2015 Roster & Salary Cap Thread

[callahan09]

A couple of links I referenced first:
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/baltimore-ravens/cap/2015/
http://nfltraderumors.co/2015-nfl-free-agents-list/
http://www.profootballrumors.com/201...ected-138-6mm/

The Ravens' current contracts add up to about a $137.3 million cap hit for the 2015 season, while the projected cap will be about $138.6m, meaning we appear to be about $1.3m under the cap. As noted in the profootballrumors.com link, there is reason in some circles to expect the cap to be even higher than the project $138.6m, perhaps up to about $145m, but for now, let's work with the conservative projection that's been put out there already.

We have the following players becoming free agents after this season:

QB, Tyrod Taylor, 26
RB, Justin Forsett, 30
WR, Torrey Smith, 26
TE, Owen Daniels, 33
G, Will Rackley, 26
G, Jah Reid, 27
3-4 DE, Christo Bilukidi, 26
3-4 DE, Lawrence Guy, 25
DT, Terrence Cody, 27
3-4 OLB, Pernell McPhee, 27
CB, Danny Gorrer, 29
CB, Aaron Ross, 33
S, Will Hill, 25, Restricted
S, Anthony Levine, 28, Restricted
S, Jeromy Miles, 28
S, Darian Stewart, 27
K, Justin Tucker, 26, Restricted
LS, Morgan Cox, 29

Most or all of these players will either need to be re-signed or will need to be replaced. John Urschell is the only backup Guard we will have under contract in 2015, so we'll need to sign more depth at that position. We will need to sign a backup QB. We will need to sign a number 1 Wide Receiver, because I don't think we can go forward with Steve Smith Sr. as de facto number 1 in his age 36 season. We might not even keep him at all, which would mean we'll need to sign a number 1 and a number 2. Matt Elam & Terrence Brooks will be the only Safeties under contract, so we obviously need to make some moves at that position. We won't have a long snapper under contract, so that's a position that will need to be filled. I don't think we let Forsett walk, but even if we do, we'll need to sign a RB. I don't see us considering going with Pierce or Taliaferro as a number 1 RB next season, so Forsett becomes a key free agent for us to try to retain. We might have Pitta back, and we'll have Crockett Gillmore at TE. Seems like it might be important to make a move there. Daniels has been good for us this year, but his body has broken down in the past, and with Pitta's questionable health and injury history, I'm not sure we'll re-sign Daniels, but either way, we'll need a tight end. The D-Line will need to have some depth replenished. We'll definitely need to make some moves at Corner. And of course, we'll need to sign Tucker!

I think our top priority free agents that we will try to re-sign will be Forsett, Torrey, and Tucker. Hard for me to predict who is a keeper on defense, especially in the secondary which has been hit hard with injuries, but has been very bad.

Here is a list of the cap savings that we would get if we cut any of the players listed below (those under contract who are not listed below are un-cuttable, they would actually have a higher cap hit if they were released):

1. Haloti Ngata (DT): $8,500,000
2. Jimmy Smith (CB): $6,898,000
3. Lardarius Webb (CB): $5,000,000
4. Marshal Yanda (G): $4,909,672
5. Chris Canty (DE): $2,660,000
6. Sam Koch (P): $2,500,000
7. Steve Smith (WR): $1,833,330
8. Courtney Upshaw (OLB): $1,112,277
9. Albert McClellan (ILB): $1,000,000
10. Kelechi Osemele (G): $846,255
11. Jacoby Jones (WR): $750,000
12. Daryl Smith (ILB): $750,000
13. Bernard Pierce (RB): $660,000
14. Gino Gradkowski (C): $660,000
15. Asa Jackson (CB): $660,000
16. Deangelo Tyson (DE): $660,000
17. Marlon Brown (WR): $585,000
18. Kapron Lewis-Moore (DE): $562,942
19. Ricky Wagner (RT): $548,860
20. Kyle Juszczyk (FB): $509,854
21. Zach Orr (ILB): $509,000
22. Jeremy Butler (WR): $508,665
23. James Hurst (LT): $507,000
24. Arthur Brown (ILB): $486,887
25. Michael Campanaro (WR): $476,250
26. Brandon Williams (DT): $456,250
27. John Urschel (G): $437,720
28. Lorenzo Taliaferro (RB): $359,708
29. Brent Urban (DE): $359,708
30. Crockett Gillmore (TE): $256,992
31. Elvis Dumervil (ILB): $250,000
32. Terrence Brooks (S): $221,812

