What if 2007 is an uncapped year?

[Donita35]

I am not sure if this has been posted already but oh well.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9222468


Feb. 10, 2006) -- There is a chance that 2007 will be an uncapped year if the collective bargaining agreement doesn't get extended. The closer we get to the start of this year's free agency, the more we will hear about an uncapped season in 2007 and the ramifications of such a situation. So I thought it might be a good idea to let the readers know what an uncapped year means, since the term is getting mentioned in the media on a daily basis.



The interesting thing to me is that towards the bottom he discusses everyone's cap situation except ours. I guess we are in the worst shape of the 8 teams mentioned. :doh:

[Mr. S]

can anyone explain fully what could happen in this scenario? Seems like it could go either way. Could we somehow accelerate bonuses to that year so that they are wiped off of future years, doesnt seem like we could.

Instead, the rookie class of that year will probably ask for more money, which would be insane.

[SkinsHokieFan]

There are tons of issues

Many players won't be able to become free agents, because you will need 6 years to become on in an uncapped year

The best teams will only be able to sign a certain amount of players

All sorts of odd rules designed to prevent an uncapped year

[81+83+84=Posse]

That would be bad because some teams would go nuts with the spending then the cap would probably be reinstated the next year.

[Donita35]

can anyone explain fully what could happen in this scenario? Seems like it could go either way. Could we somehow accelerate bonuses to that year so that they are wiped off of future years, doesnt seem like we could.

Instead, the rookie class of that year will probably ask for more money, which would be insane.

I am confused about that too. To me, it seems wiser to give more money to proven guys instead of "maybe" rookies. Perhaps, in the future the league will come up with something to protect teams against "busts." (Like the NBA does with laid out rookie contracts) Plus the amount that these rookies are getting paid is getting outragous when they have not even played one down in the NFL.

[skinfan2k]

there will be a strike the following year if there is a uncapped year according to John clayton, the nfl must avoid an uncapped year and have the cba settled by march 3rd

[81+83+84=Posse]

Wouldn't incentive heavy contracts protect teams from busts?

[Donita35]

Wouldn't incentive heavy contracts protect teams from busts?

Yes it should. But the problem I see is that I don't see to many players, aside from Maurice Clorett, looking to sign incentive heavy contracts. (We all know his issues prior to coming to the league) They are chasing the guaranteed money. :2cents:

[81+83+84=Posse]

Yes it should. But the problem I see is that I don't see to many players, aside from Maurice Clorett, looking to sign incentive heavy contracts. (We all know his issues prior to coming to the league) They are chasing the guaranteed money. :2cents:

I agree there, no one wants to sign a contract like that (I believe Ricky Williams did when he first came in the league), but maybe all rookie contracts should be incentive heavy and be mandated by the NFL.

[MustangSteve]

2007 is an uncapped year, its not a rumor. The worst that can happen is when the cap comes back its going to put teams in the same situation that we are in now. The good part is contracts can always be reconstructed to make the cap on paper like DS has done the last many years.

Its great to have a lawyer as an owner and someone who knows every loop hole in the NFL caps and rules. Immagine all the studs we will sign then but this time a hall of fame coaching staff running the show and not Norv when he had all the right ingredients to win a Super Bowl.

[philal0102]

so is this good or bad for US???

[manichispanic]

upshaw has gone on record that if they reach 2007 w/o a deal in place, i forget what its called, but he can void every contract every player has with their respective teams, so everyone will be a free agent

[Reaganaut]

With the money the NFL makes, they ought to increase salaries significantly. Players are getting hurt for the remainder of their lives. They need better benefits on the outside for guys who don't make the millions too.

[H-O-G]

If there was no salary cap this year, the teams with rich owners would become the New York Yankee's

[Donita35]

With the money the NFL makes, they ought to increase salaries significantly. Players are getting hurt for the remainder of their lives. They need better benefits on the outside for guys who don't make the millions too.

This is an interesting comment coming from someone whose screen name is "Reaganaut". :silly: Anyway, you are right about the benefits needing to be top shelf, but the salaries are already outragous, in some cases. If your question is the level of coverage players receive after the league, then I can shed a little light on that.

