Rick Smith's poor job of managing the cap has closed our window for the time being.

[dalemurphy]

To be honest, the facts say the The Texans were a better a team and they were. It is only the many excuses (absence any facts) trying to justify that they weren't.

Criticize the organization, of course you're not!

What do you mean? I spent two paragraphs criticizing the organization.

When my car won't start, I don't send it to the junkyard to be demolished. I take it to the mechanic. He performs diagnostics and determines what repairs need to be made and what parts are in good working order. Your methodology would be to treat this Texan team as if it is in the same situation as Tampa Bay... or the Texan team in 2005. Blow it up and start over! I am more interested in fixing what is broken and keeping what is working. Denying that anything is working when all of you are clearly disappointed with the season so far (meaning you expected the team to have a good season- meaning you agreed that there was a lot working on this team) is ironic, to say the least.


Criticisms of the organization:

1. Head coach has done a poor job this year. He and Wade are over their heads against elite coaches- clearly illustrated last year vs. New England.

2. Marciano is a mess. As his Kubiak's tendency, he is slow to move on from members of his coaching staff.

3. They should've effectively addressed RT.

4. Ed Reed gamble is looking pretty foolish right now.

5. Wade Phillips is too predictable with man coverage.

6. Kubiak's playcalling tends to become more predictable late in the game, when the game is in doubt.

7. Smith's gamble on Montgomery was poor.

... there's more, but I have to go.


I still believe the team plays for Kubiak... It is young, talented, and in position to be good for a long time if it is not mismanaged.

 

[Texian]

I was not a huge Winston Fan, but in hindsight he was leaps and bounds better than anything we have now. Not even close.

There we're the occasional whiffs, but for the most part he'd block him man in pass pro and he was good in run blocking.

Only thing I can think of is that maybe the Texans felt like he was in a decline .

Your last line is spot on from what I heard from a friend in the organization. There was solid concern about future performance decline in the near future

The primary reason why Winston was released when he was is because he offered the Texans the most Salary Cap space which the Texans were in desperate need of. Winston gave up 6 sacks during the year without any help but nobody did a better job run blocking and opening up more holes for Foster than Winston. Winston's departure was the beginning of Foster's decline. Since Winston's departure to this day the Texans can not run to the right or in the Red Zone.

 

[Ole Miss Texan]

Now tell us all about the bottom 40 players on that 53 man roster.

Lol I was responding to the conversation surrounding re-signing out players that deserve it and how that has an immediate effect to our cap situation. I can't put it any other way than to say we have a lot of really good players. Those players get paid handsomely. That's the byproduct of them playing so well. The ones were keeping are arguably in the top 3 in the nfl at their respective positions. This whole conversation is about our cap management and were always up against it now bc we have a crap ton of good players.

We didn't splurge during the uncapped season bc they new we needed to re-sign our own players over the next few years. That's managing the cap, we're against the cap ... That's very different from being in cap hell.

 

[Scooter]

i'm not getting this discussion at all. we have what many consider(ed) to be the most overall talented team in the league. we sent 8 players to the probowl last season, including multiple all-pro's. we have cap-friendly deals in place, and each year can move money around or drop a player without hurting us. this season some contracts have tightened our belt a bit, but some big ones (antonio, wade smith, schaub) can be removed for significant savings. those three mentioned we've addressed with young players. the trouble is your potential players may not be as good as your high payed vets, or they might exceed the vet. case looks better than schaub, jones and wade are about a push, and crick will be a step down from antonio. what Texian keeps harping on is being able to add 2mil-5mil contracts ... those are dead money deals, players who arent part of your core and potential cuts (especially at the bottom of the team like texian wants), but make enough money to cause problems.

what's hurting us more than anything is we've had a run of players who havent panned out at vital positions. OLB has reed, mercilus, montgomery, and williams - picks from each of the first four rounds who havent really worked. on the line we've added newton, jones, gardner, brooks, quess, and williams - picks all over the map with only brandon brooks going as planned. these two areas we've thrown our resources at but just cant land the winners and it's showing on the field.

 

[thunderkyss]

Can we consider that the bad start began in December of last year?

Because total mismanagement of the salary cap bit us in the ass mid December.


Totally logical.

 

[Texian]

Because total mismanagement of the salary cap bit us in the ass mid December.


Totally logical.

Yep, it was just a matter of time and that's when it began to rear it's ugly head. Actually the crack in the damn started around the middle of November. Those .500 and > teams have a way of doing that to the Texans most of the time.

 

[eriadoc]

I was not a huge Winston Fan, but in hindsight he was leaps and bounds better than anything we have now. Not even close.

Not hindsight. Remember this thread? Winston was playing well his last season here. There was some Pro Bowl chatter. He had his limitations, but they were the sort of limitations that most above average but not elite tackles have.

I don't know about you, but I was high on Butler. Check old forum posts and I know I wasn't the only one. At the time, I felt for the amount of money we'd save, and the minimal amount of production we'd lose, cutting Winston was the right move. BTW, it's not like he's been playing well since he left either.

I never felt like Butler was an adequate replacement plan. I gave Newton the benefit of the doubt early on, since he was young, but neve rfelt good about him either. Here are some of my posts from the offseason/preseason after Winston was cut:

That's one way to look at it. Allow me to present the other side of the argument.

The team was a QB and maybe a WR away from being serious Super Bowl contenders this past season. They were a Jacoby Jones away from potentially moving on to the AFC Championship game even without that QB and WR (full strength AJ). Since then, the only personnel change to the team has been a net loss of players.

1.) Mario - let me get this out of the way first. I'm a big fan of Mario I was one of the few people cheering when they announced the night before the draft they were taking him. The guy caught a ton of unjustified flack while he was here and played well when he was healthy. WHEN HE WAS HEALTHY is why I'm perfectly OK with him moving on. You don't pay a guy 96mil for missing games every season and/or ineffectively playing through injury. I think we all suspected Mario would be gone, and I think the FO made the only choice they should have to maintain long term viability. Thank you Texans for not mortgaging the future on Mario.

2.) Schaub has missed significant time 3 of the 5 seasons he's been a Texan. TJ Yates is a possible replacement someday, but we all saw that he's not quite there yet. Just wanted to point out that they're still potentially a QB away from being a serious SB contender.

3.) WR - Jacoby sucks. I've been saying it for a long time, and my hatred for him as a player (not person) is pretty far from objective after the playoff game. He's still here. AJ is great WHEN HE'S HEALTHY. He's missed more games in the past 5 years than Matt Schaub. Maybe people don't realize or want to accept that; I don't know.

4.) Myers - glad he was re-signed, but I'm not buying the hype that's been put out there about him. He's had one really bad year, one really good year, and the rest has been solid. You didn't fire him after his really bad year, so don't blow smoke up my ass about his really good year. Make him do it again. You made Foster do it a second time, after all.