Given how much we can save if we let Ngata go, and his recent issues with the PEDs suspension... I think there's a pretty good chance he's gone. Jimmy Smith might be safe, considering the very wide gap in the statistical splits between our secondary with him and without him this season. He's a very important defender on this team. Webb is gone, right? I can't see a reason why he shouldn't be replaced. He's lost too much due to injuries and is performing a very bad level at this point, he just isn't worth that cap figure he commands. Yanda has been incredible this season, he's a keeper. Sam Koch is making a lot for a punter (7th highest cap hit next season among those at his position), but I don't really see us getting rid of him. Steve Smith Sr. is iffy for me. He's the 36th most expensive wide receiver currently under contract for 2015, and that'll fall a lot during free agency with Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, Randall Cobb, and many others being available next year. 2015 has a ton of talent available at the wide receiver position in free agency. I think we could get somebody younger to replace Sr. Courtney Upshaw should be kept. Osemele is a no-brainer. Not so sure about Jacoby Jones... saving 750k is not a lot of savings for a potentially explosive returner, so I think we might keep him. Nobody else really provides that much of a savings to cut. So it looks to me, in my opinion, like the most logical cuts are Ngata, Webb, and Sr.

I'm not an expert on this sort of thing, but mostly wanted to read everybody else's thoughts on the matter, and decided to just put up my own quick thoughts even if some of my thoughts might not be logical if someone wants to point out my flaws to me.

[Terpsfan82]

Ngata's gone. No way he returns.

[Paintballguy]

Good chance Webb and SS Sr get the axe also.

[Terpsfan82]

Might add Canty to that list. At this point, it's open season on anyone who is owed more than 2 million and anyone who's production can be replaced with someone else on the roster of a rookie.

[HotInHere]

Ngata's gone. No way he returns.

Never say never. I would agree there is no way he returns at that cap number. But he is a very good candidate for a restructure.

[SugarRay52]

A couple of links I referenced first:
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/baltimore-ravens/cap/2015/
http://nfltraderumors.co/2015-nfl-free-agents-list/
http://www.profootballrumors.com/201...ected-138-6mm/

The Ravens' current contracts add up to about a $137.3 million cap hit for the 2015 season, while the projected cap will be about $138.6m, meaning we appear to be about $1.3m under the cap. As noted in the profootballrumors.com link, there is reason in some circles to expect the cap to be even higher than the project $138.6m, perhaps up to about $145m, but for now, let's work with the conservative projection that's been put out there already.

We have the following players becoming free agents after this season:

QB, Tyrod Taylor, 26
RB, Justin Forsett, 30
WR, Torrey Smith, 26
TE, Owen Daniels, 33
G, Will Rackley, 26
G, Jah Reid, 27
3-4 DE, Christo Bilukidi, 26
3-4 DE, Lawrence Guy, 25
DT, Terrence Cody, 27
3-4 OLB, Pernell McPhee, 27
CB, Danny Gorrer, 29
CB, Aaron Ross, 33
S, Will Hill, 25, Restricted
S, Anthony Levine, 28, Restricted
S, Jeromy Miles, 28
S, Darian Stewart, 27
K, Justin Tucker, 26, Restricted
LS, Morgan Cox, 29

