Cap Cost to Trade Brown

[flippy]

We still owe Brown ~$21m over the next 2 years. What if we restructured his contract to $22m over 21 years including a $1m signing bonus as a thank you for restructuring.

Then couldn't his trade cost $1m vs the cap and his new team can re-do his deal once they sign him?

This is an extreme example, but isn't there a way to re-do the contract to eliminate the Cap hit?

I'm not sure I understand this 100%.

[SidSmythe]

Omar Khan better watch out for Flippy - He might be coming to take his job. :p

[Buzz]

brothervad posted this link:
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/01/02/antonio-brown-trade-rumors-steelers-salary-cap-nfl/stories/201901020122

it explains how an AB trade is doable.

[Northern_Blitz]

We still owe Brown ~$21m over the next 2 years. What if we restructured his contract to $22m over 21 years including a $1m signing bonus as a thank you for restructuring.

Then couldn't his trade cost $1m vs the cap and his new team can re-do his deal once they sign him?

This is an extreme example, but isn't there a way to re-do the contract to eliminate the Cap hit?

I'm not sure I understand this 100%.

I think if we trade AB, we should seriously consider just blowing it all up (i.e. trading Ben too).

I think AB is our only elite player. It's too bad he's a head case (and apparently getting worse by the year).

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

We still owe Brown ~$21m over the next 2 years. What if we restructured his contract to $22m over 21 years including a $1m signing bonus as a thank you for restructuring.

Then couldn't his trade cost $1m vs the cap and his new team can re-do his deal once they sign him?

This is an extreme example, but isn't there a way to re-do the contract to eliminate the Cap hit?

I'm not sure I understand this 100%.

Sorry Flip, in a word...no. There is a pro-rated signing bonus amount remaining of $21M+ and it accelerates to now if he is traded, cut, or retires. The only alternative if you move him is to do so after June 1 and then $7M is counted against the cap in '19 and $14M in '20. That also means that the Steelers are on the hook for a $2.5M roster bonus in March so best to trade him before that if that's the plan.

[Buzz]

According to Bouchette:

If he plays in 2019, his salary cap figure will be $22,165,000. If they trade him, his salary cap figure will be $21,120,000.

But there’s more than that. What isn’t being taken into account is his 2019 salary of $12,625,000 that won’t be paid and will be wiped from their cap, even though Brown’s individual cap figure will technically remain the same. Also, Brown is due a $2.5 million roster bonus five days after the new league season begins March 13.

That’s a real AND cap savings of more than $15 million in salary and bonus that won’t be paid or count if they trade him before March 18. (No trades are permitted before March 13, so they would have a five-day window to do so.)
Mike Tomlin speaks to the media Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019.
Gerry Dulac
Mike Tomlin: Once Antonio Brown skipped meetings, 'playing wasn't on the menu'

That brings his realistic salary cap hit down to $6 million if they trade him by then, although technically on the books it will be that $21 million-plus in “dead money.” Plus, it would eliminate him from the books forever after 2019.

Of course, they will have to use some of that $15 million to replace Brown with another wide receiver, whether that’s via trade, free agency or the draft. They could do plenty with that amount.

It’s what they should have done with Le’Veon Bell a year ago rather than commit $14.5 million of their cap to him, preventing them from using that money elsewhere to find another back and shore up their defense.

They have that Bell money and cap space back because he skipped the 2018 season, but they really are not awash in cap space. Despite the Bell situation and an increase in the NFL’s salary cap by at least $10 million, the Steelers are projected to have $28.6 million in space by Overthecap.com. But that number counts just 38 players under contract.

Still, there is plenty of room to work. Their cap space won’t be reduced if they trade Brown. They want to work out a new contract for Ben Roethlisberger, but any new deal for him would actually save them more cap space in 2019. He has a $12 million salary and $5 million roster bonus due this year and all of that can be reduced through a signing bonus in a new contract with a reduced 2019 salary.

Surely, they can get at least a first-round draft choice this year for what may be the best receiver in the NFL, despite his recalcitrance. Maybe more. The Dallas Cowboys traded a first-round pick to Oakland for wide receiver Amari Cooper, who can’t carry Brown’s luggage. In 2017, Cooper caught 48 passes for 680 yards. He flourished with the Cowboys this year but still had 75 receptions for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns, pale by Brown’s standards and his production this season — 104 catches; 1,297 yards; and a league-high 15 touchdowns despite missing the final game.

But would the Steelers really trade such a receiver, and where would that leave them at the position? One NFL personnel man said he does not see how the Steelers can keep Brown after what he did last week.

First, forget about trading him after June 1 to save more cap room this year by pushing two-thirds off into 2020. They would need the draft choice now and would be out the $2.5 million signing bonus they must pay him March 18. Plus, his salary would count on their cap until June, preventing them from making other moves.

