How will Hobson spin this one?

[cincyhokie]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/8822266/nfl-mailbag-carryover-rules-impact-cap-strategy

On the eve of the regular-season finale, teams couldn't afford to think exclusively about the game.They had to think about next season. Under the rules of the new collective bargaining agreement, teams had to designate how much money they wanted to carry over to the 2013 salary cap. The carryover provisions are new and important.

With the cap growing at only $300,000 a year, teams have to budget their cap over a multi-year basis. Last year's cap was $120.6 million, so general managers have to be smart about their spending.

The "haves'' are in good shape. The "have nots'' have to be creative. Thanks to the carryover, there is $350.7 million of cap room in 2013, but $200.3 million of carryover is part of that.

Eight teams, though, account for 79 percent million of total room. The Cincinnati Bengals saved $8.5 million of cap room in 2012 and made the playoffs for the second consecutive year. They have $55.1 million of room....

[cincyhokie]

So what I didn't know was the parameters for the spending. It's over a 4 year period. The one we are entering is 2013-2017.

Here's a great blog post to explain it.

/>http://www.draftbrowns.com/2012/12/the-myth-of-the-nfl-salary-cap-floor/

[ArmyBengal]

55.1 million ??

Better start making good use of it.

[cincyhokie]

55.1 million ??

Better start making good use of it.

According to the blog quote, the least the Bengals can spend in 2013 and still meet the 4 year window requirement is somewhere around $63 million total (well below the cap). Of course that would mean that for 2014-2017, they would have to spend at 100% of the cap.

[skyline]

I'll be ready to talk about this once we see what they do to re-up their major guys in the near future (Atkins, Johnson, etc.).

[HoosierCat]

How will Hobson spin this one?

1. The numbers are all wrong.

2. You have to account for the injury reserve.

3. You have to subtract the rookie pool.

4. The Bengals need lots of space to re-sign the bottom third of the roster.

5. Franchise tag for Kevin Huber.

6. Have to keep space in reserve to try and match deals MJ and Moobs get in FA.

7. Have to push cap space forward to pay bazillion-dollar deals to Atkins in 2013 and Green and Dalton in 2014.

...so there's just no way the Bengals could go after a Dwayne Bowe or anyone like that. Hard up against it, etc.

(Seriously, if they keep MJ and Moobs I'll be happy. And $50+ million in cap space ought to be sufficient. Everything else is gravy in my book this year.)

[ArmyBengal]

Exactly, keep the people that are going to keep things going in the right direction.

Don't let MJ go because you are worried about getting in a some lower end guys and think quantity over quality is better.

Nice run down Hoosier. I will co-sign that post.

[Sea Ray]

55.1 million ??

Better start making good use of it.

According to the blog quote, the least the Bengals can spend in 2013 and still meet the 4 year window requirement is somewhere around $63 million total (well below the cap). Of course that would mean that for 2014-2017, they would have to spend at 100% of the cap.

How can the Bengals base their floor on a 5% yearly increase in the cap when it's only going up less than 1% this year?

[cincyhokie]

55.1 million ??

Better start making good use of it.

According to the blog quote, the least the Bengals can spend in 2013 and still meet the 4 year window requirement is somewhere around $63 million total (well below the cap). Of course that would mean that for 2014-2017, they would have to spend at 100% of the cap.

How can the Bengals base their floor on a 5% yearly increase in the cap when it's only going up less than 1% this year?

My understanding is that they have to spend 89% of the cap over the 4 year time frame. It's not mandated year to year.

So it's the yearly cap x 4. 89% of that spread out however they like.

[TJJackson]

and, as always, don't forget the new brake pads for the Lumina

[wpeldios]

The same way he has spun it for as long as any of us can remember.

[ArmyBengal]

As Bengals fans, we are preconditioned to expect the worse from the organization.

That being said, this point in time will be telling in regards to what Mike Brown wants from his team.

If he wants to actually field a winning football team, he will get his guys back.

There won't be any hiding it however.

[volcom69]

There is no reason not to keep the young core guys on this team. They are a good young team, and they need to find a way to keep them toghter, and if they dont with this cap space ill be pissed!

[TJJackson]

There is no reason not to keep the young core guys on this team.

If only SoaG were capable of similarly rational thought, or he were not the one making such decisions.

Alas

Remember, as Pumpkin once said, you have no idea how hard it is to run an NFL franchise

[cincyhokie]

This will be a very telling and interesting offseason, indeed.

Coming off back to back playoff seasons...with losses. Most cap space in the league. Star players to re-sign or extend. Extra draft picks.

