Cap casualty season: Here are some likely big-name victims
 

Quarterbacks

Michael Vick, Eagles ($15.5 million): He won't be making that kind of money, but something around $10 million isn't out of the question. The Eagles want to keep him at the right price, and I'd expect the Jaguars, Cardinals and Browns to also have interest if he hits the market or is trade bait.

Carson Palmer, Raiders ($13 million base salary): There is no way Oakland is going to pay him that kind of money to stay, sources said, and Palmer will have to decide how much cash he's willing to walk away from to stay.

Kevin Kolb, Cardinals ($9 million salary, plus $2 million roster bonus): He won't make that kind of money to stay, and I can't imagine Kolb getting the roster bonus, though if he's willing to settle for more like $5 million there could still be an opportunity for him in Arizona.

Alex Smith, 49ers ($7.5 million base salary plus $1 million roster bonus): The 49ers are talking tough about keeping him, but no one is buying that. He deserves a chance to start somewhere and will get that whether via trade -- most likely -- or by being cut before his roster bonus is due next month. Kansas City could be a landing spot.

Matt Cassel, Chiefs ($7.5 million): League sources said there is almost no chance he remains in Kansas City. The fans have turned on him, and it's time for a change.

Matt Hasselbeck, Titans ($5.5 million): He has been a great mentor to Jake Locker, but now it's time for the kid to sink or swim, and the Titans need to invest in weapons around him. With so many teams needy at quarterback, Hasselbeck could get a starting opportunity elsewhere if he is released.

Matt Flynn, Seahawks ($5.25 million): The Seahawks want to deal him, and the Jets are one possibility.

Offensive line

Doug Free, Cowboys ($7 million): Given the offensive line issues there and some of Free's struggles, and the fact the Cowboys are going to be missing $18 million in cap space from the sanctions against them put in place a year ago, this looks like the end.

Willie Colon, Steelers ($5.5 million): Played like a stud when moved inside to guard, but continues to suffer season-ending injuries and Pittsburgh is transitioning to a younger line.

Jared Gaither, Chargers ($4.5 million): Teams and teammates have questioned his desire to play in the past. His back is a constant issue and he has become a source of hostility in San Diego as a free-agent bust. I'd be shocked if he stays.

Steve Hutchinson, Vikings ($4.75 million base plus $500,000 roster bonus): Age catches up to everyone and the Vikings have some young free-agent linemen they need to retain. They know Percy Harvin needs a new deal, especially until they get Allen's contract resolved, cap space will be at a premium.

Wide receiver/Tight end

Darius Heyward-Bey, Raiders ($7.7 million): He flashed progress in 2011 but had another lost year in 2012. The Raiders are again in a roster/cap crunch and are still trying to get out from under bad contracts. I can't fathom him making this to stay.

Anquan Boldin, Ravens ($6 million): With Joe Flacco about to get paid, Baltimore's cap issues are only going to escalate. Boldin was so good in the playoffs, I have to figure they rework his deal to keep him.

Jermichael Finley, Packers ($4.4 million base plus $3 million roster bonus): At some point Aaron Rodgers is going to get a contract in line with how exceptional he is. Finley has proven to be a controversial figure and this team finds pass catchers in all regions of the draft. League sources expect Finley to be elsewhere.

Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars ($4.35 million): He has been woefully unproductive since the Jags extended him a few years back. Certainly the poor quarterback play has something to do with it, but with new ownership and a new management team in place, Lewis' future is in doubt.

Jacoby Jones, Ravens ($3 million): He was a special-teams star all season and a star on offense in the postseason. Again, the Ravens are in a cap bind and have a slew of free agents, but I have to think they find a way to keep him around. He was a major factor in a series of vital victories last season.

Running Back

Michael Turner, Falcons ($5.5 million): He is slowing down and this team will be looking for new ways to get deeper into the postseason. Could be a financial recalibration in order with teams wary to pay big bucks to older running backs these days.

De'Angelo Williams, Panthers ($4.75 million): Carolina is paying too many running backs and Williams has slipped in recent years. The cap hit would be significant, although it could be spread out over multiple years. Exploring a trade would make the most sense.

Kicker

David Akers, 49ers ($3 million): It would be shocking if he is back after such a shaky season and with expectations so high for the 49ers. Nearly lost his job in the postseason.

Defensive Line

Tyson Jackson, Chiefs ($14.72 million): He has been another recent defensive line draft bust for this team and his deal was restructured to force a conclusion in 2013. That conclusion will be his departure.

