Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Where do NFL team salary caps stand?
Omar Kelly breaks down free agency, draft
The NFL offseason has finally arrived, and this is the time for franchises to sell their fan bases hope for the 2018 season. If the Philadelphia Eagles decision makers can turn that franchise around in two seasons, and dethrone the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl LII with Nick Foles, a backup quarterback at the helm, then (insert your favorite team here) can do it too.
Here is a look at the challenges every NFL team will face this offseason, and the available cap space they have to work with in free agency according to cap numbers provided by the NFL Player’s Association:
Arizona Cardinals, $8,517,563 in cap space: Steve Wilks takes over as the head coach and his first order of business is to find a new starting quarterback because of Carson Palmer’s retirement. Palmer’s departure will create $14 million in cap space, but the Cardinals don’t have any quarterbacks under contract.
Atlanta Falcons, $12,447,269: Extending quarterback Matt Ryan’s contract ($19,250,000 million in the final year), and restructuring left tackle Jake Matthews’ fifth-year option ($12,476,000)
could create additional cap space. Dontari Poe and Adrian Clayborn proved to be reliable starters on Atlanta’s defensive line, and are both free agents.
Baltimore Ravens, $7,507,668: Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has announced he’s stepping down after the upcoming season, which means this will be his last chance to make a run at a third Super Bowl title during his reign as Baltimore’s top executive. Receiver Mike Wallace and center Ryan Jensen are the Ravens’ top free agents.
Buffalo Bills, $29,121,081: The Bills ended the franchise’ 18-year playoff drought this past season, but getting back to the postseason might be even more of a challenge next season unless Buffalo upgrades the quarterback position. Tyrod Taylor will likely be traded or released to create $15 million in cap space, but don’t expect it to be easy for the Bills to upgrade that position in the draft or free agency.
Carolina Panthers, $15,105,343: The Panthers franchise is up for sale, and the coaching staff is being reinvented because of the Mike Shula firing, and former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks taking over as the Cardinals coach. So don’t expect Carolina to be too aggressive in free agency this offseason. That means two top free agents — offensive guard Andrew Norwell and defensive tackle Star Lotulelei — might be allowed to sign with the highest bidder.
Chicago Bears, $41,173,250: Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy was named Chicago’s head coach and he’ll be responsible for turning around a putrid offense led by rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky last season. Cornerbacks Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are Chicago’s top free agents.
Cincinnati Bengals, $29,215,421: Coach Marvin Lewis was brought back for a 16th season to provide continuity despite a staff shakeup that saw defensive coordinator Paul Guenther leave, along with several other assistants. But don’t expect Cincinnati to be aggressive in free agency because they rarely are. The Bengals top free agents — linebacker Kevin Minter, tight end Tyler Eifert, offensive tackle Andrew Smith and tailback Jeremy Hill — might be allowed to sign elsewhere.
Cleveland Browns, $101,084,818: The Browns now have an all-star cast of front office figures led by John Dorsey running the organization. Cleveland possesses a talented roster that’s missing a quarterback. Don’t be surprised to see the Browns make a significant run at Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo or Case Keenum instead of drafting a quarterback with their two first-round picks.
Dallas Cowboys, $15,099,447: DeMarcus Lawrence picked an ideal year to have a breakout season (14.5 sacks), and will likely receive the franchise tag from the Cowboys because if he hits free agency it would create a bidding war. Getting Dez Bryant to restructure his contract ($12.5 million in 2018) won’t be easy, but is necessary for the Cowboys to continue improving.
Denver Broncos, $21,084,911: Denver’s defense took a step backwards in 2017, yet still has the talent to carry the Broncos to the postseason. But Denver must address the quarterback position first because another season with Trevor Sieman and Paxton Lynch as the starters will likely lead to coach Vance Joseph’s dismissal.
Detroit Lions, $44,071,705: Former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia was hired to get the Lions off the mediocrity merry-go-round, and don’t be surprised if his first order of business is to re-enforce Detroit’s defense, and beef up the running game. The Lions will likely end up using the franchise tag to retain Ezekiel Ansah, who recorded 44 tackles and 12 sacks last season, and 44 sacks in his first five seasons.
Green Bay Packers, $11,734,101: The Packers came back to the pack a little in 2017 because of Aaron Rodgers’ injuryplagued season, and lost a few top level executives to the Browns this offseason. But Green Bay has very few frontline free agents — safety Morgan Burnett, cornerback Davon House and offensive guard Jahri Evans — expected to hit the market.
Houston Texans, $51,361,642: Brian Gaines is the new general manager and he’s taking over a talented, but injuryplagued roster. The Texans have plenty of cap space to make improvements, and very few frontline free agents — cornerback Jonathan Joseph, safety Marcus Gilchrist and offensive linemen Chris Clark and Brent Giacomini — to worry about this offseason.
Indianapolis Colts, $70,724,402: The Colts are hoping that quarterback Andrew Luck is past his recent injuries, and ready to take his game to the next level. The Colts will need to fortify the offensive line and add some offensive weapons to help Luck and the offense out. Tailback Frank Gore (center), offensive lineman Jack Mewhort and receiver Donte Monchief are all free agents, along with cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Rashaan Melvin.
Jacksonville Jaguars, $10,576,278: The Jaguars had an impressive one-season turnaround, but must now build off of last year’s 10-6 season. Linebacker Paul Posluszny, offensive guard Patrick Omameh, and receivers Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee are all expected to become unrestricted free agents.