All that said, everything is very very doable to make the upcoming season extremely conducive to success.

The ball is entirely in this organizations court. The days of depending on luck are over. It's make it or break it time.

[HoosierCat]

So I wander out to walterfootball this a.m. and what do I find but this:

Bengals Plan Big Spending Blitz

Published Jan. 10, 2013

By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell

Bengals? Big spenders?!?! Alas, the headline proved to be the high point of the story.

Sources with the Cincinnati Bengals have told WalterFootball.com that the team plans on being a big spender in free agency this year. Currently, Cincinnati leads the NFL in cap space ($55.1 million). Sources with the Bengals indicate that they intend to spend to the cap limit, which would mean they are going on a massive shopping spree this offseason. If the team follows through on that, it will be one of the most active franchises in free agency this spring.

Leaving aside the whole "sources" thing, no Charlie, spending to the cap limit doesn't mean a massive shopping spree. They do that every year. It's a function of their accounting strategy.

Even though Cincinnati is going to sign a lot of players, it may not acquire all that many from other teams. The Bengals have 20 players whose contracts are expiring, and sources with the team say the front office wants to re-sign a lot of its own free agents.

Okay, wait a minute, I thought they were going on a massive shopping spree...? Sigh.

Cincinnati will probably use a big chunk of money on an extension for star defensive tackle Geno Atkins.

I see Charlie's sources are capable of blinding glimpses of the obvious.

One of the highest priorities has to be to re-signing defensive end Michael Johnson, who is set to hit the open market...Given that retaining Johnson is a priority, the Bengals may use the franchise tag if they can't sign him to a multi-year extension before he hits free agency.

So your sources are Hobson's articles on bengals.com?

Aside from those re-signings and extensions, the Bengals would like to fill some other needs; one is a speed running back. Miami Dolphins' running back Reggie Bush is hitting free agency and would fit the offensive scheme run by Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jay Gruden.

Oh, no, I guess not, otherwise you might have read the one where Gruden says they plan to draft a speed back.

The whole thing reads like something that guy who was pretending to be an "insider" a year or so ago would have written...which gets back to the whole "source" thing. Charlie and walter are being trolled...

[TJJackson]

Possibly an un-named but very recently banned Bengalszone member wrote it? He had all that really good insider info, you know

Is the Walter there the same as our own eternally optimistic Walter Z?

[HoosierCat]

Nope, different Walter. I do believe "our" Walter is blogging over at stripe hype these days, tho.

[ArmyBengal]

I saw that article over there as well and didn't give it enough thought to even discuss it here.

Good on you for finding a way to bring it here and get a good laugh.

Reggie freakin' Bush ?? No, I would NOT be happy about that signing.

We need a new drafted RB to pair up with Dalton and Green.

We already have BJGE, we don't need a short term fix.

Funny how the long term better option is cheaper than their short term lesser suggestion.

That article was a whole bag of duh and stupidity.

[cincy9275]

I saw that article over there as well and didn't give it enough thought to even discuss it here.

Good on you for finding a way to bring it here and get a good laugh.

Reggie freakin' Bush ?? No, I would NOT be happy about that signing.

We need a new drafted RB to pair up with Dalton and Green.

We already have BJGE, we don't need a short term fix.

Funny how the long term better option is cheaper than their short term lesser suggestion.

That article was a whole bag of duh and stupidity.

who are the speed backs you prefer in this draft? i see that no back is expected to be drafted until the 2nd rd. there is a couple guys i like . ball, lacy and bernard. i'm sure there are more. i just don't follow players to much. just curious who is the back people want to see drafted?

[ArmyBengal]

Me personally, I will be happy with almost any of the backs rated in the top 5 and think we will get one of the top two with our first 2nd round pick if they want one at that spot. I am really interested to see what kind of times they run come the combine because everything i've read or seen to this point shows most of those guys in the 4.5-4.6 range. They all have something you can pick on them about. Size, elite speed, injuries, whatever and I don't think there is one "MUST HAVE" RB in this class. I want the one Gruden thinks he can best utilize in his style of offense (assuming he's back in 2013) and get him in the 2nd round. If they are just head over heels about a guy, go get him at #21. I just don't think that will be the case.

I still like Bernard and think he's a great fit for Gruden.

Honestly though, I like most of them and don't hate any of them inparticular.

Nice problem to have.

[cHaD711Johnson]

Wait, what's wrong with Reggie Bush? Have you not seen him in Miami? I would be perfectly fine with signing Bush and bringing in a 2nd rounder as well.