Salary Cap Question for the Board...

[Dee Dub]

Question.......

If a player who is under contract for next year (2012), and has a salary cap hit towards next year, decides to retire, does that salary cap hit come off the board for the team?

Thanks.

[D Rock]

I believe the team is still on the hook for any bonus money still owed, same as if they cut the player. I think it follows the same June 1 deadline rules as well.

[Dee Dub]

I believe the team is still on the hook for any bonus money still owed, same as if they cut the player. I think it follows the same June 1 deadline rules as well.

Thanks D Rock. Can anyone confirm this? I guess my question should be....

What money is saved if the following Steelers retire...

Hines Ward age in 2012 = 36 1/2
James Farrior age in 2012 = 37
Casey Hampton age in 2012 = 35
Brett Keisel age in 2012 = 34

I know Aaron Smith does not have a contract or hit after this this (2011).

[D Rock]

[quote="D Rock":3hsvzwbx]I believe the team is still on the hook for any bonus money still owed, same as if they cut the player. I think it follows the same June 1 deadline rules as well.

Thanks D Rock. Can anyone confirm this? I guess my question should be....

What money is saved if the following Steelers retire...

Hines Ward age in 2012 = 36 1/2
James Farrior age in 2012 = 37
Casey Hampton age in 2012 = 35
Brett Keisel age in 2012 = 34

I know Aaron Smith does not have a contract or hit after this this (2011).[/quote:3hsvzwbx]

I don't know how much remaining signing bonus money these guys have, and I'm not even sure if that would be public information. BUT...

Ward and Keisel have two years left on their contracts, and according to 'the Steelers website which shall not be named' their non-salary money for this season is $1.61 mil and $1.675 mil, respectively.

Adding those together and doubling them (2 years left on contracts), under the assumption that the bonus money may be evenly spread between all years, and you get $6.57 million in dead cap space if they retired after this season. That is just about $1 million less than their combined cap hits this year.


Farrior and Hampton each have one year left after this year. Their bonus totals appear to be $1 million for Farrior, and $3.167 million for Hampton. That would leave a $4.167 million cap hit for them combined next year, which is about a $6.75 million savings. (~$10.9 million combined cap hit this year.)


So if all four contracts are evenly spread over their final years, cutting/retirement of those four guys may save about $7.75 million. This is all very unscientific, but a rough estimate none the less.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

[quote="D Rock":r6wcv2k6]I believe the team is still on the hook for any bonus money still owed, same as if they cut the player. I think it follows the same June 1 deadline rules as well.

Thanks D Rock. Can anyone confirm this? I guess my question should be....

What money is saved if the following Steelers retire...

Hines Ward age in 2012 = 36 1/2
James Farrior age in 2012 = 37
Casey Hampton age in 2012 = 35
Brett Keisel age in 2012 = 34

I know Aaron Smith does not have a contract or hit after this this (2011).[/quote:r6wcv2k6]

Going by what little I know regarding these contracts (and I am not sure their reliability):

Casey's 2012 base is $4.89M. His SB on a three year deal was $6.5M so just under $2.2M of cap hit. I do not know if their were any performance or other bonuses scheduled for next year which would also be saved. Also, I don't recall if Hampton was one of the contracts redone to get under the cap this season.

Keisel was restructured to get under and it is highly unlikely that they would cut a guy one year after doing that but...savings of $3.825M in each of 2012 and 2013. Also I'm sure we'd cut him after June 1 so no extra charge on the SB portion.

Farrior would save us $2.825M

Smith is a free agent after this season as you said

Ward has a base salary of $4M in each of 2012 and 2013. His remaining SB is not a lot. Again, I don't know if there are any performance bonuses that would also be saved.

Also, you can add to this list:

Battle - Savings of $1.0375M

Foote - $3M in savings

BMac - $2.5M in savings

Thats a big turnover in personnel !!

[Dee Dub]

Thanks D Rock and steeler_fan_in_t.o.

:Cheers