Quote Originally Posted by BigPlayReceiver View Post
Lots of $$$ out there and some of it is being wasted IMO.

McClain is due $3M in 2013 and $3.2M in 2014. (Awful value. Need to get from under this)

Birk is due $2.75M in 2013. (Sub-par value)
Oher is due $3M in 2013. (Sub par value)
Suggs is due $6.4M in 2013 and $7.8M in 2014. (Restructure)
Boldin is due $6M in 2013 and 2014. (Sub-par value but...New OC + Franchise tag "experiment" = dumb to cut loose a mostly reliable WR)
Jones is due $4M in 2013. (Ask again later...I'm having a hard time justifying $10M between Jones and Boldin)
Bobbie Willilams is due $1.2M in 2013. (Cut)
Ayanbadejo: $940K in 2013. (Cut)
Leach: $3M in 2013. (The new OC may completely devalue the FB position)

Re-sign priority:
Ellerbe

Otherwise:
Ed Reed: I love him, but I would not re-sign.
Cary Williams: Gone.
Ray is due $5.4M in 2013. I would like to see him retire.

#1- That $940k we'd potentially pay to Ayanbadejo is a very nice value. First, as a player, he can still play. It seems every year down the stretch, once the injuries pile up to the linebackers, BA is there in a pinch making plays. Let me say this very directly, we don't win that game in San Diego without him. Ray Rice never sees that opportunity to convert 4th and 29 if not for 3 excellent defensive plays he made in the two preceding drives. Also, he made two game saving tackles last year in the Cleveland week 16 game that preserved that win. He can still run and he can still tackle. He has value at a very low cost.

#2 Keep in mind that the salary for Ayanbadejo is essentially the veteran minimum. If we cut his $940k (assuming there is no cap penalty for doing so), we would have to replace his 940k with another salary that will count in the 475-550k range. So cutting Dejo really would only save us 400k at the max.

#3 Without knowing how Jameel's contract is structured, it's hard to say if it's a good decision to cut him or not. If we could get off the hook for $3 million with no penalty, I'd probably do it. However, depending on how much "Dead money" is wrapped into the decision to cut him, it might not make sense.

#4 Michael Oher, even if he is in that 15-20 range as far as left tackles go, is still a reasonably good value at $3 million. Certainly not subpar value in any way. People love to point out Oher's critical mistakes and overlook some of his exceptional run blocks. He's a steal at $3 million in today's market.