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Contract Restructuring Stupidity

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by DukeDukeDaDaDa, Mar 15, 2021.

  1. DukeDukeDaDaDa

    DukeDukeDaDaDa Well-Known Member

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    I read an article from Mark Madden that I found myself agreeing with. I know, I know but stay with me.

    It is now a regular practice to restructure one's contract to "free up" cap money. But when you stop and think about it contract restructuring is eroding away the intention of the salary cap. For example, I think Brady's restructure freed up 18 mil or something like that. So now they can assemble another dream team maybe better than last year's. It has now gamified the accounting and business side of an NFL team as if it's part of the game itself. It's becoming a joke that benefits the richer teams who can become more creative in how to pay a player without being salary.

    The NHL if I'm not mistaken does not allow this, nor does the NBA. This may sound radical, but for better or worse restructuring contracts should be banned in the NFL. The way you deal that contract on day 1? You are bound by it throughout the years. No deferring money and kicking the can down the road. And if you tear up that contract and create a new one? Guess what you're still on the books for the old one.

    My two cents...
     
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  2. Hawaii 5-0

    Hawaii 5-0 Well-Known Member

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    you lost me at "Mark Madden"
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 4
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  3. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    The ability to restructure contracts allows teams to keep their roster together for a couple of years when they believe that they are in position to make a run. I don’t have any great issue with it tbh.

    It’s not like the team doing it are using a cheat code, everyone has the same resources and the bill always comes due regardless of what year salary is counted, as the Steelers and Saints are finding out right now, and we saw with the Pats last season, and the Cowboys and Bills before that.

    It takes several years and some luck to build a good roster in the NFL. Do we really want to start breaking these teams up as soon as they are put together? Because that is exactly what would happen with a rigid cap like Madden wants. Teams usually only have a 2-3 year window anyway, unless your QB is called Marsha
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
  4. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    NFL teams have always found loopholes around this cap and free agency. back in the day they would pay the player a decent salary but buy the wife a new house that didn't count towards the cap. it was all pay towards the player but not in the open. :shrug::cool:
     
  5. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

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    Yearly contracts & get rid of the tag.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. R2sojr

    R2sojr Well-Known Member

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    I’d rather see contracts that cant be broke on both sides. If you sign it you honor it. If a player wants to leave then he can sit out but doesn’t get paid. Owners can’t sign huge contracts and then cut a player a year later. If they do they forfeit those money for the length of the contract and still have to buy the player out.
     
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  7. The Sodfather

    The Sodfather Well-Known Member

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    I read it yesterday. He makes a good point about Brady and Giselle, but not every NFL player is married to, or is otherwise independently wealthy. I think it is an accepted practice that isn't going away anytime soon. The power brokers that basically run the league, the most respected owners, like the Rooney's use it as much or more than anyone.
     
  8. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    I agree with Madden and the OP. The constant cap manipulations that teams do defeats the purpose of having a cap. I have always felt that way.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  9. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    I don't mind the tag. I do think that you should only be able to tag a player once. I think it's unfair to the player that a team can hold him hostage for multiple years on a tag.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  10. Brice

    Brice Well-Known Member

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    Brady will now count for 32 million in dead cap money for 2022 if he does not return.

    Smart move for Brady to free up $19 million for 2021 and then if he leaves that is Tampa's problem to take the $32 million cap hit next year.

    Ben is doing the same thing for the Steelers this year, just not as bad. Ben will cost $10 million in dead cap money next year.
     
  11. SteelerJJ

    SteelerJJ Well-Known Member

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    Teams can indeed manipulate the cap but the bills come due eventually as we are seeing now with our cap situation.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
  12. zcoop

    zcoop Well-Known Member

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    True dat, use the system but you will eventually have to pay the piper. I also hate the tag rule, NFL has a weak azz union.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  13. Jball

    Jball Well-Known Member

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    This voidable year crap has to go. Just like the Steelers are doing with Ben so they can spread his cap hit out over the next 4 years. Why not 10 years ya know?
     
  14. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Why does 10 years have to be the limit?

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. Mike T

    Mike T Well-Known Member

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    No the NBA just allows you to pay a luxury tax which is even worse. This is why the small market teams have a harder time. If your owner is rich and willing to pay the Calary cap means nothing.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
  16. Jujubean

    Jujubean Well-Known Member

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    Still better to have a cap otherwise it’s the Yankees vs Pirates situation!
     
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  17. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I have zero issue with it. Has allowed the Steelers to keep a lot of star players over the years.
     
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  18. Vox Ferrum

    Vox Ferrum Well-Known Member

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    You really cannot compare the NFL CBA and Cap with the other leagues. First MLB, NBA, and NHL all have guaranteed contracts, NFL does not.
     
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  19. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    You're only helping the top paid players with this philosophy. Late round picks who sign a cheap deal and quickly outperform it are stuck.
     
  20. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

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    I hate restructuring because it is basically a red flag to the player or should be that once the can comes to a stop you will be cut because the base salary will be so out of whack its not sustainable like Ben's 42 million.
     
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  21. Rel

    Rel Well-Known Member

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    It changed then all money should be guaranteed, not cutting to save salary.
     
  22. Kreighoff

    Kreighoff Well-Known Member

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    Have you seen what some of the franchise tag values are I wish my company would tag me at those numbers.
     
  23. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Mark Madden the same guy that said TJ Watt skipped his exit meeting, TJ denied it, and Madden doubled down on his story :facepalm:.
     
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  24. Mike T

    Mike T Well-Known Member

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    You do realize that i was responding to someone that was comparing the NFL cap to the NBA (and NHL) right? Plus the point is still valid regardless of guaranteed contracts or not. A salary Cap means nothing if you are allowed to go over it. It means less than nothing when you are allowed to go over it and its rigged to where the rules benefit the richer, larger market teams.
     
  25. DukeDukeDaDaDa

    DukeDukeDaDaDa Well-Known Member

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    I'm not saying he's a reliable source, but once in a blue moon he makes a valid point.
     

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