Time To Spend

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/sh...-of-teams-on-the-hook-with-new?urn=nfl-wp2868

if there's a limited rookie cap, meaning a less painful Newton contract, we have some spending to do.

 

We've been cutting vets the last two years so we could be in this precise situation. We have to be smart in how we spend this money, re-signing our own is the smart thing to do here.

 

we were 2-14. we need to upgrade where we reasonably can.

 

So, we need to spend close to 65 million to get to the cap this year. How much of that will our own resignings take, assuming we resign Johnson and Williams?

Is our team that far off from being decent again IF....if is the key word, we sign some stars and key position players to get to that cap number. Imagine how good we could be if we signed another threat at WR (the free agent pool for WR is large this year). Take for instance (pipedream) we signed:

WR- Vincent Jackson (put him on the other side with Steve Smith..wow)
CB- Nnamdi Asomugha (a shutdown corner we never had)
DE- Jason Babin (or another good DE)
DT- Chris Hovan
OG- Robert Gallery (or another good guard)

We have the money and can get back to a competitive team quick, if they spend the money, which they will have to get to at least 90% of the cap in the new CBA, so they have to spend it somewhere.

 

an offensive lineman would be good, and we need depth, but I don't know the team will spend that much there. And, they do have a few options. DT, definitely; I'd expect Davis back and another LB. Anderson, if he isn't that expensive, makes sense, if they lose williams and are thinking compensatory picks. Kalil and Beason are locks to be paid, even though Beason isn't FA.

 

Re-signing our own guys is going take up a lot of space, unfortunately. CB probably needs to be addressed as well since Marshall is going to want a lot more than he's worth.

I get what you're saying, but re-signing players who went 2-14 isn't a recipe for improvement. I'm a big fan of building through the draft, but teams like the Ravens and Steelers who do it smartly don't overpay to keep their own players, which is what the Panthers have done for the last decade. Keep the guys you think are elite, or those who will stay for reasonable contracts. Let the others go.

 

I think there is something to be said for continuity even on a 2-14 team. Guys like Charles Johnson, James Anderson, Thomas Davis, Deangelo Williams and Richard Marshall are known quantities. Not that I want to bring all those guys back but most free agents are lot more risky coming from another team. They may have been good in their old system but suck in ours.

If we have some money to spend I would like to see us go after a decent QB who we can plan on starting this season while Newton learns from the bench. I know that will not happen but it would be nice to have some hope for a good season that does not rest completely on Newton being good right away.

 

Considering we will be 70 million under the proposed cap, and we are already paying some of those players that we need to resign, it still seems like we will have a buttload of cash we will be required to spend under the new 90% minimum. I hope we don't overpay our resigned players. I think we could make some serious upgrades at key positions.

 

Plus, a lot of that money's going into guys we would have already re-signed.

 

I certainly agree on that mate!