Kansas City Chiefs, $20,358,155 over the cap: Trading quarterback Alex Smith to Washington will reduce Kansas City’s salary cap by $17 million, but the Chiefs still have a ton of work to do to improve the roster. Defensive lineman Bennie Logan, linebacker Derrick Johnson, center Dustin Fulton and punter Dustin Colquitt are all expected to become unrestricted free agents.
Los Angeles Chargers, $21,751,533: The clock is ticking on veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, who will begin his 15th season at the age of 36. Los Angeles’ 2017 turnaround under coach Anthony Lynn proves that Rivers and company aren’t far from becoming a playoff contender, but the roster needs an infusion of impactful playmakers on offense and defense this offseason.
Los Angeles Rams, $42,983,424: The Rams have paid Trumaine Johnson as if he were a Pro Bowl talent for the past two seasons and haven’t gotten a return on their investment. Don’t be surprised if he signs elsewhere this offseason. Sammy Watkins and safety Lamarcus Joyner also present big free-agent decisions, especially if Watkins doesn’t get the franchise or transition tag.
Miami Dolphins, $6,853,035: Jarvis Landry’s durability and productivity were the main reasons behind him grabbing the most catches for any receiver in their first four years in the NFL. Miami will have to do some roster purging to re-sign Landry, and add a few free agents who can improve the roster. Placing the franchise tag on Landry would limit Miami’s level of activity in free agency.
Minnesota Vikings, $55,739,704: Case Keenum had a life-changing season with the Vikings this past season, producing a 98.3 passer rating and leading Minnesota to the NFC Championship game. It would be irresponsible of the Vikings to let him become an unrestricted free agent. Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater are also free agents, so general manager Rick Spielman and his staff face some tough decisions.
New England Patriots, $13,681,417: Starting left tackles rarely hit the freeagent market, so don’t be surprised if Nate Solder lands a respectable deal that has him continuing his tenure with the Patriots. Malcolm Butler will become an unrestricted free agent and will likely sign elsewhere, especially after New England’s coaches benched him during the Super Bowl.
New Orleans Saints, $25,174,636: Drew Brees and the Saints have vowed to get a deal done because the last thing this future Hall of Fame quarterback wants is to start over at age 39 with a new team. Expect Brees to receive a new deal that pays him more than $20 million a season. Losing safety Kenny Vaccaro could halt the forward progress of the Saints’ much-improved defense.
New York Giants, $16,702,522: Justin Pugh, New York’s best offensive lineman in recent years, becomes a free agent this offseason. His departure would weaken an already struggling offensive line, which needs to protect quarterback Eli Manning
better if the Giants offense wants to be respectable under new coach Pat Shurmur.
New York Jets, $72,440,550: The Jets will be focusing on upgrading the quarterback spot this offseason because this team will only go so far with Josh McCown as the starter. McCown happens to be a free agent, and so is center Wesley Johnson, who started 23 games the past two seasons, and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who caught 50 passes in 13 games.
Oakland Raiders, $11,775,065: New head coach Jon Gruden will begin to put his stamp on the Raiders this offseason, and he’ll likely begin by cutting a few expensive veterans like receiver Michael Crabtree, and letting free-agent starters like safety Reggie Nelson and nose tackle Justin Ellis test the free-agent market. Philadelphia Eagles, $11,775,065 over
the cap: The Eagles won the Super Bowl this week, but will pay the price for it in the offseason because of their numerous bloated salaries, which features 12 players scheduled to make $5 million or more in base salaries. Linebacker Nigel Bradham, tight end Trey Burton and cornerback Patrick Robinson are Philadelphia’s top free agents.
Pittsburgh Steelers, $7,888,776: The Steelers annually enter the offseason either over, or close to it. After playing 2017 on the franchise tag, tailback Le’Veon Bell says he’ll sit out 2018 if he’s tagged again. Expect the Steelers sign him to a long-term contract that will allow quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to make another run at a championship in the next two years.
San Francisco 49ers, $107,634,166: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s brilliant debut as the 49ers starter ensures that he’ll maximize his opportunity to get paid as a free agent, even if San Francisco uses the franchise tag on him. The 49ers have plenty of cap space to work with, so resigning safety Eric Reid and tailback Carlos Hyde should be too challenging if that’s on General Manager John Lynch’s to-do list.
Seattle Seahawks, $18,781,111: It appears the Seahawks might view this offseason as the opportune time to infuse their roster with some youngsters, so don’t be surprised if Seattle lets free agents like tight end Jimmy Graham and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson leave, and releases veterans like defensive linemen Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett and cornerback Richard Sherman.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, $58,851,463: General manager Jason Licht and head coach Dirk Koetter barely held onto their jobs after Tampa Bay’s disappointing 5-11 season in 2017, so expect them to be aggressive this offseason. Retaining cornerback Brent Grimes and signing receiver Mike Evans to a multi-year deal are likely Tampa’s top priorities, as is improving on the talent level in the trenches on offense and defense.
Tennessee Titans, $47,833,768: New head coach Mike Vrabel inherits a team that advanced to the second round of the AFC playoffs, and has plenty of cap space, and few holes on the roster. Tennessee’s top free agent is linebacker Avery Williamson, who has been a steadying presence the past four seasons, where he’s averaged 94 tackles per year.
Washington Redskins, $39,765,387: Washington traded for quarterback Alex Smith under the assumption that they were going to be outbid for Kirk Cousins. Placing the franchise tag on Cousins for a third consecutive season in an attempt to trade him would be irresponsible because it would likely keep them from making other offseason moves. But we are dealing with owner Daniel Snyder, so you never know. One way or another, Cousins will likely set a new bar for NFL contracts.