***** Official 2020 NFL Free Agency Thread *****

[saphojunkie]

Certified Corona free.

Post here. Pertinent free agent signings can still have their own thread. Anyone who replies with a Q, because something is buried in this thread should blah blah AIDS tree.

[Wilson8]

If the Chiefs are trying to reduce Sammy Watkins $21 M cap hit by renegotiating a new contract, why wouldn't they do the same thing with LDT and his $9 M cap hit? I'm not anxious to cut members of a Super Bowl winning offensive line. I'd rather try and reduce his cap hit first.

I'm not saying that LDT is a great guard and needs to be paid $9 M, but trying to keep him at less money seems to be the better plan.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by Wilson8

If the Chiefs are trying to reduce Sammy Watkins $21 M cap hit by renegotiating a new contract, why wouldn't they do the same thing with LDT and his $9 M cap hit? I'm not anxious to cut members of a Super Bowl winning offensive line. I'd rather try and reduce his cap hit first.

I'm not saying that LDT is a great guard and needs to be paid $9 M, but trying to keep him at less money seems to be the better plan.

Because we know the level in which Sammy is likely to play for the next few years. He's the perfect #2 WR in this system. LDT on the other hand is more difficult to forecast. He could improve, and if he does then riding out that contract isn't a bad option, but there is huge risk to committing more money to him at this point. See Tamba Hali contract.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Wilson8

If the Chiefs are trying to reduce Sammy Watkins $21 M cap hit by renegotiating a new contract, why wouldn't they do the same thing with LDT and his $9 M cap hit? I'm not anxious to cut members of a Super Bowl winning offensive line. I'd rather try and reduce his cap hit first.

I'm not saying that LDT is a great guard and needs to be paid $9 M, but trying to keep him at less money seems to be the better plan.

LDT isn't very good that's why.

[MAHOMO 4 LIFE!]

LDT is probably the worse player on the O line tbh

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Mecca

This says to me the Chiefs very much do not want to lose Sammy Watkins, there's no other reason to play it this way unless you think you can get something done with him.

They also need draft picks, so...

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by MAHOMO 4 LIFE!

LDT is probably the worse player on the O line tbh

He looks really thin to be a guard IMO.

[duncan_idaho]

I was talking to a friend about a Watkins restructure this morning. I think it makes a lot of sense from Sammy's angle, considering the market for WR.

If you're Watkins and the Chiefs offer you:

3/$35 million

$14 million signing bonus
year 1: $4.5 million base ($9.25 cap hit - saves $12 million on current number, only $2.25 more than dead cap if cut)
Year 2: $6 million base ($10.67 cap hit)
Year 3: 10 million base ($14.67 cap hit; include $1-2 million as roster bonus)

That's a better deal than he'd get on the open market at the moment; it would guarantee him the salary he's due this year (I'm assuming that suggestion is legal under rules, but may be wrong) and also give him at least one more year. If the Chiefs walk on him after 2021, the dead cap number is small and manageable. And he hits FA again at age 29.

Seems like a win for both sides. I think it will get done.

Also puts less pressure on KC to take a WR early. Would make it easier to take someone like Antonio Gibson and let him develop for a year or 2 as a Watkins replacement.

[Monticore]

Any chance LDT just retires to go back to medicine and how would that affect the cap.

[MAHOMO 4 LIFE!]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I was talking to a friend about a Watkins restructure this morning. I think it makes a lot of sense from Sammy's angle, considering the market for WR.

If you're Watkins and the Chiefs offer you:

3/$35 million

$14 million signing bonus
year 1: $4.5 million base ($9.25 cap hit - saves $12 million on current number, only $2.25 more than dead cap if cut)
Year 2: $6 million base ($10.67 cap hit)
Year 3: 10 million base ($14.67 cap hit; include $1-2 million as roster bonus)

That's a better deal than he'd get on the open market at the moment; it would guarantee him the salary he's due this year (I'm assuming that suggestion is legal under rules, but may be wrong) and also give him at least one more year. If the Chiefs walk on him after 2021, the dead cap number is small and manageable. And he hits FA again at age 29.

Seems like a win for both sides. I think it will get done.

Also puts less pressure on KC to take a WR early. Would make it easier to take someone like Antonio Gibson and let him develop for a year or 2 as a Watkins replacement.

Okay Brett

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by MAHOMO 4 LIFE!

Okay Brett

Shhhhh. Don’t tell anyone.

[BossChief]

The smart thing for Sammy and Chris would be to sign 3 year deals.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I was talking to a friend about a Watkins restructure this morning. I think it makes a lot of sense from Sammy's angle, considering the market for WR.

If you're Watkins and the Chiefs offer you:

3/$35 million

$14 million signing bonus
year 1: $4.5 million base ($9.25 cap hit - saves $12 million on current number, only $2.25 more than dead cap if cut)
Year 2: $6 million base ($10.67 cap hit)
Year 3: 10 million base ($14.67 cap hit; include $1-2 million as roster bonus)

That's a better deal than he'd get on the open market at the moment; it would guarantee him the salary he's due this year (I'm assuming that suggestion is legal under rules, but may be wrong) and also give him at least one more year. If the Chiefs walk on him after 2021, the dead cap number is small and manageable. And he hits FA again at age 29.

Seems like a win for both sides. I think it will get done.

Also puts less pressure on KC to take a WR early. Would make it easier to take someone like Antonio Gibson and let him develop for a year or 2 as a Watkins replacement.

Shouldn't there be an extra $7 Million attached to year 1 of the deal from his previous deal?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Coogs

Shouldn't there be an extra $7 Million attached to year 1 of the deal from his previous deal?

I was converting it to a signing bonus. If that’s even legal.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Any chance LDT just retires to go back to medicine and how would that affect the cap.

Any remaining bonus cap hit would be accelerated and they would be off the hook for his base.

[MAHOMO 4 LIFE!]

The Jaguars say that CB Darqueze Dennard, who had intended to sign a three-year deal with them, will not be signing with the team after they were unable to agree to final terms on the deal. He's back to the open market.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 26, 2020