TTP77
07-22-2009, 09:01 AM
From FBO via ESPN insider. I thought it was interesting. We no longer carry big cap numbers for former players. :thumbsup
HOUSTON TEXANS
2009 Salary Cap: $129,078,327
Player with Highest Cap Number: QB Matt Schaub ($10,250,000; 8.0 percent of cap)
Highest Cap Number for a Player No Longer with Club: DE Anthony Weaver ($5,400,000; 4.2 percent of cap; seventh-highest on club)
Player Who Has to Live Up to Cap Number: Schaub
When healthy, Schaub may be one of the most underrated players in the league. (Last year, he was among the top 10 quarterbacks in value per play according to Football Outsiders' advanced stats.) However, in two seasons in Houston, Schaub has missed a total of 10 games because of injury. Schaub's ability to live up to his cap number isn't necessarily a question of his play on the field as much as how long he can stay in the game. Simply put, to become the franchise quarterback the Texans envisioned when they brought him to Houston, he must stay healthy.
Peyton Manning's cap figure is always worth it.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
2009 Salary Cap: $128,264,361
Player with Highest Cap Number: QB Peyton Manning ($21,207,278; 16.5 percent of cap)
Highest Cap Number for a Player No Longer with Club: WR Marvin Harrison ($6,400,000; 5.0 percent of cap; seventh-highest on club)
Player Who Has to Live Up to Cap Number: K Adam Vinatieri ($2,700,720; 2.1 percent of cap; 14th-highest on club)
Given Manning's immense salary, he obviously faces a ton of pressure, but the expectations have been high since he arrived in Indianapolis. And to say he has handled the expectations well would be a massive understatement. It is easy to make the argument that Manning is well worth every penny.
The same is not true for Vinatieri. There is no doubt that he has hit some of the most memorable field goals in NFL history, but in 2008 Vinatieri's kicking left a lot to be desired. By making just 80 percent of his kicks, he ranked 24th out of 30 kickers with at least 20 field goal attempts. He also ranked 24th in the Football Outsiders field-goal valuations that take into account distance, weather and altitude. His kickoffs were only slightly above-average.
Derrick Harvey disappointed last season.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
2009 Salary Cap: $137,034,267
Player with Highest Cap Number: QB David Garrard ($9,000,000; 6.6 percent of cap)
Highest Cap Number for a Player No Longer with Club: WR Jerry Porter, CB Drayton Florence, DE Paul Spicer ($2,500,000 each; 1.8 percent of cap each; tied for 16th-highest on club)
Player Who Has to Live Up to Cap Number: DE Derrick Harvey ($7,527,500; 5.5 percent of cap; second-highest on club)
Harvey got a late start to his rookie season in 2008. After a long holdout, Harvey finally came to a contract agreement with the Jaguars on the eve of their final preseason game. It is uncertain if the missed training camp curtailed the eighth overall pick's rookie performance, but given the difficult negotiation and the financial investment, one could be assured that the Jaguars were hoping for more than 3.5 sacks (two of which occurred in the club's Week 17 finale).
Vince Young's contract might be renegotiated, like Alex Smith's.
TENNESSEE TITANS
2009 Salary Cap: $133,199,174
Player with Highest Cap Number: LB Keith Bulluck ($9,111,790; 6.8 percent of cap)
Highest Cap Number for a Player No Longer with Club: DT Antonio Johnson ($86,726; 0.1 percent of cap; 84th-highest on club)
Player Who Has to Live Up to Cap Number: QB Vince Young ($4,627,284; 3.5 percent of cap; eighth-highest on club)
With a $4.6 million cap number in 2009, Young's contract is manageable. However, his 2010 and 2011 cap numbers are $14.21 million and $15.21 million, respectively. If Young does not take the starting quarterback position in Tennessee and reclaim the form that made him the offensive rookie of the year in 2006, look for the Titans to do an Alex Smith-like reworking of Young's contract as they head into 2010. In the case of Smith, the Niners reduced 2009 and 2010 cap numbers of $12.3 million and $17.7 million, respectively, to $5.7 million and $6.2 million.