Will Smith, Saints ($9 million plus $1 million roster bonus): The Saints still badly need pass rushing help, but not at this price. After all he has been through in New Orleans -- StarCaps and BountyGate -- he may want to finish his career with the Saints, but it won't be at this price.

Chris Canty, Giants ($6.25 million): He makes another $250,000 in workout bonuses and he has durability issues in the past. The Giants' defensive line is coming off a poor season and there will be changes coming.

Ryan Pickett, Packers ($5.4 million): He has been one of the most underrated tackles in the league but now has over 11 years in the league. With B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews among those who need to get paid by the Packers, and with this such a small-market team, exploring a restructuring here makes sense.

Jay Ratliff, owboys ($5 million): His offseason DUI -- a particular problem in Dallas recently -- and a scheme shift on defense could lead to a change here. Ratliff has not been as productive in the past few years.

Linebacker

Bart Scott, Jets ($6.9 million base/$8.7 million cap hit): The Jets have a cap mess and there aren't too many deals they can drop to create space. This is one, and sources said Scott won't be back at this price.

James Harrison, Steelers ($6.6 million): It wasn't that long ago that he was a defensive MVP, but age and injury have slowed him. The Steelers are paying other, younger linebackers big bucks and sources said the Steelers do not expect to bring him back at this salary. Many doubt Harrison would take a cut to stay without at least exploring outside options. Calvin Pace, Jets ($5.8 million base/$11.6 cap): He too will be released, sources said, although the Jets will make a strong effort to re-sign him at a lower rate.

Rolando McClain, Raiders ($4 million): He has been nothing but trouble off field, was basically sent home for the final quarter of last season and I would expect the Raiders to look to recoup some signing bonus as well when they officially part with him.

Defensive Back

Champ Bailey, Broncos ($9 million plus $1 million roster bonus): Bailey had a brutal time of it in the postseason, the Broncos have emerging young corners and owner Pat Bowlen has had them operating on a tight budget. Charles Woodson, Packers ($8.5 million plus $2.5 million roster bonus) : Another one of the great corners of his generation, but injuries have limited him, he is getting older, and the Packers often have to take a hard-line stance given their financial limitations.

Dunta Robinson, Falcons ($8 million): Was signed to be an elite corner a few years back in free agency but has been outshined by others. The Falcons have needs to fill and their cap situation will only get tighter when Matt Ryan gets paid.

Eric Wright, Buccaneers ($7.7 million): After a breakthrough 2011 in Detroit, Wright struggled on and off the field in 2012. Tampa Bay badly needs help at corner, but given his recent struggles I have a hard time seeing him back at this steep a price.



http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/2...igname-victims

Wow TJax makes almost as much as vick
wtf?

Pioli had to pick the player who would manage 30million the best.

Jacoby Jones would be a helluva pickup.

What about Finley, might Dorsey be interested in him? counting on Boss to stay healthy seems like a big stretch.

Do not want Finley.

agreed I think he's a headcase

Boldin is a pure Balla. Can play for my team anyday.
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Boldin/Bowe/Baldwin(if he can get his shit together) would be sick nasty.

Alex Smith, 49ers ($7.5 million base salary plus $1 million roster bonus): The 49ers are talking tough about keeping him, but no one is buying that. He deserves a chance to start somewhere and will get that whether via trade -- most likely -- or by being cut before his roster bonus is due next month. Kansas City could be a landing spot.

LMAOLMAO

I don't see the Ravens letting Jones go after this postseason performance.

I've heard many times this year that the guy has issues, but i've never heard what he's actually doing wrong.

I do know that he disappears in games once in a while, but thats about it.

I'd take a chance on McClain and Jacoby Jones wouldn't be bad either.

ya, that would be nice

I wonder if Chris Canty would be any good as a DE in a 1 gap 3-4 system.

Agreed, i was pretty much just dreaming.

We'll just have to draft our own Jones.

i think Mercedes Lewis wouldnt be a bad pick up

Oh, **** no.

People who think Bowe has drop issues would absolutely lose their shit if they had to watch Finley for a full season.

Additionally, he tried to blame Rodgers for some due to a lack of chemistry. ROFL

I think Jones gets cut. Ravens over cap now gotta fit Flacco and Dannell Ellerbe under cap.