5.) Brisiel - not to be confused with a HOF guard or anything, but he's consistently beaten Caldwell, even coming back from a bad leg, twice. He's just a flat out better player than Caldwell. So saying they have his replacement on the roster is pretty disingenuous.

6.) Winston - occasional liability in pass protection, but if Butler is better, why didn't he beat out Winston for the job? Either he's not as good or Kubiak wasn't playing the better player. You decide which of those options you like best, I suppose. I hope he gets better than Winston this season, at any rate.

7.) Ryans - Everyone knew it was going to take 2 years to come back from that injury. He started playing his best football toward the end of last year, so they traded him away.

8.) Vickers, Allen, Dreessen, etc. - All of these guys filled roles that kept other players off the field. Casey didn't supplant Vickers as a blocker or Dreessen as a TE. Graham didn't supplant Dreessen as a TE. KJax couldn't keep Allen off the field. Brandon Harris never saw the field, despite being a 2nd round pick. McManis and his random contemporaries couldn't break through either. So again, either these players were the best options to help the team win, or the coaches were making bad decisions.

Any of these moves can be rationalized. Taken as a whole, however, they weaken the team. They may not weaken the business side of things, but that's not going to help the W-L column unless they use that money to bring real replacements in. There's still a draft left to go and they'll undoubtedly get a couple impact players. Let's hope it's enough. I have hope for Sharpton and Kareem Jackson, so that's a positive. Brooks Reed is going to be a very good player. But like I said above, the moves when taken as a whole are hard to rationalize away.

Also, while I have a ton of faith in Wade Phillips to put a top notch defense out there no matter what, Smithiak has earned no such trust from me. They've had way too many WTF moments in personnel for me to blindly trust that they know the best course of action.

But hey, I hope you sunshiners are right, since I rather enjoyed the first good season immensely. I'm just a little irritated that they seem intent on blasting my optimism since the season ended. And deep down, a little part of me knew they would. So no, the sky isn't falling, but it's hard to tell if those clouds rolling in are just an afternoon shower or a full blown hurricane. We'll see.

I just think some people are trying to convince themselves that Winston was worse than he is and the OL will be better off without him and Brisiel. If Caldwell was better than Brisiel, he would have beaten him out in one of the many opportunities he's gotten. If Butler was better than Winston, he would have been receiving the sort of playtime rotation that Caldwell was getting, or some sort of greater opportunity.

It's going to be an issue going forward. Luckily, the QB and RB will minimize the impact but when you get into tight spaces, that right side is going to come up short a lot more than Brisiel and Winston. JMO. We'll see.

As for the contract restructure/pay cut, I have my own question about it, relative to other offseason activity. Walter has not only played in most of the games since he started playing for the Texans (his 2nd year here, I think), but he's been a starter. Why would you ask a guy like Walter to take a pay cut and then make him the starter? I mean, I get that he makes a little too much money for what they want him to do, and they recognize that, and also they have a ton of other offseason considerations like Myers, Foster, and Duane Brown. But if a guy isn't producing like you want, teams most often just cut them. You don't generally see starters asked to take a pay cut and then remain as a starter. Now add to that line of thinking that they never even asked Winston to take a pay cut. They just cut him outright. He's a far better tackle than Walter is a WR in most fans' opinions (so, grain of salt and all that). But he was just unceremoniously cut loose. They didn't even try to get anything in return.

I think there's a little revisionist history going on these days.

I get what you are saying. However, it's not as if Winston went on to play solid football the next few years... He was done. So, I give the team credit for making that call when they did. Then, I am critical of the fact that they have failed to patch up the tackle position. They weren't replacing an all-pro. They were replacing a borderline NFL tackle (at the point of his release). So, good recognition on Winston and good, tough decision. But, then, come on! Coach someone up or bring in a veteran presence to sure the spot up.

You can't have a salary cap discussion without discussing the lack of ability to replace players. Otherwise, we could just all propose that they replace everyone with vet minimums. Winston was a better tackle than anyone the Texans had in the pipeline, and he was under contract. And in case everyone forgot, the Texans never even attempted to renegotiate his contract! They just outright cut him as a complete surprise. They gave us that BS rationale that they respected him too much to try and renegotiate his contract, while they forced Walter to take a pay cut and renegotiated AJ's contract. Guess that means they didn't respect the latter two players, huh?

That kind of crap is on Rick Smith. IF you're going to cut a solid player, you better damn sure have a replacement plan and a contingency plan or you run the risk of looking like a dumbass at the very least, and costing your team some wins very possibly.

 

[otisbean]

The primary reason why Winston was released when he was is because he offered the Texans the most Salary Cap space which the Texans were in desperate need of. Winston gave up 6 sacks during the year without any help but nobody did a better job run blocking and opening up more holes for Foster than Winston. Winston's departure was the beginning of Foster's decline. Since Winston's departure to this day the Texans can not run to the right or in the Red Zone.

You're right there was significant cap savings but that's not the only reason. There were other factors that contributed to Winston's release

 

[dalemurphy]

Not hindsight. Remember this thread? Winston was playing well his last season here. There was some Pro Bowl chatter. He had his limitations, but they were the sort of limitations that most above average but not elite tackles have.



I never felt like Butler was an adequate replacement plan. I gave Newton the benefit of the doubt early on, since he was young, but neve rfelt good about him either. Here are some of my posts from the offseason/preseason after Winston was cut:







I think there's a little revisionist history going on these days.



You can't have a salary cap discussion without discussing the lack of ability to replace players. Otherwise, we could just all propose that they replace everyone with vet minimums. Winston was a better tackle than anyone the Texans had in the pipeline, and he was under contract. And in case everyone forgot, the Texans never even attempted to renegotiate his contract! They just outright cut him as a complete surprise. They gave us that BS rationale that they respected him too much to try and renegotiate his contract, while they forced Walter to take a pay cut and renegotiated AJ's contract. Guess that means they didn't respect the latter two players, huh?

That kind of crap is on Rick Smith. IF you're going to cut a solid player, you better damn sure have a replacement plan and a contingency plan or you run the risk of looking like a dumbass at the very least, and costing your team some wins very possibly.

I think they made tactical mistakes and counted on players they shouldn't have... I don't think they "had" to cut Winston because of the cap. And, I certainly know they could have spent some money this off-season on the right tackle position... They chose not to. It is not due to the cap. With A.Smith's, W. Smith's contracts and others, they had a ton of room to work with. They were content with Newton. OOPS!. It reminds me of the errors they made in 2009-10 in the secondary, particularly at the safety position.

 

[eriadoc]

I think they made tactical mistakes and counted on players they shouldn't have... I don't think they "had" to cut Winston because of the cap.

Well, they certainly sold the story that it was because of the salary cap, so as far as I'm concerned, they've mismanaged the cap. Regardless what you think about any specific player's situation, there's a generality that applies. If you draft people and they are solid to good players, you have to either keep them (cap management commensurate with talent level) or properly plan to replace them before they are let go (also cap management commensurate with talent level). I don't think the Texans have done a good job on that.