No, if they are going to trade him it must be during that five-day window beginning March 13, when trades are first allowed — to save the roster bonus, salary and to get the draft pick(s) this year.

[pittpete]

Trade him for a #1 this year and a #1 the year after.
Theres no way this mental case can play for the Steelers again

[Northern_Blitz]

Trade him for a #1 this year and a #1 the year after.
Theres no way this mental case can play for the Steelers again

Do you think anyone will pay that price after this crap?

[pittpete]

If they cut or trade him after Jun 1 the dead $$$$ is 7,040,000 for 2019
The remaining 2 years of the Signing bonus are accelerated for 2020 and dead $$$$ would be 14,140,000

[pittpete]

Do you think anyone will pay that price after this crap?

You never know....IMO this is worse than Bell.

[Iron City Inc.]

Do you think anyone will pay that price after this crap?

Your right we won't be selling high but it only takes 1 team to want him bad and we should get a decent enough deal. Sucks for us but its addition by subtraction.

[papillon]

I hope the Steelers and AB can cool off and sit down at the kitchen table and figure out how to move forward. I'd hate to see him go,he's a fantastic talent, but I'd hate to see him stay and continue to be a problem child. I'd like to think that somewhere in AB's mind he would be able to muster up the fortitude to talk with the Steelers like an adult and get this ironed out. That would include him having to be okay with the offense passing less, his targets diminishing because of it and possibly his stats but in the end the Steelers are a better team. The football piece of this has to be part of the discussion. If the two sides can't come to an agreement then they have to figure out how best to unload him and get the most for him and that would be a sad day.

Here's to the Steelers and AB finding a way to get on the same page.

Pappy

[MeetJoeGreene]

Do you think anyone will pay that price after this crap?

That was my thought too.

[The Man of Steel]

Do you think anyone will pay that price after this crap?
AB will be 31 at the start of next season so probably not because clearly his best years are behind him now.

[NorthCoast]

You never know....IMO this is worse than Bell.It is worse than Bell. Bell wasn't under contract, while AB is. Even if it was just AB's emotions that got the better of him he is hardly capitulating.
Sad, he could have gone down as the greatest Steelers receiver of all time, and one of the greatest in the NFL. Now he is becoming nothing more than a TO. Still hopeful something can be done but it's gotta be AB that hangs his head down to come back. And I don't see that happening.

[NJ-STEELER]

faking an injury to sit out a game sounds like something that should be able to void part of that contract.
maybe get some of that signing bonus back.

that could go a long way into being able to actually pull the trigger on a trade. even with some of the cap room we got for Bell, I don't see anyway we eat the 20M cap hit next year

[pittpete]

Steelers should get his gameday check back for falsely reporting an injury.

[hawaiiansteel]

Kevin Gorman: Steelers have no choice but to trade Antonio Brown

KEVIN GORMAN | Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019

Trading wide receiver Antonio Brown would result in the Steelers’ absorbing $21.12 million of dead money on their salary cap next season.

As Mike Tomlin was talking about Antonio Brown, the All-Pro receiver was mocking him on social media and erasing whatever was left of the invisible line he had crossed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That Brown appeared on a video with James Harrison, one of Tomlin’s harshest critics since being cut by the Steelers, was a betrayal beyond Brown’s self-centered antics before a must-win season finale with playoff implications.

Tomlin had a lengthy explanation for what went down last week, when Brown was excused from practices but skipped the Saturday walkthrough and was benched for the Bengals game at Heinz Field. But Tomlin couldn’t defend Brown and didn’t bother to try when asked if the Steelers superstar had let his teammates down by going radio silent.

“Absolutely,” Tomlin said, “when we’re talking about our darkest hour, when we’re talking about playing to win a game and needing other dominoes to fall to be in the tournament and the guy not communicating, that is a real element of discussion, certainly.”

to read rest of article:


https://triblive.com/sports/steelers/14462786-74/kevin-gorman-steelers-have-no-choice-but-to-trade-antonio-brown

[steeler_george]

I hope the Steelers and AB can cool off and sit down at the kitchen table and figure out how to move forward. I'd hate to see him go,he's a fantastic talent, but I'd hate to see him stay and continue to be a problem child. I'd like to think that somewhere in AB's mind he would be able to muster up the fortitude to talk with the Steelers like an adult and get this ironed out. That would include him having to be okay with the offense passing less, his targets diminishing because of it and possibly his stats but in the end the Steelers are a better team. The football piece of this has to be part of the discussion. If the two sides can't come to an agreement then they have to figure out how best to unload him and get the most for him and that would be a sad day.

Here's to the Steelers and AB finding a way to get on the same page.