Who was the former Giants DT who ended up starting for the Redskins in their 1-gap? Robbins?

edit: it was Barry Cofield.

Eeew, threw Rodgers under the bus? then i dont want him either.

Yeah, he's a moron and has legit drop issues/weak hands.

Super athletic guy though.

He'll only cost the Ravens $4 million next year. Boldin will cost them $6. I can see them moving Jones to their #2 WR spot opposite of Smith.

If anything, Jones' penchant for the big play in the biggest games hurts Baltimore's chances to retain him. Like C and O fan said, they're in a crap load of cap hurt, have to pay Flacco, and have something like 13 UFA's to deal with.

I'd be interested in Boldin only if Bowe is let loose. They strike me as kind of the same type of receiver. Tough, physical, can make tough catches. We need a speed guy. Jones fits that bill and can run back kicks/punts. Win win.

And Boldin is about 50x better than Jones at WR.

I'd want some speed in there, get someone to push Baldwin for his spot and put Bolden in the slot : winning.

Nobody wanted Alex Smith last year. Is there suddenly going to be demand for him?

Carson Palmer will pull a Bret Favre and retire, again. The Jets will call...

I need to say this here. Seeing Boldin in the Super Bowl made me think of it again. But my remark is about Dwayne Bowe.

Last year when Bowe was holding out and thinking he is some elite receiver he expects to be paid like, he is thinking of someone like Boldin.

Dwayne Bowe is nothing like Anquan Boldin. Only has been once in awhile, in spurts.

Not for what he wants...

Does Tyson Jackson drive a Bentley and rent a house?

Yeah. Funny what happens when you have a good QB throwing to you. Bowe hasn't had a QB half as good as Flacco. Boldin went from Kurt Warner to Flacco. Bowe went from Huard to Thigpen to Cassel to Quinn. Yet put up 1000 yard seasons. So spare me the BS.
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Bowe, IMO, is a better wr than boldin
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Wonder how he would've done in his career if he had Kurt Warner and Joe Flacco chucking him the rock instead of Tyler Thigpen, Brodie Croyle, Tyler Palko, Matt Cassel, and Damon Huard. :shake:

what about mercedes?

With all the "ZOMG ALEX SMIFF IS TEH BEST QB EVAR FOR KC" talk, I'm surprised there aren't more people interested in Matt Hasselbeck. Like Reid, he's part of the Mike Holmgren tree and they were both in Green Bay during Hasselbeck's rookie season when Reid was the QB Coach, so they've at least got a little history.

He knows the West Coast offense, is a lot cheaper than A. Smith, and would likely come in with the knowledge that he's a stop gap until our #1 pick is ready to play, whenever that may be.

I know he's old and isn't as big of a name, but I see Hasselbeck as a much better fit than Alex Smith in KC. Perfect stopgap for a rookie QB, IMO.

THIS

He would know his role and that his time is limited, if he even got any time at all... hell, i was hoping to somehow snag him this past season.

He is THE guy we need as our backup for next year.

I've been saying that since we hired Reid
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Oh how I hope the Titans are dumb enough to cut Hasselbeck.

Tyson Jackson.


JFC.

Wow. I forgot about Croyle and Palko.
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Hes not very good.

But he has a more than excellent understanding of the WCo and is a solid teacher. Would absolutely shell out 2-3M to keep him as a backup and for him to mentor Geno.

Cut Tyson Jackson and use his money to sign Will Smith to a short term deal.

We need somebody on this ****ing defensive line who doesn't suck balls. We haven't had a good 1/3/5 technique player since Neil ****ing Smith.

Anyone want to add Steve Hutchinson for one or two years? We've got enough young talented interior linemen, we just need time. Let Hutch finish out his career here then see what Jeff Allen's got.

At least that would save us from having to waste a 2nd or 3rd round pick on ANOTHER ****ing guard again.

I wouldn't hate it but personally I'd rather just throw Allen into the fire and see what he's got. I think he's got solid upside. Wouldn't be opposed to having Hutch mentor him for a year or two.

I'd take Finley and Champ.

Champ would be a good 1-2 year rental. He's still good, even if he isn't elite anymore and fills a need opposite Flowers (if he's willing to switch sides). Probably a damn good mentor too.

If they cut Champ, I'm shelling out some serious $$$ for him to teach Rhodes(if we draft him) and the rest of our sorry corners sans Flowers.

I agree.

I don't agree.

At least not with "serious $$$". I don't think he is worth it anymore.