 

[Rey]

Not hindsight. Remember this thread? Winston was playing well his last season here. There was some Pro Bowl chatter. He had his limitations, but they were the sort of limitations that most above average but not elite tackles have.



I never felt like Butler was an adequate replacement plan. I gave Newton the benefit of the doubt early on, since he was young, but neve rfelt good about him either. Here are some of my posts from the offseason/preseason after Winston was cut:







I think there's a little revisionist history going on these days.



You can't have a salary cap discussion without discussing the lack of ability to replace players. Otherwise, we could just all propose that they replace everyone with vet minimums. Winston was a better tackle than anyone the Texans had in the pipeline, and he was under contract. And in case everyone forgot, the Texans never even attempted to renegotiate his contract! They just outright cut him as a complete surprise. They gave us that BS rationale that they respected him too much to try and renegotiate his contract, while they forced Walter to take a pay cut and renegotiated AJ's contract. Guess that means they didn't respect the latter two players, huh?

That kind of crap is on Rick Smith. IF you're going to cut a solid player, you better damn sure have a replacement plan and a contingency plan or you run the risk of looking like a dumbass at the very least, and costing your team some wins very possibly.

I was speaking more from my perspective. I definitely would have tried to replace Winston though. Him being a better player here than newton isn't saying a lot, but if they could have worked it out cap wise I'd rather then keep a guy like Winston than to play a guy like newton who is markedly worse.

 

[eriadoc]

I was speaking more from my perspective. I definitely would have tried to replace Winston though.

Well sure. He never did make a Pro Bowl, and he gave up too many WTF sacks for my liking. But a replacement plan doesn't consist of cutting the starter and then hoping that a 7th round pick outperforms the guy that couldn't outperform the average to slightly above starter you just cut. That's just dumb.

I guess for all the talk of building a team long term and having a long term plan, it annoys me to notice that they really suck at planning.

 

[Texian]

Well sure. He never did make a Pro Bowl, and he gave up too many WTF sacks for my liking. But a replacement plan doesn't consist of cutting the starter and then hoping that a 7th round pick outperforms the guy that couldn't outperform the average to slightly above starter you just cut. That's just dumb.

I guess for all the talk of building a team long term and having a long term plan, it annoys me to notice that they really suck at planning.

Not many RT make the pro bowl. LT get most of the press and most of the votes.

 

[dream_team]

Well sure. He never did make a Pro Bowl, and he gave up too many WTF sacks for my liking. But a replacement plan doesn't consist of cutting the starter and then hoping that a 7th round pick outperforms the guy that couldn't outperform the average to slightly above starter you just cut. That's just dumb.

I guess for all the talk of building a team long term and having a long term plan, it annoys me to notice that they really suck at planning.

But Newton wasn't plan A, it was Butler. Butler did an awesome job filling for Duane during his suspension. I honestly thought Butler was a better pass protector than Winston, but not as good in run blocking. I thought Butler would overall be a downgrade, but not by much... certainly justifying the cut to save money I thought. I don't think the FO was expecting either Butler or Newton to be better than Winston.

 

[TexansFight]

MIT graduate Daryl Morey lives by mantra of "Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor," fitting for all-in strategy

Read this article. It highlights the characteristics of what a CHAMPIONSHIP caliber GM is all about. Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor. I love that quote. I wish Smithiak had a TENTH of that type of urgency. It is no wonder that the Rockets are poised to contend for championships for years. Don't give me the excuse that the NBA is different. The Baltimore Ravens have consistently been a playoff team contending for Super Bowls for over a decade. They have the Morey like sense of urgency. FIRE SMITHIAK!!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/rockets/2013/10/25/daryl-morey-dwight-howard-james-harden-houston/3189339/#twitterstfcf

I absolutely love Daryl Morey and the Rockets are by far and away the best run team in Houston with the best owner.

 

[Scooter]

the NBA lets half the league into the playoffs and morey's only made it 3 of his 7 years. let's not crown anybody until they achieve something. morey plays with the team like it's a video game and the fans love all that movement. that's not the way to win in the NFL.

 

[TexansFight]

the NBA lets half the league into the playoffs and morey's only made it 3 of his 7 years. let's not crown anybody until they achieve something. morey plays with the team like it's a video game and the fans love all that movement. that's not the way to win in the NFL.

Keep making excuses for Smithiak. Morey deftly managed the salary cap, has found diamonds in the SECOND ROUND OF THE NBA DRAFT, moved assets and pounced on opportunity to get Harden and then attracted a STUD FA in Howard. Rick Smith whiffs on 2nd and 3rd round NFL draft picks like Brandon Harris, Sam Montgomery, Roc Carmichael, etc., extends a contract for a loser like Schaub and signs a broke-down Ed Reed. Which team do you think has a brighter future?

 

[AcresHomesTexan]

the NBA lets half the league into the playoffs and morey's only made it 3 of his 7 years. let's not crown anybody until they achieve something. morey plays with the team like it's a video game and the fans love all that movement. that's not the way to win in the NFL.

You must not read the basketball forum. Morey is pretty much next to God there.

 

[Scooter]

the dude has to fill 10 roster spots and still cant make the playoffs. it looks like this may be a good year, but one injury and all is lost. cap and player management between the two sports arent really comparable because of the vast difference in number of players, injury frequency, and the very nature of the sports being team vs individuals. if you want to see morey in the NFL, and what all the transactions do, just look at jerry jones.

 

[Scooter]

You must not read the basketball forum. Morey is pretty much next to God there.

unfortunately i'm aware. like i said, he moves players around like he's playing a video game and the fans love it. simulate through the season without caring about results - but come the offseason the wheeling and dealing begins and it's pretty exciting. and then sim the season again.

 

[Texanmike02]

Yep, it was just a matter of time and that's when it began to rear it's ugly head. Actually the crack in the damn started around the middle of November. Those .500 and > teams have a way of doing that to the Texans most of the time.

Riiiiiiggghhhtttt. Bad cap management started affecting us in December. So do bad draft picks start hurting teams in the Superbowl?

I've wasted too much time in this thread. You have a twisted reason for every statement you make and your analytical skills are severely lacking.

It is OK for a very talented team to be up against the cap. This is a very talented team. Your favorite team, Indy apparently, is under the cap because they are a young team with onegreat player and several above aaverage players that are all very young.

And in case you have forgotten, your favorite team had the best qb of all time for over a decade and only has one ring to show for it. Think about that for a minute. You think in 3 years that Luck's contract isn'tgoing to put indy in a world of hurt? Their owner was just lamenting the fact that they only won one ring with Manning. The colts are a 3 or 4 win team without Luck. The Texans will win more games than that with a QB that is half as good as luck and then they will have the chance to draft a franchise QB.

Other than luck which players do the colts have that you would take over the Texans hands down? If that list is more than three or four players we know the problem, it is your knowledge.

Mike

 

[Yaky]

The primary reason why Winston was released when he was is because he offered the Texans the most Salary Cap space which the Texans were in desperate need of. Winston gave up 6 sacks during the year without any help but nobody did a better job run blocking and opening up more holes for Foster than Winston. Winston's departure was the beginning of Foster's decline. Since Winston's departure to this day the Texans can not run to the right or in the Red Zone.

+1
The Texans were a top running team with Brisiel and Winston. Now they cant run to the right, cant run in the Red Zone, and the RBs get injured.

It all starts in the trenches. The OLine was a strength, now its a major weakness.

 

[Texanmike02]

This team is begging for a coaching change. The sooner the better.


It isn't a cap issue, it is a coaching issue.

Mike

 

[Texian]

This team is begging for a coaching change. The sooner the better.


It isn't a cap issue, it is a coaching issue.

Mike

I have been saying that since 2010. Pleaded with McNair to hire Harbaugh. This coach is also responsible for managing the salary cap. You can't have it both ways.

 

[Texian]

+1
The Texans were a top running team with Brisiel and Winston. Now they cant run to the right, cant run in the Red Zone, and the RBs get injured.

It all starts in the trenches. The OLine was a strength, now its a major weakness.

yes sir, this is not uncommon and usually happens not long after Alex Gibbs leaves. IMHO I think it is a result of a lack of attention to detail that Gibbs is so meticulous about. When Winston, Brisel, Dreessen and Leach left it was like they broke up the Alex Gibbs band.

 

[thunderkyss]

I wish Smithiak had a TENTH of that type of urgency. It is no wonder that the Rockets are poised to contend for championships for years.

Right now, there's no difference.

I thought we were title contenders in 2011..... Schaub got hurt, didn't happen. I think we'd have beat the Ravens with Schaub & those Patriots weren't very good & I think we'd have beat them as well. Matt was playing well... very well in 2011. There is that clutch question that has never been proven beyond a shadow of doubt..... but y'know.

2012, I thought we were a contender...... for 9 weeks or so anyway. The bottom fell out of that thing & it wasn't just Schaub. The run game never got right & the defense fell off a cliff.

2013 as far as I'm concerned, we've got the talent to be a contender. The Texans need to stop shooting themselves in the foot & take care of business.

But you can't argue that the Texans haven't been "poised" to do something. It just never actually happened.

Rockets..... pretty much the same thing. A lot of potential right now... very little proof.

 

[thunderkyss]

Ratliff received $18 million guaranteed under his 2011 contract. His departure will trigger a $6.98 million cap charge in 2014, at a time when the Cowboys reportedly will be $31 million above the salary cap.

There's a difference between poor choices & woefully mismanaging your cap. & they have even less than we do to show for it.

 

[Texian]

Riiiiiiggghhhtttt. Bad cap management started affecting us in December. So do bad draft picks start hurting teams in the Superbowl?

I've wasted too much time in this thread. You have a twisted reason for every statement you make and your analytical skills are severely lacking.

It is OK for a very talented team to be up against the cap. This is a very talented team. Your favorite team, Indy apparently, is under the cap because they are a young team with onegreat player and several above aaverage players that are all very young.

And in case you have forgotten, your favorite team had the best qb of all time for over a decade and only has one ring to show for it. Think about that for a minute. You think in 3 years that Luck's contract isn'tgoing to put indy in a world of hurt? Their owner was just lamenting the fact that they only won one ring with Manning. The colts are a 3 or 4 win team without Luck. The Texans will win more games than that with a QB that is half as good as luck and then they will have the chance to draft a franchise QB.

Other than luck which players do the colts have that you would take over the Texans hands down? If that list is more than three or four players we know the problem, it is your knowledge.

Mike

Do you always insult those who don't agree with you? Let's turn the tables, first Indy is not my favorite team. I do respect what they have done, how they have handled the Manning situation and the decisions seem to have worked out well whether you agree with what Irsay has done or not.

No doubt about it Luck will be signing one of the largest QB contracts ever when it's his turn. That doesn't stop SMART front offices from signing good players. Baltimore signed Flacco to a $100 million contract this year. Also this year the Ravens were able to sign THREE FREE AGENT (3) Pro Bowl players. Signing 3 pro bowl players is something the Texans could not do even if they wanted to because they didn't have the money to do it. According to your logic this makes the Texans better.

Come March every year for the last four years, day 1 of the beginning new league year the Texans have NOT had enough money to meet the basic minimum financial obligations. Each year every year they have had to borrow money from future years to meet those obligations. According to your logic the Texans are doing a fine job of managing the salary cap.

The Texans strategy and logic for the last 3 years has not been based on who is best player we can get to fill an empty or needed position but who is the best player they can get at the league minimum to fill a needed position. That is a big difference. That is the difference in a good player and a below average player. The Texans strategy and logic consist of finding cheap puzzle pieces to sign and draft that fit their puzzle. The priority for player acquisitions are based on limited dollar signing ability and not what is the best available talent they can sign. And According to your logic the Texans have no salary cap problems and even though can't sign any good FA players the last 3 years. According to your logic Band Aid Management makes the Texans better. The scoreboard says something completely different.

 

[infantrycak]

No doubt about it Luck will be signing one of the largest QB contracts ever when it's his turn. That doesn't stop SMART front offices from signing good players. Baltimore signed Flacco to a $100 million contract this year. Also this year the Ravens were able to sign THREE FREE AGENT (3) Pro Bowl players. Signing 3 pro bowl players is something the Texans could not do even if they wanted to because they didn't have the money to do it. According to your logic this makes the Texans better.

Signing other players in the early years of giant deals isn't the problem. It is the back end years. The Ravens just kicked the can down the road and Flacco's contract isn't viable in 2016.

What pro-bowlers other than Dumervil? Are you talking about Dallas Clark on his vet min deal?

 

[Texanmike02]

Do you always insult those who don't agree with you? Let's turn the tables, first Indy is not my favorite team. I do respect what they have done, how they have handled the Manning situation and the decisions seem to have worked out well whether you agree with what Irsay has done or not.

No doubt about it Luck will be signing one of the largest QB contracts ever when it's his turn. That doesn't stop SMART front offices from signing good players. Baltimore signed Flacco to a $100 million contract this year. Also this year the Ravens were able to sign THREE FREE AGENT (3) Pro Bowl players. Signing 3 pro bowl players is something the Texans could not do even if they wanted to because they didn't have the money to do it. According to your logic this makes the Texans better.

Come March every year for the last four years, day 1 of the beginning new league year the Texans have NOT had enough money to meet the basic minimum financial obligations. Each year every year they have had to borrow money from future years to meet those obligations. According to your logic the Texans are doing a fine job of managing the salary cap.

The Texans strategy and logic for the last 3 years has not been based on who is best player we can get to fill an empty or needed position but who is the best player they can get at the league minimum to fill a needed position. That is a big difference. That is the difference in a good player and a below average player. The Texans strategy and logic consist of finding cheap puzzle pieces to sign and draft that fit their puzzle. The priority for player acquisitions are based on limited dollar signing ability and not what is the best available talent they can sign. And According to your logic the Texans have no salary cap problems and even though can't sign any good FA players the last 3 years. According to your logic Band Aid Management makes the Texans better. The scoreboard says something completely different.

First of all no I don't insult people I disagree with. I tend to insult those that have an air of superiority about them, especially when I think they are full of crap. I've read too many pages of you claiming clairvoyance and seen little evidence of anything other than you are unhappy. The colts handled the Manning situation well but they have had a history of bad drafts, bad cap management and dissapointment that you wouldn't believe. They in a league in which having a great QB gives you a distinct advantage they won one Superbowl in a decade with the greatest qb of all time.

The colts have done nothing special. In fact they are lucky in that they have to pay a star qb peanuts compared to what he is worth. Look at the patriots. Up against the cap every year. The colts will get a few years of cap relief until lucks contract comes due so let's see what happens then.

Take a look at the Giants, Steelers, Pats.


And BTW, the ravens are morons for that signing. Flacco is an above average streaky QB that got hot. They wwon't win another SB while he's there.


P.S. We have a coaching problem, not a cap/talent problem. And please don't tell me that the cap is the coaches responsibility. That's the stupidest system iI've ever heard. The coaches job is to maximize the talent on the field. If he has the purse strings then his concern is winning today. The GMs responsibility is to provide talent now and not screw the tEAM 5 years from now.


Mike

 

[Texian]

P.S. We have a coaching problem, not a cap/talent problem. And please don't tell me that the cap is the coaches responsibility. That's the stupidest system iI've ever heard. The coaches job is to maximize the talent on the field. If he has the purse strings then his concern is winning today. The GMs responsibility is to provide talent now and not screw the tEAM 5 years from now.

Mike

That is exactly what I am telling you because that is the TRUTH whether you think it's crap, clairvoyant or someone's superiority. The Ravens are morons is you idea of evidence and not an insult? Make no mistake, Gary Kubiak has complete and final say on the 53 man roster. It is in his contract. All personnel transactions are only done after they have Kubiak's approval.

Rick Smith is a GM in name only. Rick Smith is a GM to Gary Kubiak in the same way that Scott Pioli was a GM to Bill Belichick. In Bob McNair's own words in 2006 he said he was using the Patriot's Model to build his team. Made sense after the Patriots had won 3 out of the last 5 Super Bowls. The only problem with that thinking is Kubiak is not Belichick, Smith is not Pioli and Houston is not New England.

That stupidest system you've ever heard of is the exact system they've in New England and the same system Denver used with Shanahan as the Head Coach and GM. That same system in Denver under Mike Shanahan that Kubiak and Smith trained under.

The fact that the Texans can't afford to pay all their bills for four years in a row is in fact a cap problem not a crap problem. That's also evidence you that you conveniently like to ignore. Kubiak does try to put the best talent on the field that money can buy. Unfortunately the Texans haven't had any money to spend.IT HAS FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH THEM The team 5 years from now isn't even part of the discussion or on the Texans radar. This has become all to familiar with the pattern of behavior and operations model of the Kubiak era. BTW The scoreboard still disagrees with you.

 

[Wolf]

When you build a team at a snails pace. Kinda tough to maintain this salary cap when you inconsistently draft good players

 

[thunderkyss]

Also this year the Ravens were able to sign THREE FREE AGENT (3) Pro Bowl players. Signing 3 pro bowl players is something the Texans could not do even if they wanted to because they didn't have the money to do it. According to your logic this makes the Texans better.

Except it's something they do all the time.

Schaub... 2 time pro bowler
Cushing... Pro Bowler
Antonio... Pro Bowler
Wade... . Pro Bowler
Duane.... Pro Bowler
Andre.... Multiple pro bowls
Arian...... Pro Bowl
Joseph... Pro Bowl
OD.......... Pro Bowl

I'm sorry, you said 3.

Come March every year for the last four years, day 1 of the beginning new league year the Texans have NOT had enough money to meet the basic minimum financial obligations.

The Texans strategy and logic for the last 3 years...

I have no doubt improvements can be made in how we managed the cap. I don't think Winston was ever a $5M/yr player & we let him go because we finally got to a point we couldn't afford to pay him any more. $3M/yr would have been much more bearable.

At the same time, I don't think it's as big an issue as you think. There will be a time when Brady's contract will be renegotiated, the Broncos will borrow money to pay for Peyton, The Ravens will for Flacco.... if it makes sense & it will.

That's the way it is. As mentioned earlier, as long as we aren't $31M over the cap before the league year even starts, we're not talking about "gross mismanagement"

 

[Texanmike02]

That is exactly what I am telling you because that is the TRUTH whether you think it's crap, clairvoyant or someone's superiority. The Ravens are morons is you idea of evidence and not an insult? Make no mistake, Gary Kubiak has complete and final say on the 53 man roster. It is in his contract. All personnel transactions are only done after they have Kubiak's approval.

Rick Smith is a GM in name only. Rick Smith is a GM to Gary Kubiak in the same way that Scott Pioli was a GM to Bill Belichick. In Bob McNair's own words in 2006 he said he was using the Patriot's Model to build his team. Made sense after the Patriots had won 3 out of the last 5 Super Bowls. The only problem with that thinking is Kubiak is not Belichick, Smith is not Pioli and Houston is not New England.

That stupidest system you've ever heard of is the exact system they've in New England and the same system Denver used with Shanahan as the Head Coach and GM. That same system in Denver under Mike Shanahan that Kubiak and Smith trained under.

The fact that the Texans can't afford to pay all their bills for four years in a row is in fact a cap problem not a crap problem. That's also evidence you that you conveniently like to ignore. Kubiak does try to put the best talent on the field that money can buy. Unfortunately the Texans haven't had any money to spend.IT HAS FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH THEM The team 5 years from now isn't even part of the discussion or on the Texans radar. This has become all to familiar with the pattern of behavior and operations model of the Kubiak era. BTW The scoreboard still disagrees with you.

Belichick does not manage the salary cap. But you know it all so you believe what you want.

Mike

 

[dalemurphy]

Who drafts consistently? I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better collection of drafted talent by any NFL team than the Texans from 2008 onward.

You are simply much more familiar with the Texan misses in the draft than other teams' misses. New England has made big "mistakes" in rounds 2 and 3 the past few years- even in round one... as have almost all the NFL teams. Nobody was questioning the talent level of the Texans in August/September. Poor execution and play certainly have the effect of making the team appear less talented, just as winning week after week has the opposite effect.

Consider the Texans' 1st round picks from 2008 onward:
2008 26th pick: Duane Brown (elite LT. Texans were heavily criticized for selecting him)
2009 15th? pick: Brian Cushing (had a reputation for "not loving football"- ironic)
2010 27th? pick: Kareem Jackson (Smith was hammered for this pick- Once David Gibbs was sent packing, KJ has proven to be an excellent draft pick)
2011 9th pick: JJ Watt (best defensive player drafted in the NFL in a long time!)
2012 28th? pick: W. Mercilus (too early to say for sure- made plays in limited time last year and has looked very good most of this year, IMO)
2013 28th pick: Deandre Hopkins (Great pick! I don't think I'm being overly optimistic to think he will be one of the better NFL WRs within two years)

Even if you don't factor in how late in the round those picks were made, that is one heck of a track record.

Looking back into the middle/late rounds:
Ben Tate (good pick, despite injury issues)
Glover Quin (very solid player. I miss him.)
Garrett Graham (looks like a solid replacement for OD next year)
Brandon Brooks (I know the line looks bad.. but this guy is pretty good and could become great)
Earl Mitchell (solid and ascending player)
D. Posey (very little proof of this so far, but I'm thinking he's gonna be good!)
J. Crick (ascending, at least a very solid rotational defensive lineman)
A. Foster as a UDFA
Keenum as an UDFA


**For many of the mid/late round picks the past couple years, it is just too early to know (but there is some reason for optimism):

Quessenberry
K. Martin
B. Jones
R. Griffin
Randy Bullock (rough start- but showing a great leg and has settled down)
Sharpton (injury-riddled and frustrating but hard to complain about the pick)
Trindon Holliday (pick- example of bad coaching)
Shelley Smith (good lineman- another mistake by coaches to cut- starter and/or 1st lineman off the bench for Rams.
Brice McCain (good pick- frustrating to see him put in so many situations where he's overmatched- but 6th round nickel CB who had a couple good years and is competent, at least)

Ho-Hum
Brooks Reed- useful player, not a miss but not a hit consider he was top 50
Shiloh Keo- not my guy, that's for sure, but not bad for a 5th.
James Casey- some good moments, somewhat misused at the end
Connor Barwin- inconsistent playmaker. great year in 2011, though

Clear Misses
Sam Montgomery
Brennan Williams (he could still work out- but a 3rd round rookie getting micro-fracture surgery, probably because of an existing condition, is the worst kind of draft mistake)
Rashad Carmichael
Brandon Harris (perhaps the pick only looks bad because the coaches don't play him, but a 2nd rounder with 3 years experience needs to be a consistent contributor)
Frank Okam (hated the pick. hated seeing him make the team for three years even more)
Anthony Hill (umm... yeah. not good)


This is the draft record of an organization with a very competent personnel department. We can argue whether they are among the best or not. However, any honest comparison between the Rick Smith drafts and the rest of the NFL will show him to be easily in the top 3rd of the league.

I also have not seen him make many mistakes acquiring free agents. I would say that all of his significant signings have worked out well, with the likely exception of the Ed Reed mess.

Antonio Smith
J. Joseph
Danieal Manning
Wade Smith (not pretty to watch now. But, he has been very productive for the Texans during their two playoff seasons- not bad at all for the price)

Also, Rick Smith has shown himself to be very good at determining when to move on from key players- instead of overpaying them and causing real cap issues:

Demeco Ryans (given a big contract- nasty injury- then unloaded for significant compensation)
Mario Williams ($100 million contract! thank God he was cut loose. )
Eric Winston (can't find work in the NFL now- I realize our memory of his play at RT is better than what we are watching now- but, that doesn't mean his play now would be better... nor does it change the fact that he wasn't worth that contract.
Connor Barwin (I loved the guy despite his play in 2012- looks like a good decision to me, now)
James Casey (another guy I liked- given a huge contract- Phillie is getting little from him.
Kevin Walter (like him- glad he's gone though- his lack of speed was hurting the offense the past two years- since Andre's athleticism began to decline.
Dunta Robinson (how did that work out for Atlanta?)

So, I think Rick Smith's performance has been good... though not perfect, certainly. I also believe he is an ascending GM. I would trust him to operate this team for the next 10 years, regardless of what happens with Kubiak.

 

[dalemurphy]

That is exactly what I am telling you because that is the TRUTH whether you think it's crap, clairvoyant or someone's superiority. The Ravens are morons is you idea of evidence and not an insult? Make no mistake, Gary Kubiak has complete and final say on the 53 man roster. It is in his contract. All personnel transactions are only done after they have Kubiak's approval.

Rick Smith is a GM in name only. Rick Smith is a GM to Gary Kubiak in the same way that Scott Pioli was a GM to Bill Belichick. In Bob McNair's own words in 2006 he said he was using the Patriot's Model to build his team. Made sense after the Patriots had won 3 out of the last 5 Super Bowls. The only problem with that thinking is Kubiak is not Belichick, Smith is not Pioli and Houston is not New England.

That stupidest system you've ever heard of is the exact system they've in New England and the same system Denver used with Shanahan as the Head Coach and GM. That same system in Denver under Mike Shanahan that Kubiak and Smith trained under.

You are right about what McNair said in 2006. You are also right in this statement: "Kubiak is not Belicheck, Smith is not Pioli, and Houston is not New England."

All of that became clear to McNair by 2010... McNair believes in Kubiak's philosophy and his system but figured out that Kubiak does not have the cold discernment and special decision-making skills that are unique to some of the great NFL coaches: like Belicheck. That is why he arrested some of the control of the team from Kubiak and gave it to Rick Smith... It was Smith who wanted to go another direction at defensive coordinator after 2008, but Kubiak overruled him and promoted Frank Bush. After the 2010 nightmare, Kubiak was retained as head coach but lost a lot of that GM power... Rick Smith was given it and was the one that wanted Wade Phillips.

I can not prove all of it, but it is clearly that the organization has been running much differently since the 2010 season. There was a "C" change, so to speak. Many of the big decisions regarding core players were made with much more calculation and less "loyalty" than was previously the case. Examples I would cite would be the Demeco Ryans trade, the clear decision to let Mario walk without giving him a real offer, the Winston cut, the Alex Gibb exit, Kevin Walter release, not re-signing Dreessen, etc... Those are things that don't happen, I don't think, if Kubiak is running the show.

To the second part of your statement, "Rick Smith is not Pioli"... that is very true. Pioli was a bit of a disaster once Belicheck wasn't pulling the strings anymore... Rick Smith is a vastly better GM. Pioli was part of a perfect storm- a group of football men that came together at the right moment, in the right situation, and did one heck of a job! And, don't get me wrong, Pioli did a great job! My point is that his ability to succeed at that job is limited to the unique situation he was in. I'm confident you will never see him take over an organization and build it into a success... You saw what happened in KC. He kept trying to patchwork that organization with whatever guys he could get from his time in N.E.- and he had no answers... Anyone that hires Romeo Crennel to be the head coach is clearly at a loss.

 

[Texian]

Belichick does not manage the salary cap. But you know it all so you believe what you want.

