Preparing for June 1st. Who is likely to be shown the door?

Here are some of our biggest salaries going into 2006 (all taken from http://www.houstonprofootball.com/cap.html):

Johnson, Andre
$5,000,000 salary
$2,383,664 bonus
$7,383,664 cap figure

Carr, David
$5,250,000 salary
$2,006,720 bonus
$7,256,720 cap figure

Wade, Todd
$3,500,000 salary
$1,673,387 bonus
$5,173,387 cap figure

Smith, Robaire
$3,400,000 salary
$1,398,387 bonus
$4,798,387 cap figure

Payne, Seth
$2,800,000 salary
$1,431,720 bonus
$4,231,720 cap figure

Wiegert, Zach
$3,500,000 salary
$706,720 bonus
$4,206,720 cap figure

Greenwood, Morlon
$2,511,000 salary
$1,406,720 bonus
$3,917,720 cap figure

Davis, Domanick
$1,700,000 salary
$2,106,720 bonus
$3,806,720 cap figure

Weaver, Anthony
$1,000,000 salary
$2,406,720 bonus
$3,406,720 cap figure

Pitts, Chester
$755,000 salary
$2,591,720 bonus
$3,346,720 cap figure

Wong, Kailee
$2,000,000 salary
$1,171,720 bonus
$3,171,720 cap figure


Out of these players, I could see any combination of the following players being let go to save money.
Zach Wiegert ($1,400,000 dead money and $2,800,000 cap savings)
Seth Payne ($3,375,000 dead money and $550,000 cap savings)
Todd Wade ($6,666,667 dead money and 1,500,000 cap HIT)
Kailee Wong ($4,660,000 dead money and 1,495,000 cap HIT)

Among others. We have already cut Walker and Coleman. According to the source, cutting Coleman saved us about $535,000 and gave us $2,500,000 in dead money while cutting walker gave us a cap HIT of $1,500,000 (can be prorated so we only pay his regular bonus this year, negating that hit and instead saving us about $4 million) while giving us $7,333,333 in dead money (can be split into $1.8 this year and like 5.5 or something next year according to the cut rules)

Anyways, I'm getting a little nervous about this. We have some NASTY contracts from the old regine still around, and because of their huge bonuses, are hard to get rid of. I guess we'll see what happens!

Cutting Wade after June 1 would put half of his cap hit on this year and half on next, so that will save us a couple million this year while costing us a couple million next year (although Coleman, Walker, and all our other cuts will be off the books next year so I'm not worried about our 2007 cap right now).

Actually, Walker's cap hit is split into next year as well per the new CBA agreement. He costs us maybe 1.8 this year and 5.5 next year

MorKnolle said:

Cutting Wade after June 1 would put half of his cap hit on this year and half on next, so that will save us a couple million this year while costing us a couple million next year (although Coleman, Walker, and all our other cuts will be off the books next year so I'm not worried about our 2007 cap right now).

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It isn't half and half. The June 1st cut allows whatever would be this year's prorated amount to be taken this year with the remainder reserved to next year. Wade has proration for the 2006-2009 seasons left. We could stick 2006 on this year with 2007-9 going to next year.

Sounds to me like we are stockpiling for the financial disaster next year.

Several of these players are in the last few years of their contract, so with big cap hits if they leave, they may be retained for that alone. However, why spend money you won't use? We picked up two defensive ends and a linebacker. So that puts Robaire and Kailee on the bubble. For Kailee, it just depends on how his injuries go.

IMO, we will most likely pick up Reggie Bush and try to trade DD after this year. We will look to a lineman in the draft to replace our aging line in the next year or two, so I am giving Wade/Weigert at least one more season.

Basically, I think one or two guys MIGHT be gone after June 1. I suspect most of the old regime's players will be gone by June 1, 2007.

Robaire Smith will likely play only DT. In my opinion, his upside is worth more than his contract. I feel like he's been one our more consistent DL, what with playing hard and penetrating

The implicit, underlying fact to this team is that the coaches believe a lot of these guys play better than they have shown over the past year. That is why I think a lot of these guys will be given the benefit of the doubt and retained for at least the 2006 season.

I think Wong is still serviceable as depth provided he comes back from his injury, and it's not really worth cutting him. Wade would be too much of a cap hit (and dead money) this year. They'll probably have to keep him around one more year. I could, though, see Payne being cut. We have a surplus of DT's. Wiegert could be cut too, depending on how the draft go's and/or what Weary's progress is.

outofhnd said:

Sounds to me like we are stockpiling for the financial disaster next year.

