Thought I read that too, but here it lists his 2013 cap hit as 1.8m.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/kansas-ci.../chase-daniel/

I hadn't read that, but I had no idea that could even be done.

My understanding was that a signing bonus is spread over the life of the deal - period but that an annual workout bonus accrues when earned.

But I'm often full of shit, this may be no different.

If we trade out and don't take Geno, we better get a first next year and still have a pick in the top 10 this year.

Minimum.

Yeah - $50k workout bonus I forgot to factor in.

The $1.8 makes more sense to me, with my standard "I'm often full of shit" caveat applied.

So then it's even easier to handle his contract.

Because the cap hit for all three QBs go from $14.25 in 2013 to $17.4 in 2014. Trade or release Alex Smith and you're paying $8.4 million to both Daniel and Geno.

That's about where it should be for one franchise QB and two backups. And I would argue that it's BETTER than the high salary cap figures for a single QB. This is much more manageable, in that you can get out from any of these contracts when one guy ascends.

To me, this is just hedging our bets.

Yup, just like the offices that drafted Mario Williams and Jake Long...

So:
Alex Smith 8.5m
Chase Daniel 1.8m
Geno Smith 4m (Andrew Luck was 4.02 last year)

Team Total = 14.3m

Individual Quarterback 2013 cap hits:
Eli Manning 20.85m
Peyton Manning 20m
Drew Brees 17.4m
Phillip Rivers 17.11m
Tony Romo 16.818m
Carson Palmer 15.335m
Tom Brady 13.8m
Ben Roethlisberger 13.6m

You can amortize the signing bonus over the life of the contract, but you don't have to. You could call it a "roster bonus" which isn't amortized, IIRC.

I don't think anyone is arguing that the finances will keep us from taking Geno, so I'm not sure why we're banging this drum so hard.

You're right, there's room in the budget for Geno Smith. The question is exclusively one of asset allocation.

And if Alex Smith plays well, it's not like teams wouldn't want Geno Smith in a trade in the next couple years.

With serious questions with both Alex and Geno, having both on board would be brilliant.

Get ready to add Aaron Rodgers 80 bajillion to that list...

That's what I thought (I said workout bonus; roster bonus is the same).

A standard signing bonus, as I understand it, is amortized. However, if you want the same impact accelerated onto this year's cap, you'd call it a roster bonus or a workout bonus.

I've seen nothing to suggest that this is how the Chiefs structured it. Frankly, it'd be a little crazy to do so given the flat cap.

Not necessarily. Flacco is only a 6.8m cap hit for 2013. In 2014 it escalates to 14.8m. But in 2016 & beyond it's an insane 28m+. Can you say re-structure?

And that's where it comes back to the ultimate bottom line. They have to decide which they value more.....Geno Smith or the trade offer they receive.