Mike

According to Bob Kraft, Bill Belichick does manage the salary cap and I believe it so because Bob Kraft has said it's so;

"I think he'll go down as the greatest coach in the history of the NFL, because he's really competing in the era of the salary cap. I think a lot of great coaches had difficulty understanding how to balance the economics of the game and the budget. His product knowledge is so great," said Kraft, who first came to appreciate Belichick's ability to mix football X's and O's and economics in 1996, when Belichick was an assistant on Bill Parcells' New England staff."

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...s-beat-baltimore-ravens-afc-championship-game

It wasn’t one thing; it was everything. The NFL world was changing, and new skills were needed for a coach to succeed.

“Bill Parcells was not transitioning well into the salary-cap era,’’ Kraft maintains.

He felt that Wesleyan economics major Belichick would not have that problem.

Previously, I think I maybe tried to do too many little things,’’ Belichick said, “too many things that maybe took away from bigger picture things I should have been doing.’’

He also said, “There are a lot of things on the periphery and outside, off the field, that are also important toward winning, and I’ll put more time and effort into making sure those things are right for the organization than maybe I did previously.’’

“Bill’s a smart guy,’’ Kraft says. “He knows how to adapt and do what he has to do.’’

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...ng_kraft_moves_coach_gets_top_billing/?page=2

I admit that I don't know it all, nor do I believe that I am all that smart, I may however, be better informed.

 

[houstonspartan]

You are right about what McNair said in 2006. You are also right in this statement: "Kubiak is not Belicheck, Smith is not Pioli, and Houston is not New England."

All of that became clear to McNair by 2010... McNair believes in Kubiak's philosophy and his system but figured out that Kubiak does not have the cold discernment and special decision-making skills that are unique to some of the great NFL coaches: like Belicheck. That is why he arrested some of the control of the team from Kubiak and gave it to Rick Smith... It was Smith who wanted to go another direction at defensive coordinator after 2008, but Kubiak overruled him and promoted Frank Bush. After the 2010 nightmare, Kubiak was retained as head coach but lost a lot of that GM power... Rick Smith was given it and was the one that wanted Wade Phillips.

I can not prove all of it, but it is clearly that the organization has been running much differently since the 2010 season. There was a "C" change, so to speak. Many of the big decisions regarding core players were made with much more calculation and less "loyalty" than was previously the case. Examples I would cite would be the Demeco Ryans trade, the clear decision to let Mario walk without giving him a real offer, the Winston cut, the Alex Gibb exit, Kevin Walter release, not re-signing Dreessen, etc... Those are things that don't happen, I don't think, if Kubiak is running the show.

To the second part of your statement, "Rick Smith is not Pioli"... that is very true. Pioli was a bit of a disaster once Belicheck wasn't pulling the strings anymore... Rick Smith is a vastly better GM. Pioli was part of a perfect storm- a group of football men that came together at the right moment, in the right situation, and did one heck of a job! And, don't get me wrong, Pioli did a great job! My point is that his ability to succeed at that job is limited to the unique situation he was in. I'm confident you will never see him take over an organization and build it into a success... You saw what happened in KC. He kept trying to patchwork that organization with whatever guys he could get from his time in N.E.- and he had no answers... Anyone that hires Romeo Crennel to be the head coach is clearly at a loss.

Very true. Even I said, after 2010, "Man, the Texans suddenly seem ruthless and cold."

The only exception has been our Special Teams coach. Other than that, the Texans, since 2010, has been run like a mob organization. Unfortunately, however, we haven't been coached like a mob organization, which is why we find ourselves in our current situation...

 

[thunderkyss]

Eric Winston (can't find work in the NFL now- I realize our memory of his play at RT is better than what we are watching now- but, that doesn't mean his play now would be better... nor does it change the fact that he wasn't worth that contract.

He's currently getting his butt handed to him starting on the Cardinals OL.

 

[Texian]

The Ravens just kicked the can down the road and Flacco's contract isn't viable in 2016.

So over the next 3 years the Ravens will pay Joe Flacco the same as the Texans will pay Matt Schaub. In 2015 the salary cap will be increased by $20-$30 million because of the new 17/18 game schedule. And in 2016 Joe Flacco's contract kicks in, a year after the the major cap increase. Sounds like another case study of good salary cap management by the Ravens vs bad salary cap management by the Texans.

 

[thunderkyss]

According to Bob Kraft, Bill Belichick does manage the salary cap and I believe it so because Bob Kraft has said it's so;

That doesn't really say that he's managing the cap (I don't know if he is or isn't, don't have an opinion either way)... it says that he understands how to coach in the salary cap era, which is a little different.

 

[Texian]

You are right about what McNair said in 2006. You are also right in this statement: "Kubiak is not Belicheck, Smith is not Pioli, and Houston is not New England."

All of that became clear to McNair by 2010... McNair believes in Kubiak's philosophy and his system but figured out that Kubiak does not have the cold discernment and special decision-making skills that are unique to some of the great NFL coaches: like Belicheck. That is why he arrested some of the control of the team from Kubiak and gave it to Rick Smith... It was Smith who wanted to go another direction at defensive coordinator after 2008, but Kubiak overruled him and promoted Frank Bush. After the 2010 nightmare, Kubiak was retained as head coach but lost a lot of that GM power... Rick Smith was given it and was the one that wanted Wade Phillips.

I can not prove all of it, but it is clearly that the organization has been running much differently since the 2010 season. There was a "C" change, so to speak. Many of the big decisions regarding core players were made with much more calculation and less "loyalty" than was previously the case. Examples I would cite would be the Demeco Ryans trade, the clear decision to let Mario walk without giving him a real offer, the Winston cut, the Alex Gibb exit, Kevin Walter release, not re-signing Dreessen, etc... Those are things that don't happen, I don't think, if Kubiak is running the show.

To the second part of your statement, "Rick Smith is not Pioli"... that is very true. Pioli was a bit of a disaster once Belicheck wasn't pulling the strings anymore... Rick Smith is a vastly better GM. Pioli was part of a perfect storm- a group of football men that came together at the right moment, in the right situation, and did one heck of a job! And, don't get me wrong, Pioli did a great job! My point is that his ability to succeed at that job is limited to the unique situation he was in. I'm confident you will never see him take over an organization and build it into a success... You saw what happened in KC. He kept trying to patchwork that organization with whatever guys he could get from his time in N.E.- and he had no answers... Anyone that hires Romeo Crennel to be the head coach is clearly at a loss.

No offense DM but this statement is mostly you guessing and everything you are wishing, wanting, dreaming and hoping for along with a good dose of supposition. The reason it all falls it on it's face is Gary Kubiak never gave up full and final control of the 53 man roster. It's part of his contract today just as it was the day it was written. Kubiak's contract has not changed or been redone it still expires in 2014.