Most or all of these players will either need to be re-signed or will need to be replaced. John Urschell is the only backup Guard we will have under contract in 2015, so we'll need to sign more depth at that position. We will need to sign a backup QB. We will need to sign a number 1 Wide Receiver, because I don't think we can go forward with Steve Smith Sr. as de facto number 1 in his age 36 season. We might not even keep him at all, which would mean we'll need to sign a number 1 and a number 2. Matt Elam & Terrence Brooks will be the only Safeties under contract, so we obviously need to make some moves at that position. We won't have a long snapper under contract, so that's a position that will need to be filled. I don't think we let Forsett walk, but even if we do, we'll need to sign a RB. I don't see us considering going with Pierce or Taliaferro as a number 1 RB next season, so Forsett becomes a key free agent for us to try to retain. We might have Pitta back, and we'll have Crockett Gillmore at TE. Seems like it might be important to make a move there. Daniels has been good for us this year, but his body has broken down in the past, and with Pitta's questionable health and injury history, I'm not sure we'll re-sign Daniels, but either way, we'll need a tight end. The D-Line will need to have some depth replenished. We'll definitely need to make some moves at Corner. And of course, we'll need to sign Tucker!

I think our top priority free agents that we will try to re-sign will be Forsett, Torrey, and Tucker. Hard for me to predict who is a keeper on defense, especially in the secondary which has been hit hard with injuries, but has been very bad.

Here is a list of the cap savings that we would get if we cut any of the players listed below (those under contract who are not listed below are un-cuttable, they would actually have a higher cap hit if they were released):

1. Haloti Ngata (DT): $8,500,000
2. Jimmy Smith (CB): $6,898,000
3. Lardarius Webb (CB): $5,000,000
4. Marshal Yanda (G): $4,909,672
5. Chris Canty (DE): $2,660,000
6. Sam Koch (P): $2,500,000
7. Steve Smith (WR): $1,833,330
8. Courtney Upshaw (OLB): $1,112,277
9. Albert McClellan (ILB): $1,000,000
10. Kelechi Osemele (G): $846,255
11. Jacoby Jones (WR): $750,000
12. Daryl Smith (ILB): $750,000
13. Bernard Pierce (RB): $660,000
14. Gino Gradkowski (C): $660,000
15. Asa Jackson (CB): $660,000
16. Deangelo Tyson (DE): $660,000
17. Marlon Brown (WR): $585,000
18. Kapron Lewis-Moore (DE): $562,942
19. Ricky Wagner (RT): $548,860
20. Kyle Juszczyk (FB): $509,854
21. Zach Orr (ILB): $509,000
22. Jeremy Butler (WR): $508,665
23. James Hurst (LT): $507,000
24. Arthur Brown (ILB): $486,887
25. Michael Campanaro (WR): $476,250
26. Brandon Williams (DT): $456,250
27. John Urschel (G): $437,720
28. Lorenzo Taliaferro (RB): $359,708
29. Brent Urban (DE): $359,708
30. Crockett Gillmore (TE): $256,992
31. Elvis Dumervil (ILB): $250,000
32. Terrence Brooks (S): $221,812

Given how much we can save if we let Ngata go, and his recent issues with the PEDs suspension... I think there's a pretty good chance he's gone. Jimmy Smith might be safe, considering the very wide gap in the statistical splits between our secondary with him and without him this season. He's a very important defender on this team. Webb is gone, right? I can't see a reason why he shouldn't be replaced. He's lost too much due to injuries and is performing a very bad level at this point, he just isn't worth that cap figure he commands. Yanda has been incredible this season, he's a keeper. Sam Koch is making a lot for a punter (7th highest cap hit next season among those at his position), but I don't really see us getting rid of him. Steve Smith Sr. is iffy for me. He's the 36th most expensive wide receiver currently under contract for 2015, and that'll fall a lot during free agency with Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, Randall Cobb, and many others being available next year. 2015 has a ton of talent available at the wide receiver position in free agency. I think we could get somebody younger to replace Sr. Courtney Upshaw should be kept. Osemele is a no-brainer. Not so sure about Jacoby Jones... saving 750k is not a lot of savings for a potentially explosive returner, so I think we might keep him. Nobody else really provides that much of a savings to cut. So it looks to me, in my opinion, like the most logical cuts are Ngata, Webb, and Sr.