One of our clients in the NFL Players Association and while I cannot comment fully on the matter, lets just say that whomever is in this union, has a nice longterm pension and health & welfare benefit. But you didn't hear that from me. :silly:

[kingfish50]

If there was no salary cap this year, the teams with rich owners would become the New York Yankee's
Yeah, sure. And I guess it was like that before there ever was a cap, huh?. One of the biggest whinners of them all, the steelers won 4 SB's. Miami a couple. Small market Green Bay got a couple.
Look, They are all millionares. Every team, with or with out a cap has the same opportunity to produce a winning team. The salary cap is nothing but socialism, plain and simple.

[Donita35]

Yeah, sure. And I guess it was like that before there ever was a cap, huh?. One of the biggest whinners of them all, the steelers won 4 SB's. Miami a couple. Small market Green Bay got a couple.
Look, They are all millionares. Every team, with or with out a cap has the same opportunity to produce a winning team. The salary cap is nothing but socialism, plain and simple.

Yeah what he said. :silly: I would like to add that the teams that have been winning lately i.e. New England, are not among the top spenders. Actually, one can argue that the reverse is happening. Teams with the biggest payouts are loosing, i.e., Tenessee, Philly (this past season) and Washington (until this past season). I love the burgandy and gold, I am just trying to make a point. :)

[SeanTaylor_EyeWitness]

uncapped year or not, what seems to be the current trend is that the teams with great coaching staffs end up in the playoffs. talent can only take you so far - look at the Falcons, they have Vick, a great defense, and a pro-bowl running back but Mora is an idiot.


whatever happens, the Skins are looking nice with Saunders and Williams in 07

[Darth Tater]

kingfish50,

Do we go back to the same free agency rules as applied then. Remember, in the time you're talking about, everybody was more like an RFA.

[Darth Tater]

uncapped year or not, what seems to be the current trend is that the teams with great coaching staffs end up in the playoffs. talent can only take you so far - look at the Falcons, they have Vick, a great defense, and a pro-bowl running back but Mora is an idiot.


whatever happens, the Skins are looking nice with Saunders and Williams in 07
Throught football history, many different factors have been involved in creating winners but good coaching has ALWAYS been a major component. I think this goes back to the fact that the greatest starter at a position is usually only marginally more talented than the worst starter at the position.

[PleaseBlitz]

Not a chance the NFL ever actually has an uncapped year. The NFL is basically a money making machine in its current state. The last thing the owners want to do is change that in as significant a way as an uncapped year would. They have worked hard to get the league into its current state of parity. One uncapped season would destroy that and take years to fix. Teams like the Skins, Cowboys, Giants, and Raiders would have a totally unfair advantage over teams like Indy, AZ, and StL.

[kingfish50]

kingfish50,

Do we go back to the same free agency rules as applied then. Remember, in the time you're talking about, everybody was more like an RFA.
Your point is well taken. Not really sure how you would go about it. All I know is that the present structure actually hurts the teams that are willing to spend some money.It's not that teams can't afford to spend, no matter what market they are in. It's the owners that want to share the revenue and not put out the money neccesary to put up a winning team (example = Arizona).
Think of it this way. Should we put a salary/manufacturing cap on General Motors? It's not fair to the other auto makers that they have a bigger share of the market. If we cap the amount of cars they can build and cap all of thier salarys, that would give the other auto makers a fair share of the market.

[Warhead36]

Theres so many situations and each one gets more complicated than the last.

I'm not even thinking about it. Just hoping the CBA gets extended.

[Redsk58417]

Not a chance the NFL ever actually has an uncapped year. The NFL is basically a money making machine in its current state. The last thing the owners want to do is change that in as significant a way as an uncapped year would. They have worked hard to get the league into its current state of parity. One uncapped season would destroy that and take years to fix. Teams like the Skins, Cowboys, Giants, and Raiders would have a totally unfair advantage over teams like Indy, AZ, and StL.

I totally agree! Also add Miami (Owner W. Huizenga....of Blockbuster video), and the Seattle Seahawks (Micro soft Co-founder P. Allen) as owners with deeep pockets who may spend. Although there is definately owners with deeep pockets ie Lions (William Clay Ford & family of Ford Motors) and Browns (R. Lerner grossed $2.1 billion in '04) that do not spend. No cap would be a mess, even for 1 year. Imagine.....Skins get a payroll of $180m+......then the cap comes back at $120m.......Can you say *CAP HELL?* The cap "Has to" stay!

[ChiefPowhatan17]

Then we defineately win SB XLI.:logo: