Possible June 1st Cuts...

[Angry Pope]

Possible June 1 Cuts


By: Scout.com

Date: May 22, 2006

Scout.com takes a look at players who might be released on June first, as teams look to spread out the salary cap hits of cutting high-priced veterans. While the players released in recent years may have failed to include a lot of big names, some players helpful to NFL clubs may very well get released this year. Here's a look at who may be on the chopping block...

One of the dates that the league and fans look to every year is June 1. In the past, that was the date when teams could release a player and put a portion of the salary cap hit in to next year's cap.

Because of the new collective bargaining agreement, things have changed.

According to the NFLPA, before the new league year starts in March, teams can choose up to two players each year who may be released before June 1 to sign with another team, but whose salary cap amount is still carried with the team until June 1 (such salary cap amount shall not reflect any renegotiation of the player's contract that occurred after the last regular season game prior to last season).

By releasing the players early so they can latch on to another club, the original team is rewarded by spreading out the remaining accelerated signing bonus to next year's cap. So they only get charged for one season of the remaining bonus - not the entire bonus acceleration in the current season.

Because so many teams made moves earlier this year and because the salary cap has increased, the June 1 cut down date probably will be anticlimactic.

While there's a good chance you won't see any big name players released in early June, here is scout.com's list of possible salary cuts:


Running Back

Marcel Shipp / Arizona Cardinals / Base salary-$1.425 million (final year of his contract) - That's a lot of money for a player whose play as deteriorated in recent years and who isn't certain to win the No.2 job.

Lee Suggs / Cleveland Browns / Base salary-$950,000 - While there hasn't been an indication that his job is in jeopardy, RB William Green is ahead of Suggs on the depth chart and the team selected RB Jerome Harrison in April's draft. If Suggs isn't released, he could be dealt some time during training camp to a team that loses a back due to injury.


Wide Receiver

David Patten / Washington Redskins / Base salary-$1.085 million - Patten doesn't figure to be any better than the Redskins' fourth receiver, so his salary seems quite high for player in that role.


Defensive Line

Paul Grasmanis (DT) / Philadelphia Eagles / Base salary-$710,000 (final year of his contract) - The Eagles don't usually release players post June 1 because they're usually in great cap shape, They're in solid cap shape again, so they don't need to make a move. However, it should be noted Grasmanis hasn't contributed much over the past three years mostly due to injury. He's projected to be no better than number five on the depth chart--that is if he beats out fellow veteran DT Ed Jasper. The team would be doing Gramanis a favor of releasing him in early June so he could hook up with another team.

Bobby Hamilton (DE) / Oakland Raiders / Base salary-$1.335 million - The veteran end is probably a better fit for a 3-4 scheme and the team went back to using four down linemen last season. Hamilton is also slated to be a backup this season and his salary is high for a player in his role.


Linebacker

Courtney Watson (MLB) / New Orleans Saints / Base salary-$425,000 - He would have been traded to Miami had the deal not been voided due to LB Eddie Moore flunking the Saints' physical. Watson has been a big disappointment for the club since being selected in the second round of the 2004 draft.

Kailee Wong (OLB) / Houston Texans / Base salary-$2,000,000 - He's still coming back from knee surgery and may not be ready for the start of the regular season. Wong is also on the hook for over $10.5 million over the next four seasons.


Defensive Back

Mark Roman (SS) / Green Bay Packers / Base salary-$800,000 - He was competing against free agent signee Marquand Manuel during their most recent mini-camp so he could stick but Roman's play since he signed with Green Bay prior to the 2004 season has been inconsistent at best.

 

[Crossbones]

I see Hamilton made the list. Seems very possible.

 

[Rupert]

Bah! Hamilton would have to show the team he's not got enough left. Remember, Al likes vets. We're not going to toss this guy aside if he's still got game.

From all accounts Ted Washington was great in the lockerroom. Do you REALLY want Sapp being our veteran leadership for the DL? I don't! His work ethic is for shit.

 

[Raiders_Rock]

Hamilton is good against the run - I'd rather have him out there to limit the RB than Brayton or Johnstone

 

[Rupert]

You know, Brayton might step it up. I wouldn't worry about him. My concern is Irons off the bench. I think it's faulty thinking to assume you can just suffer through if your starter gets injured.

Assuming Brayton is the starter, and does a good job, If Irons is good off the bench, I can understand cutting Hamilton. But Irons has been hit and miss, but mostly below average. He works hard, and I expect him to improve, but the question is whether he's good enough to hold down the job if Brayton goes down. Big question there. But then maybe we shuffle Kelly back out and clog up the middle with Moore and Hawthorne.

A situation like that might work. We could get by with it.

Yeah, I sold myself. We could get away with cutting Hamilton. Still, he's not eating up huge chunks of the cap. Better to keep him around if we can.

 

[Rupert]

RR: Don't be a stranger. It's nice seeing your "face" around here.

 

[Crossbones]

RR: Don't be a stranger. It's nice seeing your "face" around here.

Ditto. The guy disappears...

 

[Angry Pope]

The bottom of this article has some free agents available...

It's always personnel season in the NFL


Pat Kirwan



(May 25, 2006) -- Sure, it's deep into the offseason, but there are still a number of very interesting football topics floating out there that will have an impact on your favorite team. And there are few reminders that the NFL never let the "tail wag the dog."


KYLE TURLEY

As long as Kyle Turley has the hands, his smaller frame won't be a problem.

The Kansas City Chiefs have every reason in the football world to secure Kyle Turley's talent at this point in the offseason. Turley was once a 295-pound offensive tackle that had plenty to say on and off the field. Today, he's a 262-pound guy looking for work, and the Chiefs are on to the possibilities he presents. I say forget asking him to "beef" back up to close to 300 pounds. There are a lot of ways to use the former star in the modern game. Turley can be the blocking tight end opposite Tony Gonzalez, and that produces an extra gap for the running game to exploit. Turley can be the third offensive tackle, and not too many teams have a backup tackle with his credentials. The Chiefs can use some of that "U-71" personnel grouping like Green Bay did when Kevin Barry came in as an extra tackle at the tight-end slot. Short-yardage and goal-line offense is an excellent place to use Turley.

One of my favorite concepts that has never taken hold in the NFL is situational substitution for offensive linemen. Turley could easily come in with the third and fourth wide receivers on passing downs as the "dime tackle." At 262 pounds, he's plenty big enough to block an outside linebacker or pick up a blitzing safety or corner. Not too many of the third-down pass rushers are going to maul Turley with bulk and power. The NFL game on third downs has turned into a situation of who has the best speed athletes on the field. I say sign Turley, don't ask him to put on any more weight, and expect to use him 20 snaps a game.


RICKY WILLIAMS

Not many people realize that Ricky Williams came back to the NFL after a year of wandering around in search of himself and figured out he can still play this game at a very high level. Keep in mind that last season while splitting time with Ronnie Brown, Williams was still able to rush for more yards than Curtis Martin, Corey Dillon, Brian Westbrook and Jerome Bettis, to name a few of the more respected ball carriers in the league. There's no telling what he can do in the Canadian Football League, and it could only enhance his trade value. Of course, if Brown were to be seriously injured in 2006, then Williams becomes even a more valuable player to the Dolphins in 2007. The big "if" is whether the CFL will relinquish its rights to the option year in 2007. Under a standard Canadian contract, the club retains the rights to a player in his second year. They should relinquish those contractual demands to get the big workhorse in uniform for this season. In 2007, if he's healthy and after a productive Canadian League season, Williams could be worth a third-round pick on draft day.

Last year he had his best yards-per-carry average since 2002 at 4.4, and he's only carried the ball 168 times in two years. If Williams does what he is capable of and if he comes back as a dominant 29-year-old rusher, the Dolphins will get calls about moving him.


