The Cap Situation & Dee Ford

[kccrow]

So, questions on the cap...

OTC has our current Cap at $26,172,985.

The current estimated Draft Reserve is $2,871,000 (This is $6,471,000 less the no-effect portion for replacing top-51 of $3,600,000).

League minimums for ERFAs on the team now is $570,000. If we expect included bonus money of $30,000 (may be up to $90,000), those tenders would be $600,000 each for Butker, Hamilton, Kemp and Dieter, totalling $2,400,000.

The minimum you can retain Jordan Lucas for is $720,000 with up to $90,000 in bonus money, which would put him at $810,000 (or less depending...)

All of these transactions, in total amount to $6,081,000, reducing total cap space to $20,091,985.

The expected franchise tag for Ford is $15,777,000. This would reduce total cap space to $4,314,985 which is about the bare minimum KC tends to roll with into the proceeding year.

If KC retains the minimum number of players and franchises Ford, they cannot make any other moves that affect top-51 money.

The reality is, KC cannot afford to simply franchise Ford and play the 2019 season without some other moves involved. They must either tag and trade Ford or make some substantial cuts which may include Houston or Berry. Obviously, they can make low-key cuts like Sorensen and Murray but they won't have enough money to get substantially better players at the position.

Just thought I'd share the situation as about as clearly as I can.

[staylor26]

Yea I think it’s pretty obvious at this point that it’s either Ford or Houston.

I think Houston is gone based on the difference in how Veach talked about the two.

[Chris Meck]

yup. that's why I've been saying to tag, trade, and cut all dead weight and over expensive always injured guys.

[TambaBerry]

Cut Houston and post June 1st cut berry gets you 50 million to work with

[kcbubb]

Originally Posted by TambaBerry

Cut Houston and post June 1st cut berry gets you 50 million to work with

Wow! That's encouraging. I'd vote for that. We talk about fear of taking chances on here all the time. I think Houston is the safe route but super expensive. High floor and low ceiling that will steadily decline.
His acceleration just isn't there anymore. We've got to take a chance and get younger at that position or test the free agent market like the pats do to get quality contributors. That kind of cost for the contribution doesn't make sense.

[RunKC]

Gotta draft a pass rusher early this Spring since Houston and Ford aren’t long for KC. The best thing in the league is a QB on a rookie contract. The 2nd best thing has to be a pass rusher on a rookie contract.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by TambaBerry

Cut Houston and post June 1st cut berry gets you 50 million to work with

Yes, in a sense. It really gives you about $23.55 million to work with to sign free agents if tagging Ford. That's a good sum, at minimum 2 upper echelon free agents and 3 if you wanted but I'd lean towards 2 with a bunch of mid-level guys thrown in.

If the team can cut Berry, then the way I feel about Houston is you approach him and you talk to him about the future. One is, we can cut you right now and you can go see what you can get on the market and maybe you'll make $32m over the next 3 years or maybe you won't. Or, we can take your next 2 seasons and we spread them out over 3. We take the 15.25m you're set to make in 2019 and we make that a signing bonus and we take the 17.00m you're set to make in 2020 and we spread that out over the 3 years as your salary. We'll fully guarantee your 2019 portion of that salary. Houston now makes a guaranteed $20.92m by carving up his old contract (nearly the same as his total cap hit this season) and his cap hits are $16.6m in 2019, 12.75m in 2020, and 10.75m in 2021. He's worth that, in my opinion. That saves 4.5m against the cap in 2019 and 6.25m against the cap in 2020. You'd retain your premier edge player for the next 3 seasons. The savings you'd get between that restructure and Berry being cut is enough to carry a couple of mid-tier free agents.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by TambaBerry

Cut Houston and post June 1st cut berry gets you 50 million to work with

Tag and trade Ford with your scenario. Pick up an extra draft pick or two. Figure out who to re-sign. Be back in control of the cap situation going forward.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by TambaBerry

post June 1st cut berry gets you 50 million to work with

This again? It's not happening.

Anyhow, another issue with Dee Ford is he'll probably file a grievance to be tagged like a DE with the base change and will probably get it. Going off the projected tag numbers I've seen for 2019, his cap hit will be 17.3 million.

The Chiefs cap space will be basically non-existent if they keep both Houston and Ford on the tag. I think at least one of them will be in a different uniform this season.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Yes, in a sense. It really gives you about $23.55 million to work with to sign free agents if tagging Ford. That's a good sum, at minimum 2 upper echelon free agents and 3 if you wanted but I'd lean towards 2 with a bunch of mid-level guys thrown in.

If the team can cut Berry, then the way I feel about Houston is you approach him and you talk to him about the future. One is, we can cut you right now and you can go see what you can get on the market and maybe you'll make $32m over the next 3 years or maybe you won't. Or, we can take your next 2 seasons and we spread them out over 3. We take the 15.25m you're set to make in 2019 and we make that a signing bonus and we take the 17.00m you're set to make in 2020 and we spread that out over the 3 years as your salary. We'll fully guarantee your 2019 portion of that salary. Houston now makes a guaranteed $20.92m by carving up his old contract (nearly the same as his total cap hit this season) and his cap hits are $16.6m in 2019, 12.75m in 2020, and 10.75m in 2021. He's worth that, in my opinion. That saves 4.5m against the cap in 2019 and 6.25m against the cap in 2020. You'd retain your premier edge player for the next 3 seasons. The savings you'd get between that restructure and Berry being cut is enough to carry a couple of mid-tier free agents.

I like your thinking, and really, of the two I'd prefer to keep Houston as he's a better overall football player. BUT the problem is, I think...that Houston is not a linebacker in this 4-3. He's a DE. So is Ford. On top of that, I expect they would both be RDE's. No way you want Houston at SAM he'll be in coverage most of the time. That's a poor use of his skillset. Know what I mean? I also think LDE is not a great spot for him, he's too light to be there. Speaks is built for that.

I'd prefer to do Houston's deal something like you've described, and tag and trade Ford. I don't know if that's what Veach is wanting. I think Houston lined up next to Jones would just crush. I think Ford will get neutralized by just running right at him.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Gotta draft a pass rusher early this Spring since Houston and Ford aren’t long for KC. The best thing in the league is a QB on a rookie contract. The 2nd best thing has to be a pass rusher on a rookie contract.

yes, I agree either way. One of those first 3 picks needs to be a DE/Edge.

My personal favorite is Jaylon Ferguson, the all-time leading NCAA sack leader.

[Chief Northman]

Houston and Berry getting cut is the most logical and probable scenario.

Draft Edge and get a cheaper tier FA a la Vinny Curry.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by Chief Northman

Houston and Berry getting cut is the most logical and probable scenario.

Draft Edge and get a cheaper tier FA a la Vinny Curry.

yeah.

I'd rather just tag and trade Ford too, while we're at it. But this is the most likely.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

This again? It's not happening.

says you and like one other guy here on this board and not one single person anywhere in any media outlet, be it ESPN or any podcast or in any print media who have discussed the situation.

NOBODY, not a single person anywhere has said a word about Berry not being able to be cut due to the haglund's heel situation.

So until SOMEONE DOES, somebody, somewhere, who's job it is to cover such things, I think it's fair game for speculation.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

It’s a HUGE dropoff to go from Houston and Ford to a Vinny Curry/Speaks/rookie combination. Like big enough to probably wipe away any Super Bowl aspirations.

Gotta keep one of them IMO until you have more sure things behind them on the depth chart.