I'm not an expert on this sort of thing, but mostly wanted to read everybody else's thoughts on the matter, and decided to just put up my own quick thoughts even if some of my thoughts might not be logical if someone wants to point out my flaws to me.

The Ravens might cut Smith Sr but they aren't going to spend big money on a WR, it's just not what they do (it's like the Orioles not wanting to sign big ticket free agents).

[JayJay]

We should also have an additional $4m-$5m in cap space in carryover from this season (assuming Rice doesn't win his grievance).

[JAB1985]

I still see Ngata re-signing. they may cut him first due to timing, but I think theyll get it done. Not sure why smith wouldnt be safe, we already picked up his option and were getting him at a discount.

Senior, Canty and webb are the guys that need to look over their shoulders. Webb because he makes so much more than hes playing at and an extension doesnt really make sense. Canty because we have a lot of depth behind him and Senior because, hes 36 and Campanaro could step into his role today if needed.

[GOTA]

I still see Ngata re-signing. they may cut him first due to timing, but I think theyll get it done.

How much is Ngata worth now that it's known that he was using "adderall"? Will he be at the same level without the PEDs?

[JAB1985]

How much is Ngata worth now that it's known that he was using "adderall"? Will he be at the same level without the PEDs?

less and probably.

much like I think Torreys slow start will actually help us re-sign him for a more friendly deal, I think Ngatas suspension will knock some money off his deal and make him easier to re-sign. Its all about leverage, and both have lost some this year, but still offer a good bit value.

youre talking about 2 red star Ravens. the ones that not only have talent but exemplify what it means to be a Raven. we simply do not let those guys go.

[CopRaven]

First, your numbers with regards to cutting Webb are wrong. The savings would be $2m, not $5m (Spotrac forgot to take account for the restructure we did with his contract back this summer).

Ngata is tough to judge right now, but that will probably be much easier one month from now. Jernigan seems like he's ready to take over for Ngata, but for the right price, Ngata could still return. However, I think the number of that right price is dropping quickly. Btw, Ngata's suspension actually gives us a bit money, read this article: http://overthecap.com/huge-costs-hal...me-suspension/

I still fail to see why we would cut Sr.. He hasn't played well in recent weeks, but he's absolutely worth what we're paying for him next season.

Many people have suggested extending Yanda, but since both him and KO will be UFAs after next season, and I consider it unlikely that we keep both, I think we should just let 2015 play out and then re-sign the one we like the best. My gut feeling says that will be Yanda.

I'm in the cut Webb camp. Let's say he returns to his 2013 form (what I consider best case scenario). Is that worth the $8m, he's scheduled to make? I don't think so, so we should just cut our losses and move forward.

Guys from other teams that's on my radar:

Da'Norris Searcy, SS, Bills: Young player, who's grading out well at PFF. If Hill is our FS for next year, then I think Searcy would be a good player to pair him with.

Jared Odrick, DT, Dolphins: Also a young player, who could replace Canty if we let him go.

Antonio Cromartie, CB, Cardinals: You all know him, top corner who we could put opposite Jimmy. A bigger splash than what we usually make, but it could be a pretty good move.

Brandon Flowers, CB, Chargers: Same as above, only he's a bit younger and will probably cost more than Cromartie.

Cary Williams, CB, Eagles: He's still under contract for next year, but I think he will be cut. We all know Ozzie loves to sign players who were cut, and Williams is certainly decent.

Vernon Davis, TE, 49'ers: He's having a down year and I think he will be cut after this season. I think the decrease in production has more to do with being in a bad situation in SF, than it has to do with a decline. This could be a very comparable signing to the Sr. one.

[GOTA]

less and probably.

much like I think Torreys slow start will actually help us re-sign him for a more friendly deal, I think Ngatas suspension will knock some money off his deal and make him easier to re-sign. Its all about leverage, and both have lost some this year, but still offer a good bit value.

youre talking about 2 red star Ravens. the ones that not only have talent but exemplify what it means to be a Raven. we simply do not let those guys go.

Ngata is going to wish he signed that extension the Ravens offered this past offseason.