REGGIE BUSH

It's no secret that I know Reggie Bush very well and I have great admiration for his talent on the field. He is a game changer, a matchup nightmare, and it doesn't matter what number is on his jersey. The guy will make plays, move the chains and score touchdowns. As an old coach once said to me, and I passed it on to Bush, "Go make another number famous."


Don't expect to see Reggie Bush wearing this number in a bit, but expect a lot of yards.

I remember when Keyshawn Johnson was the first pick in the draft and didn't waste a lot of time trying to securing his college number No. 3 jersey. He went out and made No. 19 pretty famous, and he's not alone. A lot of former college stars change their number in the pros.

Finally, it's too bad the jersey numbers became a subject discussed around an individual named Bush. I don't believe the rules about numbers will change any time soon, but some food for thought might be all ineligible players wear a number between 50 and 79, and all eligible players get the remaining numbers. Twenty-nine linemen numbers will never be used by any club. Figure close to 18-20 of the ineligible numbers will be issued by club at any given time.

STEVE MCNAIR

Is he a Titan? Will he be a Raven? Could he return to the Titans? Lots of questions about one of the few remaining superstars in the league still available on the market. Steve McNair has already structured a deal with Baltimore if he should be traded or released. I don't believe he is the player he once was, but I do think he can win games and earn the Ravens an 11-win season and a playoff run. The Titans could use the salary-cap space cleared if McNair is traded.

The NFL/NFLPA arbitrator is getting closer to what the deal is going to be, and if I were to guess, the Ravens will pull the trigger on a trade rather than wait and see how things work out in the courts. If I were with Baltimore, I would be more afraid of McNair deciding to finish up in Tennessee than the judge's decision.


Do you think this defense could stop NFL teams?

DT: Three-man rotation -- Dan Wilkinson, Grady Jackson, Brentson Buckner. All three played over 50 percent of the defensive snaps for their teams last year and give a defense incredible bulk inside.

DE: Brady Smith, Duane Clemons, Gary Walker. This group isn't as interesting as the tackles, but they have a lot of playing experience and could still be effective.

OLB: Tommy Polley, Peter Boulware. They can still play, especially Polley, who was in on 80 percent of the plays last season.

ILB: Jamie Sharper, Chris Claiborne, Earl Holmes, Junior Seau. Older guys, but splitting time could work.

CB: Ty Law, Ahmed Plummer, Dexter McCleon, Denard Walker.

S: Lance Schulters, Brent Alexander, Keion Carpenter. This secondary had over 20 interceptions last season.

They all need a home. Maybe they should form a club and play a few preseason scrimmages against actual NFL teams.

 

[RaiderIVlife]

OLD !!!!

I think that 'D' would get worn down through injury, attrition, whatever.

That being said, a few of these guys could make intriquiging late camp additions if certain guys are struggling. Say Brentson Buckner-DT, Brady Smith-DE and Tommy Polley-LB.

 

[Crossbones]

Hey we haven't hired any old guys this off season...not yet anyway!

 

[Angry Pope]

OLD !!!!

I think that 'D' would get worn down through injury, attrition, whatever.

That being said, a few of these guys could make intriquiging late camp additions if certain guys are struggling. Say Brentson Buckner-DT, Brady Smith-DE and Tommy Polley-LB.

Um, never stopped us in the past...has it? Ted Washington, Warren Sapp, Bobby Hamilton......right?

 

[Rupert]

Hey we haven't hired any old guys this off season...not yet anyway!

Sure we have:
Tyronne Poole - 34
Duane Starks - 32
Jance Johnstone - 32

These aren't spring chickens for the NFL.

 

[RaiderIVlife]

You both are right, but our defense on the whole is younger now than it has been in years. I think we're headed in the right direction, despite the question marks along our DL.

 

[Rupert]

Bah! What question marks? I think we've got a lot of beef and some nice talent. I think we'll do pretty well. We're going to do the gap control thing and I definitely think we've got the horses to handle it.