Stealers cap situation for 2012 a complete disaster

[52decleetzu]

So I posted this in the other thread on the main board, but decided it needed it's own here. Looking like time for a purge up in the Burgh!! And a purge would be putting it kindly looking over these numbers. They were counting on the cap going up $5-8 million and even then would have had to make some big cuts, but it staying roughly the same is worst case scenario for them and a lot of teams in their position.

http://www.catscratchreader.com/2011...crease-in-2012

According to Charley Casserly, on Sunday's CBS pre-game show, the NFL sent a Grinch like message to all NFL teams last week, that the 2012 salary cap will not increase, or at best only increase very, very slightly. He adds that around 1/4 of all NFL players will be UFA's (Un-Restricted Free Agents) in 2012. This will make for a buyers market for teams that have cap room, driving down players prices, because of less money to go around. Many players may be forced to settle for low price, 1 years contracts, and hope to try again in 2013, when the new TV money kicks in.
The cap was $120.5 million for 2011.

This is extremely good news for Ravens fans, and the worst possible news for the inbredsin western PA who are going to have to cut oh about $35million million off their cap next year JUST TO GET UNDER the $120ish million.

Read all about it here, it is very long but a FANTASTIC way to warm your heart on this cold January night.

http://www.steelerslounge.com/2011/1...ycap-quandary/

http://www.steelerslounge.com/2011/1...p-hell-part-2/

http://www.steelerslounge.com/2011/1...-risky-part-3/

It was supposed to be a 5 part series, but I am guessing that after part 3 the writer went into a deep depression that he never came out of. He probably realized after crunching the numbers as he went along how screwed the Steelers are, despite his proclamations stating otherwise in parts 1 and 2.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Pittsburgh fans should be rooting for anything that increases overall league revenue, which would then raise team caps. Per Whetstone on Steel City Insider, the Steelers have “39 players under contract for 2012, at a total cap cost (including dead money) of about $141.4 million.” NFL teams must be in compliance with the new salary cap figure by the start of each new league season, which is generally on March 1st each year, and then have their collective 2012 salaries remain under the cap through the end of the season.

But wait it gets better!! They still have to sign all the EFA's. RFA's etc...

However, assuming that all eight players above are tendered at some level (a strong probability) and that none sign extensions before those tenders that could lower their 2012 cap figures slightly (with the exception of Wallace), the addition of tendering contract offers to those eight players (even before they are signed) will add roughly $11 million to the Steelers’ 2012 salary cap. Moreover, that figure does not include any additional money applied to the 2012 cap that might be needed to lock up Wallace long-term.

At that point, the Steelers would have 46 players under 2012 contract from their current 2011 active roster or injured-reserve list (assuming no other current team members are released or pending unrestricted free agents are extended), accounting for around $152.5, a figure which includes the little dead money on the Steelers’ 2012 payroll. Add in one hypothetical player with one accrued NFL season signed to a futures contract ($465K) and four more at the league minimum and the Steelers would add slightly more than $2 million to their cap figure, which would project to be around $154.5 million for their top 51 players.

Yeah you read that right, the Steelers will have 51 players under contract, costing roughly $155 MILLION!!!

Good luck cutting $35 million of salary cap yinzers to get under!!! With ZERO left to upgrade the team or sign draft picks. Better make that about $40 million you need to shed.