Training Camp Battles (DB) - Cap Perspective

6:05am

Based on Nate's Projected Defensive Roster, the Lions would have five CB's and five S's. The five CB's plus Wilson (IR) would count $9,528,933 with an additional $12,000 of Dead Cap. The Safeties would cost $5,395,517 with no dead cap implications.

CB's Current Year Cap Charge:

• Travis Fisher - $2,756,720
• Brian Kelly - $2,340,000
• Keith Smith - $2,006,720
• Leigh Bodden - $1,040,053
• Stanley Wilson - $933,720 **
• DeVonte Edwards - $451,720
• Ramzee Robinson - $376,720
• LaMarcus Hicks - $375,280

CB's 2008 Dead Cap if Traded or Released:

• Brian Kelly - $1,090,053
• Travis Fisher - $1,006,720
• Keith Smith - $1,006,720
• Leigh Bodden - $340,053
• Stanley Wilson - $933,720 **
• DeVonte Edwards - $6,720
• Ramzee Robinson - $6,720
• LaMarcus Hicks - $5,280

S's Current Year Cap Charge:

• Dwight Smith - $2,006,720
• Kalvin Pearson - $1,422,387
• Daniel Bullocks - $942,970
• Gerald Alexander - $571,720
• Greg Blue - $451,720
• Stephen Howell - $295,000

S's 2008 Dead Cap if Traded or Released:

• Kalvin Pearson - $1,046,720
• Dwight Smith - $656,720
• Daniel Bullocks - $497,970
• Gerald Alexander - $201,720
• Greg Blue - $6,720
• Stephen Howell - $0

** Stanley Wilson was placed on IR after being injured during the first preseason game. When a football injury occurs while on the roster, the base salary is guaranteed to be paid for the year. At some point, the Lions may reach a settlement with Wilson for a lesser amount, but they are currently on the hook for his current year base salary.

Updated Player Costs

7:00pm EDT

Over the past weekend, I received some really good information on player contracts, Lions current cap status and cap commitments for the future. With the recent signings in free agency, I had to make several educated guesses on some of the monies received by the players. The recently obtained information provides better insight and I can more accurately project the Lions current cap costs. Also, I believe that the Lions are so tight against the cap, that they'll need to cut someone else before they officially sign Tatum bell.

John Kitna - As I reported earlier, Jon had reached an escalator in his contract that bumped his base pay for 2008 from $1.95M to $2.95M. In addition to that, he also reached an escalator that bumped a roster bonus due this year from $500K to $1M plus he has a playing time incentive that based on last years playing time is deemed to be likely-to-be-earned (LTBE) of $1M and is due a workout bonus of $50,000. He originally signed a 4 year contract that included a $3.5M signing bonus. His current year cap cost is $5.875M.

Roy Williams - As I reported earlier, Roy had reached an escalator in his contract that bumped his base pay by $3.15M, from $574,500 to $3,724,500. As a part of that escalator, Roy was due a Roster bonus of $1,110,000. As a result of reaching the probowl in 2006, he's also due a workout bonus of $100,000. During the summer of 2004, Roy originally signed a 6 year contract that is voidable after this season and included a signing bonus of $4.5M. The Lions also exercised two options that at the time of execution, altered the details of the contract. The first option was for $6,662,500 in 2005 and the second option was for $990,000 in 2006, those option bonuses allow for a $971,667 deion credit (I'll explain this in another blog). His current year cap cost is $6,292,833.

Michael Gaines - When I originally reported his cap cost, I classified the entire $3M of guaranteed money as signing bonus money. According to the new information, $2.4M was signing bonus and $600,000 was a roster bonus due this year, plus a $500,000 roster bonus due in 2011. Along with his base pay of $800,000, his corrected current year cap cost is $2,000,000.

Keith Smith - When I had originally estimated his cap cost, I classified the $2M guaranteed as $1.75M signing bonus and a $250K roster bonus. The new information shows that the entire $2M was signing bonus money on his 2 year contract. Therefore, along with Smith's base pay of $1M, his corrected current year cap cost is $2M.

Leigh Bodden - When I last projected his current year cap cost, I estimated that his bonuses to be $1.5M. His bonuses due this year are $500K roster bonus and a $500K likely-to-be-earned playing time and interceptions incentive. He's also due $818,750 in bonuses in 2009. His updated current year cap cost is $2.7M.

Travis Fisher - When I originally estimated his cap cost , I estimated that he was due $1.75M in base salary and $2.5M in signing bonus. He actually received a $2.25M signing bonus and a $250,000 roster bonus to go along with his $1.75M base salary. I correctly assumed that he is also due a $500,000 roster bonus in 2010. His updated current year cap cost is $2.75M.

Chuck Darby - I had very little information when I originally estimated his current year cap cost. I guessed at a $3M signing bonus. He actually received a $1.2M signing bonus and a $965,000 roster bonus, with $100,000 workout bonuses due in each year of his contract. Those costs, along with his $730,000 base salary puts his current year cap cost at $2.195M.

Drew Stanton - Either has received or will receive a $1.245M option bonus that reduced his base pay for the current season from $785,000 to $370,000. He's also due a $513,900 NLTBE bonus that is based on playing time. Unless he wins the starting job or inherits it due to injury, he likely won't obtain that bonus and it will carry over to the following season. His current year cap cost is $785,000.

Kalimba Edwards - He was designated as a June 1st cut. On June 1st, the Lions will receive $4M in cap savings and will have $2M worth of dead cap space in 2009. I explain it in a little more detail in an earlier blog entry. The $4M in cap savings will provide for the bulk of the rookie cap space needed (usually a little over $5M per year, but won't be determined until after the draft). Current year cap savings $0 (nothing until June 1st).

Current year cap status $2.4M under, without including the Brian Kelly signing.

Several Free Agent Transactions

7:20PM EDT

The Lions have been busy over the last several days. First, I need to update a couple of previously reported cap costs for Keith Smith and Leigh Bodden. Then I'll break down the official signings of Travis Fisher, George Foster and Chuck Darby. Lastly, I'll address the cap implications from the release of Kevin Jones, Kalimba Edwards and Blaine Saipaia.


Keith Smith

According to John Clayton of ESPN, Smith agreed to a 2 year $5M contract. His base salaries are $1M in 2008 and $2M in 2009. The other $2M of the contract can be either signing bonus and/or roster bonuses in 2008 or 2009. I'm going to assume that $1.75M is a signing bonus and the other $250K is a roster bonus due if he makes the opening day roster. Current year cap cost $2.125M.

Leigh Bodden

The Browns extended Bodden's contract in December of 2005. He received bonuses of $1.5M in 2006 and $1.1M in 2007. Based on that and the fact that Jason Cole of Yahoo.com reported that the Lions as $4.4M under the cap on March 6th, I'm going to assume that he has a bonus due to him of $1.5M. That added with his base salary of $1.7M would put his current year cap cost at $3.2M.

Travis Fisher

According to profootballtalk.com, Fisher agreed to a 3 year $9M deal with $4.25M due in 2008. His base salaries are $1.75M in 2008, $1.75M in 2009 and $2.5M in 2010. I would assume that the other $2.5M of his 2008 compensation is his signing bonus, while the other $500K that makes up his $9M total contract is a roster bonus due in 2010. Under the above assumption, Fisher's current year cap cost would be $2.58M.

George Foster

According to John Clayton of ESPN, Foster agreed to a 1 year $1.1M deal with a base salary of $800,000. The other $300,000 of Foster's contract is probably a signing bonus. Either way, his current year cap cost is $1.1M.

Chuck Darby

Darby agreed to a 3 year deal with the Lions. He's due base salaries of $730K in 2008, $745K in 2009 and $760K in 2010. Other financial terms were not disclosed. Based on what he's made in the past and his current age, I'd guess that his signing bonus was $3M. With the above assumptions, his current year cap cost would be $1.73M.

Tatum Bell

According to John Clayton of ESPN, Bell agreed to a 1 year $1.6M contract. The contract hasn't been officially signed and submitted to the NFL or the NFLPA, but irregardless of how much is base salary or bonus money, Bell's current year cap cost will be $1.6M.

Blaine Saipaia

In 2007, the Lions signed Saipaia to a 2 year contract with a $300,000 signing bonus. Saipaia was due to make $775,000 that the Lions will not now have to pay. As a result of Saipaia's release, he provides a current year cap savings of $775K.

Kevin Jones

Jones signed a rookie year contract that gave him a two-tiered signing bonus. The 2nd year bonus is an option bonus that alters the contract but allows the option bonus to be amortized over the life of the contract. He received a $1.2M signing bonus in 2004 and a $1.805M option bonus in 2005. During the 2007 season, Jones had reached an escalator in his contract that increased his 2008 base salary by $1.86M and was scheduled to make a base salary of $2.37M this year plus, according to John Clayton, a roster bonus of $142,500. As a result of his release, he gives the Lions a current year cap savings of $2.51M.

Kalimba Edwards

For a detailed breakdown of Edwards contract, check out my June 1st designation blog entry. Because of the immediate need for cap space, I doubt that Edwards was designated as a June 1st cut and he was therefore released outright. His current year cap savings is $1.9M.



Based on the above transactions, I have the Lions about $3.2M under the current year cap and expect almost the entire amount to be used up when Kalvin Pearson and Brian Kelly officially sign.