I'd love it.

He'd be solid depth, leader, and can still play good enough to win should he have to fill in a few games.

And the best part is there's no reason to fear he'd end up being named the starter at this point in his career...

Would love bailey with flowers and berry

I'd bring in Darius Heyward-Bey for a look

I think Finley is one of the more overrated TE's in the league. 80% of Packers fans up here hate him.

If you think Bowe drops a lot of balls, Finley the exact same, if not worse. IMO the only thing Finley has that Moeaki doesn't is better health and an all-pro QB.

I'm ok with this~ Hasselbeck and Smith. **** it, it's gotta be better than Cassel and co.

Jay Ratliff
Eric Wright
Mercedes Lewis
Tyson Jackson

I'm sure Dorsey doesn't either.

Serious meaning 3yrs/24M. He'll probably get a better offer if released but I'd love to have him help out our secondary. Pure fantasy though.

I don't see the cost/benefit helping us by signing any of those guys.

He only took the Niners to the NFC championship last year...yeah..he sucks!!!

Eric Wright is ****ing god awful

I feel like Kolb, Flynn, Hasselback and even Vick would make more sense for KC than Smith. We probably will try to sign one if the contract is right... But we are still drafting our franchise QB too.

We don't need a veteran stopgap. No on any of those qbs

Yes, we need one. If the franchise QB isn't ready, you don't throw him out there and break him mentally. You don't just hand him the job. He has to work for it and learn from the veteran. If franchise QB shows he's ready to start week one, great. Start him then. But it would be beyond stupid not to sign a veteran.

If Hasselbeck wanted to play backup for one or two years to finish out his career, how the hell could you say no to that? He's more than capable of playing a few games here and there if he needs to. Most importantly, he's old and experienced (and didn't suck for most of his career like Huard). We haven't had that kind of QB on our roster since Trent Green.

Geno + Hasselbeck. Draft some bukkake 6th round rookie, have him compete with Stanzi, and let's get this ****ing show on the road.

Oh, and when Hasselbeck retires, you draft another QB in the 3rd/4th round in another year.

Reid didn't trot McNabb right out, and same with Kolb or Foles. Dorsey didn't trot Rodgers right out. We are more than likely going to see someone experienced in the WCO starting week one as our franchise guy gets ready to take over. If its a Wilson beating out Flynn week one situation there is no downfall at all to having that backup option still.

I'd like to see the Seahawks pick up Paul Kruger..

No, it's not.

So you plan on having three rookies? Or two rookies and Stanzi? You're a complete moron if you don't think a smart QB coach like Reid isn't going to bring in a veteran that can run his system to help start things in KC.

You don't need a washed up has been if you have your guy. Why bench the future?

The hell we don't. Contrary to popular belief around these parts, Geno Smith is not Andrew Luck caliber. He is not RG3 either. He is not going to come in here as a rookie and just play lights out on fire. He's going to struggle if he starts immediately. Just about everyone from this draft class will. If we don't have a stopgap in case that happens, we're going to be in for a long season, that is unless Ricky Stanzi ends up being the golden god and delivers us from evil.

"our guy" isn't in this draft. He was in last years' draft. There is no guarantee that any of these QBs in this draft will even make for solid starters. So far we've got a plethora of career backups.

We're going to be in for a long season no matter what. This franchise isn't going to get fixed overnight. Don't make it harder than it has to be

You try your best and if it doesn't work out, you move on. Alex Smith and Matt Hasselbeck are not the answer, everybody knows this.

Is Geno Smith Russell Wilson caliber? Joe Flacco caliber? Matt Ryan caliber? All those guys started their first pro games.

This fan base doesn't have the patience to let a raw QB start week one. You morons would turn before the season is over no matter how much you try to deny it now. Haurbah knows QB's, he still started Smith over his guy to develop him and get him ready. Reid started our OC over his QB McNabb. It's just how it works. If you throw a raw QB out there he will fail. Luckily Reid knows more about this than you, and is signing a QB no matter what.

If you just give the keys to a rookie they likely aren't going to give it their all to be the best they possibly can be because they ready have the job. There is a reason our OC and QB coach have previously worked with Reid, a d that our franchise QB will have friendly competition/mentoring from a QB who also knows the offense. You do everything possible to set up success for the QB, especially when there's no Luck in this draft.

Then became a FA and no one pursued him....

No. He's way more raw than those guys.