Pappy

I like your thinking. I hate the idea of losing Brown, almost to the point I rather keep Brown over Ben.

However AB, is just out of control right now. He crossed that line when he left half time and mocked Tomlin during his interview. If they bring him back , Tomlin is a lost cause, let me rephrase that, the STEELERS are a lost cause... heaven help us.

[K Train]

I think if we trade AB, we should seriously consider just blowing it all up (i.e. trading Ben too).

I think AB is our only elite player. It's too bad he's a head case (and apparently getting worse by the year).

Yeah, just blow it up...that works out

[steeler_george]

Been reading various reports that the cap hit is actually a 6-7 million loss, and in that in the long run we would save money for 2020 and 2021.

[steeler_george]

Yeah, just blow it up...that works out

Why blow it up we still have a superbowl coach and QB!

In all fairness, I think we took steps this year in blowing up first Bell, now Brown, and add future fired in Butler...

With our OL , Conner, JuJu and Ben our offense is still scary. Who thought that it would be this dynamic this year without Bell.

[Disco1981]

Someone will trade for him...Someone always does...Actually, All it takes is a rumor of one team and their offer, then other teams willthen jump in...Someone will trade for him, and overpay...Trust me

[Sugar]

Someone will trade for him...Someone always does...Actually, All it takes is a rumor of one team and their offer, then other teams willthen jump in...Someone will trade for him, and overpay...Trust me

And unlike Bell, who we couldn't trade because he wasn't signed, we have the rights to AB in order to do a deal if needed.

[pittpete]

Im going to go on record to say after the initial shock that AB will be here next year.
Theres no way we can absorb the dead $$$ cap hit w/o his production.
Hopefully they talk to him and he grows up and matures.
He probably needs some coddling and i'm sure the JuJu MVP had a lot to do with this.
Everyone will have to get over this and move on.
Fingers crossed.

[Steel Maniac]

I think it will be too hard to trade him too; plus, all this psycho babble coming from him; who’d want to deal with that? The more he talks , the more his trade value goes down.

[Oviedo]

If I had to bet...There will be an off season decompression period. Internal, quiet discussions will occur to get all issues on the table and come training camp AB will still be a Steeler

It just makes sense with the cap implications

[Buzz]

If I had to bet...There will be an off season decompression period. Internal, quiet discussions will occur to get all issues on the table and come training camp AB will still be a Steeler



And we'll have the same kind of drama and crap going on next year.

And another underachieving season.

[brothervad]

And we'll have the same kind of drama and crap going on next year.

And another underachieving season.

Since there are people predicting...

Since the real Impact is only a 6 million cap hit, he is gone.

They get a #1 pick, establish the old culture that team is > than the sum of the parts.

They sign a very good WR in FA, and successfully move on from AB.

Who as a side note realizes, way too late, that besides Ben/Russell Wilson, no one else throws a better long ball and has a major meltdown as he hits his mid-30's stuck in SF.

😀

Brothervad

[Ernie]

And we'll have the same kind of drama and crap going on next year.

And another underachieving season.

Exactly right... and here's the message that's being sent... AB>Steelers

[NorthCoast]

Remember, it's not a commitment with AB for just next year. His cap hit escalates. So you are basically saying you will live with him for the next 3 yrs. Donno, seems a long time to live with a malcontent.

Maybe, just maybe AB got the shot across the bow he needed when Tomlin refused to let him play. Maybe he never believed Tomlin would do it. A line has now been drawn...just like with a teenager, establish boundaries. He now knows the boundary, cross it, and suffer the consequence. Did the same with videos in the locker room and you haven't seen one since. Shame Tomlin has to treat him like a child, but such is life.

[Buzz]

Remember, it's not a commitment with AB for just next year. His cap hit escalates. So you are basically saying you will live with him for the next 3 yrs. Donno, seems a long time to live with a malcontent.

Maybe, just maybe AB got the shot across the bow he needed when Tomlin refused to let him play. Maybe he never believed Tomlin would do it. A line has now been drawn...just like with a teenager, establish boundaries. He now knows the boundary, cross it, and suffer the consequence. Did the same with videos in the locker room and you haven't seen one since. Shame Tomlin has to treat him like a child, but such is life.

While Tomlin was giving his press conference on Wednesday, AB was mocking him via a live stream. He hasn't learned anything.

I hope we can get something out of him, but all this crap has to have hurt his trade value somewhat ... regardless, we need to get rid of him. Or he will pull the same kind of stunt (or worse) again.

[RuthlessBurgher]

With trade talk hovering, here’s a closer look at Antonio Brown’s contract

Posted by Mike Florio on January 3, 2019, 10:16 PM EST

It’s unclear whether the Steelers want to keep receiver Antonio Brown, and it’s unclear whether he wants to stay. His contract provides clarity as to a variety of issues that will be relevant to the decisions that will be made by the Steelers and/or Browns in the coming weeks.