Pioli was a very good right hand man for Belichick, Bill could trust Scott to do what Belichick wanted done, in much the same way Kubiak trust Smith to to what Gary wants and needs Rick to do. At KC Pioli did a very good job in player personnel acquisitions and transactions as the 2013 7-0 Chiefs start will attest. Pioli failed miserably in his Head Coach selection.

Little secret here, it was Bob McNair that hired Wade Phillips. That was a done deal in the later part of December when Bob invited Bum to a Texans practice.

 

[Wolf]

According to Bob Kraft, Bill Belichick does manage the salary cap and I believe it so because Bob Kraft has said it's so;

"I think he'll go down as the greatest coach in the history of the NFL, because he's really competing in the era of the salary cap. I think a lot of great coaches had difficulty understanding how to balance the economics of the game and the budget. His product knowledge is so great," said Kraft, who first came to appreciate Belichick's ability to mix football X's and O's and economics in 1996, when Belichick was an assistant on Bill Parcells' New England staff."

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...s-beat-baltimore-ravens-afc-championship-game

It wasn’t one thing; it was everything. The NFL world was changing, and new skills were needed for a coach to succeed.

“Bill Parcells was not transitioning well into the salary-cap era,’’ Kraft maintains.

He felt that Wesleyan economics major Belichick would not have that problem.

Previously, I think I maybe tried to do too many little things,’’ Belichick said, “too many things that maybe took away from bigger picture things I should have been doing.’’

He also said, “There are a lot of things on the periphery and outside, off the field, that are also important toward winning, and I’ll put more time and effort into making sure those things are right for the organization than maybe I did previously.’’

“Bill’s a smart guy,’’ Kraft says. “He knows how to adapt and do what he has to do.’’

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...ng_kraft_moves_coach_gets_top_billing/?page=2

He lucked out with a hall of fame quarterback late in the draft. I am curious how he does when Brady retires

 

[Texian]

That doesn't really say that he's managing the cap (I don't know if he is or isn't, don't have an opinion either way)... it says that he understands how to coach in the salary cap era, which is a little different.

Now go back and read it again with 100% objectivity.

 

[Texanmike02]

Now go back and read it again with 100% objectivity.

I've read it three times. I'm not the one lacking objectivity.

Mike

 

[Texian]

I've read it three times. I'm not the one lacking objectivity.

Mike

Then your lacking comprehension. You definitely fit into the category that most people only see and hear what they want to see and hear. And those who think they're never wrong.

 

[thunderkyss]

“Bill Parcells was not transitioning well into the salary-cap era,’’ Kraft maintains.

With that statement, do you think Parcells was also managing the cap?

That whole statement by Kraft is just saying that Belichick understood a reality a lot of football people refused to accept for a long time.

 

[dalemurphy]

So over the next 3 years the Ravens will pay Joe Flacco the same as the Texans will pay Matt Schaub. In 2015 the salary cap will be increased by $20-$30 million because of the new 17/18 game schedule. And in 2016 Joe Flacco's contract kicks in, a year after the the major cap increase. Sounds like another case study of good salary cap management by the Ravens vs bad salary cap management by the Texans.

First, aren't you the guy that argued that the Texans are foolish to expect the cap to grow significantly in a couple years?... then, you defend Flacco's contract by saying "the cap will increase by $20-$30 million in a couple years".... Well, for Baltimore's sake, it had better!

You are making these numbers up:

by "next three years", I guess you are including the current year?... Well, let's talk about Flacco's 4th year in the contract, when he is scheduled to count $29 million against the cap... Oh, and if they wanted to cut him before that season, they would deal with over $25 million in dead money... I'm not sure how that is anything like Schaub's deal.

You actually highlighted my point. The Texans have not backloaded contracts, which is why they are in very good cap health long term. Your point that Schaub's first three years in his deal (which is 1/2 of Flacco's in totality) cost the same amount as Flacco's against the cap the first couple seasons, illustrates why Baltimore is less healthy than Houston regarding the cap. The Texans don't have any of those monster numbers coming due. And, any of the players that have significant contracts- and may not be living up to them, can be cut from the team for a net cap savings (Joseph, ASmith, OD, Schaub, Manning, etc..)

Schaub, for instance, can be cut after this season, count $10 million against the cap and then the Texans would be clear of his contract. Flacco, if he is cut before year 5 of his 6 year deal, will cost the Ravens $30+ in dead money. And, even if they don't cut him, he will cost them $30 million in cap costs in years 4, 5, 6.

 

[Texian]

First, aren't you the guy that argued that the Texans are foolish to expect the cap to grow significantly in a couple years?... then, you defend Flacco's contract by saying "the cap will increase by $20-$30 million in a couple years".... Well, for Baltimore's sake, it had better!

You are making these numbers up:

by "next three years", I guess you are including the current year?... Well, let's talk about Flacco's 4th year in the contract, when he is scheduled to count $29 million against the cap... Oh, and if they wanted to cut him before that season, they would deal with over $25 million in dead money... I'm not sure how that is anything like Schaub's deal.

You actually highlighted my point. The Texans have not backloaded contracts, which is why they are in very good cap health long term. Your point that Schaub's first three years in his deal (which is 1/2 of Flacco's in totality) cost the same amount as Flacco's against the cap the first couple seasons, illustrates why Baltimore is less healthy than Houston regarding the cap. The Texans don't have any of those monster numbers coming due. And, any of the players that have significant contracts- and may not be living up to them, can be cut from the team for a net cap savings (Joseph, ASmith, OD, Schaub, Manning, etc..)

Schaub, for instance, can be cut after this season, count $10 million against the cap and then the Texans would be clear of his contract. Flacco, if he is cut before year 5 of his 6 year deal, will cost the Ravens $30+ in dead money. And, even if they don't cut him, he will cost them $30 million in cap costs in years 4, 5, 6.

Yes I am the guy. The general consenus is the Salary Cap next year will be very close to what is was this year. It would be foolhardy to plan differently.

Then why will the cap go up significantly in 2015? Conventional wisdom says the NFL will expand regular season games to 17 or 18 in 2015. In order to do this owners will need approval of the NFLPA. How do the owners get approval from the players? Significant increase in the salary cap, more money for everyone. In other words, money talks BS walks. Basic logic.

I haven't made up any numbers.

Regarding the long term health of the Texans salary cap you describe, that simply is not true. 2014 is as bad as 2013, Texans will have to replace 15 contracts w/ only $8 million available cap dollars. That averages to just over $500K per contract. That's not enough to meet the basic minimum obligations. 2015 is worse.

You keep talking about cutting Flacco and how much it would cost. Why would they want to cut Flacco? He's a Super Bowl winning QB. All he's done since joining the Ravens is go to the playoffs every year.

Here is something most fans don't realize, it's going to cost as much to sign JJ Watt as it cost to sign Joe Flacco and the Texans still don't have a QB.

 

[Texian]

With that statement, do you think Parcells was also managing the cap?

That whole statement by Kraft is just saying that Belichick understood a reality a lot of football people refused to accept for a long time.

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