HOUSTON TEXANS
2009 Salary Cap: $129,078,327
Player with Highest Cap Number: QB Matt Schaub ($10,250,000; 8.0 percent of cap)
Highest Cap Number for a Player No Longer with Club: DE Anthony Weaver ($5,400,000; 4.2 percent of cap; seventh-highest on club)
Player Who Has to Live Up to Cap Number: Schaub
When healthy, Schaub may be one of the most underrated players in the league. (Last year, he was among the top 10 quarterbacks in value per play according to Football Outsiders' advanced stats.) However, in two seasons in Houston, Schaub has missed a total of 10 games because of injury. Schaub's ability to live up to his cap number isn't necessarily a question of his play on the field as much as how long he can stay in the game. Simply put, to become the franchise quarterback the Texans envisioned when they brought him to Houston, he must stay healthy.
Peyton Manning's cap figure is always worth it.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
2009 Salary Cap: $128,264,361
Player with Highest Cap Number: QB Peyton Manning ($21,207,278; 16.5 percent of cap)
Highest Cap Number for a Player No Longer with Club: WR Marvin Harrison ($6,400,000; 5.0 percent of cap; seventh-highest on club)
Player Who Has to Live Up to Cap Number: K Adam Vinatieri ($2,700,720; 2.1 percent of cap; 14th-highest on club)
Given Manning's immense salary, he obviously faces a ton of pressure, but the expectations have been high since he arrived in Indianapolis. And to say he has handled the expectations well would be a massive understatement. It is easy to make the argument that Manning is well worth every penny.
The same is not true for Vinatieri. There is no doubt that he has hit some of the most memorable field goals in NFL history, but in 2008 Vinatieri's kicking left a lot to be desired. By making just 80 percent of his kicks, he ranked 24th out of 30 kickers with at least 20 field goal attempts. He also ranked 24th in the Football Outsiders field-goal valuations that take into account distance, weather and altitude. His kickoffs were only slightly above-average.
Derrick Harvey disappointed last season.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
2009 Salary Cap: $137,034,267
Player with Highest Cap Number: QB David Garrard ($9,000,000; 6.6 percent of cap)
Highest Cap Number for a Player No Longer with Club: WR Jerry Porter, CB Drayton Florence, DE Paul Spicer ($2,500,000 each; 1.8 percent of cap each; tied for 16th-highest on club)
Player Who Has to Live Up to Cap Number: DE Derrick Harvey ($7,527,500; 5.5 percent of cap; second-highest on club)
Harvey got a late start to his rookie season in 2008. After a long holdout, Harvey finally came to a contract agreement with the Jaguars on the eve of their final preseason game. It is uncertain if the missed training camp curtailed the eighth overall pick's rookie performance, but given the difficult negotiation and the financial investment, one could be assured that the Jaguars were hoping for more than 3.5 sacks (two of which occurred in the club's Week 17 finale).
Vince Young's contract might be renegotiated, like Alex Smith's.
TENNESSEE TITANS
2009 Salary Cap: $133,199,174
Player with Highest Cap Number: LB Keith Bulluck ($9,111,790; 6.8 percent of cap)
Highest Cap Number for a Player No Longer with Club: DT Antonio Johnson ($86,726; 0.1 percent of cap; 84th-highest on club)
Player Who Has to Live Up to Cap Number: QB Vince Young ($4,627,284; 3.5 percent of cap; eighth-highest on club)
With a $4.6 million cap number in 2009, Young's contract is manageable. However, his 2010 and 2011 cap numbers are $14.21 million and $15.21 million, respectively. If Young does not take the starting quarterback position in Tennessee and reclaim the form that made him the offensive rookie of the year in 2006, look for the Titans to do an Alex Smith-like reworking of Young's contract as they head into 2010. In the case of Smith, the Niners reduced 2009 and 2010 cap numbers of $12.3 million and $17.7 million, respectively, to $5.7 million and $6.2 million.