Here’s a look at specific aspects of Brown’s most recent contract that should be considered by the Steelers, by Brown, and by anyone trying to figure out what will happen next.

1. The structure.

Two years ago, the Steelers signed Brown to a four-year, $68 million extension. Consistent with the team’s refusal to guarantee money beyond the first year, the contract contained only $19 million in fully-guaranteed money, paid out in the form of a signing bonus.

By not including fully-guaranteed payments beyond the first year, the Steelers sacrificed any leverage that would go along with having the ability to void future guarantees. Instead, the Steelers can recover only the unearned portion of Brown’s signing bonus ($11.4 million at this point), for limited circumstances such as retirement.

2. The restructuring.

The Steelers routinely convert large base salaries into guaranteed payments as a cap-management device. Entering the second year of Brown’s contract, the Steelers switched $12.96 million of Brown’s $13.875 million base salary into a guaranteed payment, spreading $3.24 million over each of the remaining four years.

The Steelers can’t get any of that money back, but they’ll have to account for the remaining $9.72 million under the cap, whether he’s on the team or not.

3. The roster bonus.

Brown’s 2019 compensation package consists of a $12.625 million base salary and a roster bonus of $2.5 million. The roster bonus comes due on March 17. As a practical matter, that’s the deadline for making a decision on Brown for the coming season — unless they want to pay him $2.5 million for the privilege of making a decision later.

4. The remaining value.

If the Steelers choose to trade Brown, the contract is attractive. Beyond the $15.125 million he’s due to earn in 2019, Brown has a base salary of $11.3 million in 2020 and $12.5 million in 2021.

That’s a total of $38.925 million for three years, an average of $12.975 million per year. And that’s a good deal for whoever gets Brown — so good that he may want a raise from his next team, if a trade happens.

5. The cap hit.

Due to the $19 million signing bonus paid in 2017 and $12.96 million restructuring bonus paid in 2018, Brown has $21.12 million in paid but not allocated money. Which means that, if Brown is cut or traded before June 1, the Steelers will carry a $21.12 million cap charge for Brown in 2019.

He also can be cut before June 1 with a post-June 1 designation. This would keep his salary on the books until June 1, at which time the cap hit would fall to $7.04 million this year, with the remaining $14.08 million hitting the cap in 2020. The same thing would happen if Brown is traded after June 1; however, the Steelers will have paid him $2.5 million, which would be added to his cap burden for 2019.

6. The net cap gain (in theory).

Some have shrugged at the potential cap consequences for cutting or trading Brown before June 1 because, if he’s on the team, his cap charge will be $22.165 million. In other words, moving him before June 1 actually results in a lower cap charge for 2019. Of course, the Steelers wouldn’t have him on the roster, which means they’d have to replace him within the confines of a total cap reduced by $21.12 million.

Also, the “it will be cheaper under the cap to cut him” argument ignores the reality that the Steelers could have converted a large piece of the $12.625 million base salary to a guaranteed payment, easily carving millions off this year’s cap number, if he’s on the team. In other words, the cap number likely would have ended up being much lower than $22.165 million under normal circumstances.

7. The team’s leverage.

If the Steelers decide to keep Brown but Brown wants out, the Steelers will have a tough decision to make. Keeping him against his wishes could result in Brown holding out or, quite possibly, holding in.

In other words, he could show up for all mandatory activities and do the bare minimum, with the least amount of engagement and enthusiasm possible, avoiding a fine or a suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

Of course, the Steelers could play hardball, ending years of apathy regarding Brown’s antics by pushing him hard, coaching him aggressively, and punishing him whenever he crosses the line. That could set him off, culminating in a T.O.-style four-game suspension and then, if the behavior continues, another one.

It therefore would be better for the Steelers if Brown just stayed away, but it’s unlikely he’d do it. There’s too much unpaid money to lose and too much unearned money he’d have to pay back if he stopped showing up.

Still, the situation has reached a point at which the team must make a decision as to whether Brown will be a part of it, and it needs to be a decision that takes into account all options and permutations and the consequences, intended and possibly unintended from whatever they do. Brown has decisions to make, too.

Perhaps, in the end, the best move could be for the team to cut the cord, bite the $21.12 million cap bullet, get what they can for Brown, and wash their hands of him for good.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/01/03/with-trade-talk-hovering-heres-a-closer-look-at-antonio-browns-contract/

[Steelwolf]

Interesting read here :
https://triblive.com/sports/steelers/14469711-74/retired-agent-steelers-can-go-after-antonio-browns-game-check-part-of