It might manifest in different ways, but it can be maintained.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Brown is gone. I think they cut 1 of Butler/Jefferson. I think Addison stays. Morse is a question mark. Hyde isn't going anywhere, he's underpaid IMO. Hughes retires a Bill. He's still useful. 

 

Morse is a good player but they have to design a running game that fits his talents. Get him out in space. Very athletic center. 

[bills6969]

I wasn’t implying we should do a “mass cut” of players, I was just pointing out the players that would provide the most cap savings if we were to cut them,  and given the unusual circumstances of the low cap year,  we may have to part ways with some of these guys in order to resign some of our own UFAs or go out and get some new guys in FA.  If we want to keep all of them,  then that likely means we can’t resign Milano or Feliciano.  I like Hughes, but the production isn’t there anymore.  We could cut him and use cap savings to go out and get a younger guy like Henderickson.  Jefferson and Butler are dead weight,  cut them and replace their production in the draft or something cheaper in FA market.

[Simon Says]

Next year's salary cap hasn't been confirmed. Supposedly still working it out

[YoloinOhio]

Haven’t read this whole thread but I predict:

john brown

mitch morse

lee smith 

Vernon butler

Quinton Jefferson 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

9 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Brown is gone. I think they cut 1 of Butler/Jefferson. I think Addison stays. Morse is a question mark. Hyde isn't going anywhere, he's underpaid IMO. Hughes retires a Bill. He's still useful. 

 

Morse is a good player but they have to design a running game that fits his talents. Get him out in space. Very athletic center. 

This is pretty much how I see it.

 

Brown may wish to restructure in which case he’d be nice to have, but I feel he’s too easily neutralized by physical corner play.

[TheBeaneBandit]

1 hour ago, YoloinOhio said:

Haven’t read this whole thread but I predict:

john brown

mitch morse

lee smith 

Vernon butler

Quinton Jefferson 

I'm 100% comfortable with this list. 

[ehfeuh57]

Keep Butler

Cut Star

[TheBeaneBandit]

3 minutes ago, DrDare said:

Keep Butler

Cut Star

I'm not even a Star fan but hell no!👎

[Aussie Joe]

Star's salary guaranteed in 2021 so they wont be cutting him

[Alphadawg7]

So cut our entire DL and magically replace them with what?  Lol

[BuffaloRebound]

Will be interesting to see what happens to a lot of these guys who opted out because of Covid.   I’m sure they all had their reasons, but it does make you wonder how well these guys will be received in the locker-room.  I‘m sure the bond in the locker-room was even stronger this year with all these guys went through to play.  So much has changed since Star agreed to take a pay cut in exchange for guaranteed money.  

[wppete]

On 1/30/2021 at 12:11 PM, bills6969 said:

It's looking like the Salary cap for next year will be somewhere around the $175mm mark.  If this is the case,  we won't have much room to do anything in free agency.   In order to create some room, we're going to need to let some guys go.  Here is a list players we can cut a reasonable price that would provide highest Cap savings:

 

1. John Brown - Dead cap 1.6m;  Cap savings 7.9m

2. Jerry Hughes - Dead cap 2.1m; Cap savings 7.5m

3. Vernon Butler - Dead cap 1m; Cap savings 6.8m

4. Quinton Jefferson - Dead cap 1.5m; Cap savings 6.5m

5. Mario Addison - Dead cap 4m; Cap savings 6.1m

6. Micah Hyde - Dead cap 1.6m; Cap savings 5.2m  

7. Mitch Morse - Dead cap 5.5m; Cap savings 4.8m

8. Lee Smith - Dead cap 0;  Cap savings 2.25m

 

Imo, you absolutely cut ties with 1 thru 4. These are guys whose value to the team does not exceed the cap savings we would attain by letting them go.  This would equate to about $29m in cap savings.  Add in 5 thru 8 (excluding Hyde; too valuable to team to cut) and we're at a cool 42m of cap savings.  These players can all be replaced in the draft or cheaper route in FA.

 

 

Cut them  all except for Micah and John Brown. 

[Orlando Tim]

I look at it primarily as can I find a better or at least comparable guy for what we save by cutting him. I think we can cut Brown, Jefferson, and Butler while finding someone better for that cost. Though I wonder if Jefferson or Butler will be better with Star next to them, so maybe one stays. I also am probably one of few who think Lee is well worth his cost since he is an extra lineman 80% of the time and half his catches are TDs this year. 

[ganesh]

51 minutes ago, BuffaloRebound said:

Will be interesting to see what happens to a lot of these guys who opted out because of Covid.   I’m sure they all had their reasons, but it does make you wonder how well these guys will be received in the locker-room.  I‘m sure the bond in the locker-room was even stronger this year with all these guys went through to play.  So much has changed since Star agreed to take a pay cut in exchange for guaranteed money.  