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In the case of Wade and Walker, you could put more than 1 year's worth of prorated salary cap dead money into this year. The team is just required to do AT LEAST one year's worth in 2006. Personally, I'd like to see us do about 1.5-2 years worth of theirs and get rid of both of them. They may decide to keep Wade for one season and do the same move (as Walker) next year.

I just hope the Texans have some really complicated spreadsheets that help them absorb the dead money if we cut one of these high signing bonus players.

Runner said:

I just hope the Texans have some really complicated spreadsheets that help them absorb the dead money if we cut one of these high signing bonus players.

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Too late. We cut Walkers 7.33 million dollar signing bonus already. OUCH

gtexan02 said:

Robaire Smith will likely play only DT. In my opinion, his upside is worth more than his contract. I feel like he's been one our more consistent DL, what with playing hard and penetrating

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I totally agree. Robaire has been a constant on our inconsistant team. Solid player, and my favorite Texan!

And he is a darn nice guy too.



What is the status on Wong? Is he still gimpy or all healed and ready to play? (Being PC is not my strongest asset)

Maybe the players mentioned will feel a little heat and pick up level of play this season. Are you listening P buc?

I wonder how much of a hit we would take this year if we cut Greenwood. He is the only guy there that I see as a good possibility.

Well...Seth Payne is a possibility too.

I dont know why the fans hate Todd Wade, I personally have never seen the guy play

but if the coaches are paying this guy a lot of money their must be something good about him

because Kubiak knows how to use his money (wisely)

DominickDavisFan76 said:

I dont know why the fans hate Todd Wade, I personally have never seen the guy play

but if the coaches are paying this guy a lot of money their must be something good about him

because Kubiak knows how to use his money (wisely)

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Todd Wade is a victum of the system. His build is not what you want for the scheme we are going to play and that's why a lot of people think he will be gone. Has nothing to do with the gentlman. Fine person and all of that, but his strengths are his weaknesses in the zone blocking scheme.

Ibar_Harry said:

Todd Wade is a victum of the system. His build is not what you want for the scheme we are going to play and that's why a lot of people think he will be gone. Has nothing to do with the gentlman. Fine person and all of that, but his strengths are his weaknesses in the zone blocking scheme.

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If Todd Wade doesn't make it onto the new OL it will not be because of his build (he is a very trim 6' 8" guy) it will be because of his footwork/footspeed.

I hope they all make the team. Dead money is dead money! These guys have talent or they wouldn't be where they are today. If Kubiak is as good as I hope, then maybe some of these OT will pan out. I hate to ripp on any of the guys. I think the seed of distruction is finnaly gone, and the GM has really done well this offseason by standing back and letting people who know football make the decisions, and then being the good head hunter that he is he sought after and picked up the supplies we needed. The Texans are in position to really turn this thing around. Have some faith.

infantrycak said:

If Todd Wade doesn't make it onto the new OL it will not be because of his build (he is a very trim 6' 8" guy) it will be because of his footwork/footspeed.

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Absolutly correct. I suspect I-Bar might have meant that and it just didn't come out right.

I feel that we need to keep most of these guys, not take the cap hit just for depth purposes. Our depth has never been deep all across the board and these guys already know the system and they are still under contract. Keep them!

only one for sure on that list I would cut would be Weigart , Payne would never go he has the most heart on that line.

infantrycak said:

It isn't half and half. The June 1st cut allows whatever would be this year's prorated amount to be taken this year with the remainder reserved to next year. Wade has proration for the 2006-2009 seasons left. We could stick 2006 on this year with 2007-9 going to next year.

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the new rule changed that............june 1 is not going to be a big deal any longer.

Bongo59 said:

the new rule changed that............june 1 is not going to be a big deal any longer.

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Who said anything about a big deal?--it was a point on how the accounting works. They didn't change the way in which the accounting for June 1st cuts worked. What they did was allow teams to designate guys as June 1st cuts and go ahead and release them to go find new jobs.

Bongo59 said:

the new rule changed that............june 1 is not going to be a big deal any longer.

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Not true....................... The only thing changed in the June 1 rule is that it now allows teams to identify up to two players prior to the start of the league year (~March 1) who will be cut prior to June 1 while still allowing the team to receive the post June 1 cap spreading relief.

The only condition is that the team has to carry the full current year cap hit until June 1 after which the team can account for the remaining years accelerated proration on the following year's cap if they choose to (they don't have to - they can take it all in the current year if they have room). Everything else regarding June 1 is the same as its ever been.

There can and will continue to be some big names cut on June 1 every year under the new CBA as teams take advantage of the spreading 'benefit.' There may be slightly fewer players cut because of the "pick two" rule, but there's really nothing in it for the teams to do this since the teams don't get any cap relief until June 1 anyway. It's all a courtesy and goodwill to the player to begin his job search or enter retirement sooner.