Seattle-Win while you have the chance-Salary cap is bearing down!

[loudnproudcolt]

I posted a couple of thoughts about Seattle over on the FA forum, but I thought I would bring it over here, because it shows how judicious you need to be about your cap and spending. Additionally, if Seattle is going to win the SB, it needs to be this year or next, since I see a dropoff due to cap space. Look at Seattle's roster, and you just look how loaded they are, especially the defense. When healthy, the offensive line is good, but they need receivers, IMHO. Part of the reason is they brought in some high priced talent this year, plus they also have a lot of drafted talent that they did great homework on, and got steals. The only problem is, that drafted talent is now going to mean an exodus of talent over the next year or two, they can't keep it all.

 

They only have 3M in cap space next year. Now I am guessing they will release Sydney Rice, Cliff Avril or Cris Clemmons, and that puts them about at 20M in cap space. There major problem is going to be Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman, and i am sure they would like to keep both, the problem is money. Wilson being a 3rd rounder will be in the last year of his contract, with 4th year option. Below 1st round, only 3 yr. contracts with option for fourth year. So regardless of what happens in SB, they are going to need to extend Wilson next year, probably after the season. He is going to demand at least Cutler money, so lets say around 18M, even though he does not have a long track record, he is going to get paid, the intangibles and tangibles are evident. Sherman was a 5th round pick. I don't know how, but he was. I have Sherman is not too fond of Harbaugh, as he believes something he said was the reason for the drop. Regardless, this is his option year, so they are going to have to pay him if they want to keep him. If Revis got 16M from TB, what does Sherman get. The two of them together will command around 30-35M in salary cap space, about 1/4 of the cap right now. So do they keep Sherman? I believe they have extended Chancellor, I am not sure about Earl Thomas, but he was a first round pick, and this is his last year, entering option year next year. I don't think he has been extended and he is going to command a lot. He is one of the top safeties out there. Browner may be suspended next year, but he is appealing that. Lets assume he is not suspended for the whole year. So he will be a FA, and demand huge money. Then look on the offensive side, which except for Wilson, not the strongest side. Okung, their best O linemen is going into his option year I believe w/out extension. Golden Tate and Doug Baldwind are FA, two of there starting WR's. Hauschka, who is a really good kicker is a FA. Go up and down their roster, all the names and talent, and you see they are going to have to make some really hard decisions.

 

 Looking at how good they are, but all the talent and their salary cap situation just reinforces what good shape we are in considering our cap space. We have Luck for two more years before his option year when we  will extend, in addition to most of that draft class, but we are in really good shape regardless going into 2015 and beyond. If I am the Colts, I would be on the lookout for players coming out of Seattle the next few years. They will still be a very good team, simply because they have a QB, and we know how much that matters, but they are going to have to make some very tough decisions over the next year.

 

What would you guys do? You know you are keeping Wilson, would you also keep Sherman considering the cap impacts. What about the rest of the secondary. They are a really interesting team to examine when you look at the talent, but the decisions they will have to make in who to keep and let go. Just thought it was interesting since I am looking at FA. How about Vontae with Sherman?   That would be a beautiful pairing!

 

Just don't know if i can shell out that kind of money on anyone except a QB until the cap goes up significantly.

[pacolts56]

Maybe Sherman will give them a home town discount.

[lollygagger8]

We will be in the same boat when we have to re-sign Luck, Hilton, Fleener, Allen, Ballard and Chapman, etc etc. 

[oldunclemark]

We will be in the same boat when we have to re-sign Luck, Hilton, Fleener, Allen, Ballard and Chapman, etc etc. 

 

 

We will be in the same boat when we have to re-sign Luck, Hilton, Fleener, Allen, Ballard and Chapman, etc etc. 

Very true

 

The Colts have three years before Andrew is  $20,000,000 player...Its the going rate

 

Jay Cutler makes $22 mil next year

[Valpo2004]

Very true

 

The Colts have three years before Andrew is  $20,000,000 player...Its the going rate

 

Jay Cutler makes $22 mil next year

 

Thanks to Flacco even mediocre QB's are making insane amounts.  

[lollygagger8]

Very true

 

The Colts have three years before Andrew is  $20,000,000 player...Its the going rate

 

Jay Cutler makes $22 mil next year

 

If Crybaby Cutler makes that much, we are going to hafta pay Luck Billions. <- with a B. 

[John Waylon]

I wonder if their PED spending counts against their cap... If so, that's where most of the money is going...

[Danfish98]

Be interesting to see what happens to Wilson when they lose some defenders because of the cap.  Much harder to win those games where you throw for 120 yards when you don't have a world beating defense.

[ReMeDy]

Thanks to Flacco even mediocre QB's are making insane amounts.  

 

Even when Flacco isn't in the playoffs, he finds ways to mock us.

[Colts_Fan12]

I would cry tears if joy if we could have Vontae and Sherman!!

[Coltsman1788]

We will be in the same boat when we have to re-sign Luck, Hilton, Fleener, Allen, Ballard and Chapman, etc etc. 

Agreed...Colts could find themselves in a very similar situation soon.  Here is an interesting article on the subject. 

 

http://www.indystar.com/story/colts-insider/2014/01/23/andrew-lucks-future-contract-will-impact-the-colts-current-free-agency-decisions/4794579/