Many of the players who opted out had comorbidity situation (at very high risk) and had NO option but to sit out (Star).   Even who didn't want to sit had to be shut down by the team (Sweeney).   The teams will NOT go hard on these players.  There is a reason why they couldn't play

[BuffaloRebound]

8 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Many of the players who opted out had comorbidity situation (at very high risk) and had NO option but to sit out (Star).   Even who didn't want to sit had to be shut down by the team (Sweeney).   The teams will NOT go hard on these players.  There is a reason why they couldn't play

Maybe not but Gaines got cut immediately. Bills are also in a bit of a pickle on the DL. Lots of cap room tied up there with a decreasing cap.  Just not sure how it’s gonna go over in the locker-room if a guy who went through everything these guys went through this season is cut to make room for Star.  All these guys who are close to 300 lbs are high risk for Covid. 

[ndirish1978]

On 1/30/2021 at 12:11 PM, bills6969 said:

It's looking like the Salary cap for next year will be somewhere around the $175mm mark.  If this is the case,  we won't have much room to do anything in free agency.   In order to create some room, we're going to need to let some guys go.  Here is a list players we can cut a reasonable price that would provide highest Cap savings:

 

1. John Brown - Dead cap 1.6m;  Cap savings 7.9m

2. Jerry Hughes - Dead cap 2.1m; Cap savings 7.5m

3. Vernon Butler - Dead cap 1m; Cap savings 6.8m

4. Quinton Jefferson - Dead cap 1.5m; Cap savings 6.5m

5. Mario Addison - Dead cap 4m; Cap savings 6.1m

6. Micah Hyde - Dead cap 1.6m; Cap savings 5.2m  

7. Mitch Morse - Dead cap 5.5m; Cap savings 4.8m

8. Lee Smith - Dead cap 0;  Cap savings 2.25m

 

Imo, you absolutely cut ties with 1 thru 4. These are guys whose value to the team does not exceed the cap savings we would attain by letting them go.  This would equate to about $29m in cap savings.  Add in 5 thru 8 (excluding Hyde; too valuable to team to cut) and we're at a cool 42m of cap savings.  These players can all be replaced in the draft or cheaper route in FA.

 

 

 

The second you advocated cutting the one productive Dline player we have you lost me. Hughes will no be going anywhere. You cut:

 

1.  John Brown - Dead cap 1.6m;  Cap savings 7.9m

2. Vernon Butler - Dead cap 1m; Cap savings 6.8m

3. Quinton Jefferson - Dead cap 1.5m; Cap savings 6.5m

5. Mario Addison - Dead cap 4m; Cap savings 6.1m

6. Lee Smith - Dead cap 0;  Cap savings 2.25m

 

I'd ask AJ Klein to restructure too. 

 

[LABILLBACKER]

16 hours ago, TheBeaneBandit said:

I'm not even a Star fan but hell no!👎

Star actually takes up 2 lineman. Butler doesn't. Butler is the first one out the door unless Star opts out again? 

[Doc]

4 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Star actually takes up 2 lineman. Butler doesn't. Butler is the first one out the door unless Star opts out again? 

 

Opting-out won't be an option now.  If a player doesn't feel like a vaccine will protect him, the only option is retirement.

[CEN-CAL17]

Safe to say Beane will need to restructure a half dozen contracts and terminate about the same..... when it’s all said and done yes, $30M under the cap should be the goal.

 

 

[Doc]

Just now, GoBills! said:

Post June 1  Cut - Butler, Mitch (if he wants to retire), Butler, Addison - You have about 25 million right there.

 

Just to clarify, you can only designate 2 players as post-June 1st if released prior to June 1st.  But you have to keep their money on the books until June 1st so you don't see the cap savings until then/in time for FA.

[CSBill]

On 1/30/2021 at 12:11 PM, bills6969 said:

1. John Brown - Dead cap 1.6m;  Cap savings 7.9m

2. Jerry Hughes - Dead cap 2.1m; Cap savings 7.5m

3. Vernon Butler - Dead cap 1m; Cap savings 6.8m

4. Quinton Jefferson - Dead cap 1.5m; Cap savings 6.5m

5. Mario Addison - Dead cap 4m; Cap savings 6.1m

6. Micah Hyde - Dead cap 1.6m; Cap savings 5.2m  

7. Mitch Morse - Dead cap 5.5m; Cap savings 4.8m

8. Lee Smith - Dead cap 0;  Cap savings 2.25m

 

Of all these guys, I keep Brown, Hughes, one of the 3 D-lineman, and Hyde. That would be about 20m saving and keeping some key pieces.

 

Concerning Brown, we did not really get to see much of the best Bills WR line-up this season. I think there is more, much more, potential for this offense if we can keep him and he is healthy the entire season. .... I suggest they try to restructure his deal. Not sure he would get 8 M on the open market?