Quote:
Originally Posted by BryanBusby
**** Denver is stuck with Ruffles for at least one more year.
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Sorta - but maybe not.
The 2025 salary doesn't guarantee until the first few days of 2024. So if they cut him on day 1 of the 2024 league year, they'll get out from under the $37 million in guaranteed salary in 2025.
I'm not real sure how those option bonuses work. I'm guessing they're guaranteed, though. But remember when the Rams did it with Gurley? They ate a ton of shit one year to make sure they wouldn't have to guarantee his salary for the following year. And it worked out as well as it could for them.
I think the Broncos have to seriously consider doing to the same just to accelerate the rebuild by a season. I mean ultimately ALL that money is going to hit the cap over 2 years anyway and if you could find a way to do it in a single season you'd actually save $37 million over a 2 year period.
If they look to just tear it down to the studs (and they really should) then they could cut Boles, Simmons, Patrick and DJ Jones that saves them about $51 million on the cap. Trading Jeudy will clear another $13 million. They do that and they'll be about $50 million under the cap. That would give them the space they need to eat Wilson's remaining bonuses and completely clean their cap sheet for 2025.
That's what I'd do at this point if I were them. Just gut it and get it over with. 2024 would be a 'play the rookies to see what you have' season. 2025 would then have MAYBE $100 million committed on a likely $250 million cap.