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Roster Bonuses in '09


Guest Aloysius

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Guest Aloysius

Just thought I'd post some interesting numbers and let cap guys like WPB Dawg Fan explain what it all means...

  • Jamal Lewis - $4M roster bonus in March (base salary increases $1M)

     

  • Donte Stallworth - $4.75M roster bonus in March (base salary increases $140K)

     

  • Derek Anderson - $5M roster bonus in March (base salary increases $500K)

     

  • Corey Williams - $6M roster bonus (base salary increases $1.085M)

     

  • Joe Thomas - $3.44M roster bonus (base salary decreases $45K)

     

  • Joe Jurevicius - $500K roster bonus (base salary increases $500K)

     

  • Eric Steinbach - no roster bonus (base salary increases $2.1M)

     

  • Braylon Edwards - no roster bonus (base salary increases $1.2M)

     

  • Ryan Tucker - no roster bonus (base salary increases $950K)

     

  • Antwan Peek - no roster bonus (base salary increases $1.45M)

     

  • Shaun Rogers - $3M roster bonus
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You're right; Phil was building this team for a Super Bowl run this season. What a joke.

 

Thomas is the only roster bonus I'd pick up out of that entire crew. Perhaps Joe J. as the $ figure is so low.

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or you could look at it as he wanted players to prove their worth, and, if they did, they'd get paid.

 

keep williams, thomas, JJ, steinbach, braylon, tucker and rogers. lewis is too old, peek's never been on the field, the fans have run anderson out of town/he's played himself out of a job, and stallworth isn't effective the few times he's on the field.

 

it's good to have contracts structured like this, though. if we cut people (as we should), there won't be as much of a cap hit as there would be if the money was in signing bonuses.

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Guest Aloysius

I agree to a certain extent, JD, but I'd add a few points:

  1. If all of these guys had played well, we would be facing some pretty big cap issues going into '09. Had they been given big signing bonuses instead, the proration would have made keeping them all easier.

     

    The only year the roster bonus route is cheaper is in Year One (no prorated signing bonus). That may have allowed us to sign all of these guys for a Super Bowl run.

     

  2. The big roster bonuses may be a sign that Phil didn't trust that these guys would be good long-term fits for our squad. Since we gave up on picks (DA, Williams) and younger FA options (Michael Turner, Randy Starks) for these guys, the try 'em for a year then yank 'em policy may have a negative effect on our team's long-term prospects.
So it seems to me like we made some signings that were geared towards winning this year. Not only are we having a miserable year, but those deals may have damaged our team's future.
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Yuck. I'd pay the Joe's and (since it's not my money) Lewis. Of course this is assuming we get a coach smart enough to run a Thunder/Lightning tandem with JL/JH (Preferably Lightning/Thunder :) ). Although, Jason Wright did a nice job last week of getting some yards after contact, but it was against Indy, who are notably smaller than most NFL defenses.

 

I say keep Jamal another year - I know he's lost an upper gear (that's what #35 is for dammit!), but I love the way he runs at people. I'm sure there is a stat somewhere that would tell this, but I'd love to know how many runs he has for a loss since coming to Cleveland - I'm guessing less than 10 (outside of a play getting completely blown up in the backfield). He still has the hands too, to catch out of the backfield.

 

 

Corey & Donte - Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.

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this is why the Browns are looked down on by a lot of other owners....they manipulate the system too well....and are able to RENT players (or get steals) with these bonuses better than most teams.

 

As it stands....I would imagine the following:

 

Just thought I'd post some interesting numbers and let cap guys like WPB Dawg Fan explain what it all means...

  • Jamal Lewis - $4M roster bonus in March (base salary increases $1M)If they can find a replacement, he is done....but don't count on it. There are no real good FA's...and the draft looks thin...unless they finally give Harrison a shot in the last 4 games and he explodes.

     

  • Donte Stallworth - $4.75M roster bonus in March (base salary increases $140K)Gone. Plain and simple. I think bringing back Sanders this past week was the nail in the coffin. Sanders is far cheaper, has upside, is bigger (bigger target)...and can catch AT LEAST as many as Stallworth has all year.

     

  • Derek Anderson - $5M roster bonus in March (base salary increases $500K)Gone. His contract is manageable and will make him more attractive than some all but the top 2 QB's in the draft. Also, coming off this past season a team will likely be able to renegotiate his contract. I fully expect at least a 3rd....maybe a 2nd...when it is all said and done.

     

  • Corey Williams - $6M roster bonus (base salary increases $1.085M)His base salary is still pretty low...and I think they will give him a pass on this year due to the injuries and learning DE (was DT). We probably keep him...because of potential and TOTAL lack of depth on the DL. However, if they feel good about Rubin/Purcell/Leonard/Thomas/Mohr....then maybe they let him go as he is an $8M cap hit.

     

  • Joe Thomas - $3.44M roster bonus (base salary decreases $45K)No brainer. He is a keeper.

     

  • Joe Jurevicius - $500K roster bonus (base salary increases $500K)JJ will probably be given every opportunity to prove he is back...but considering the Browns recent track record with guys coming off injuries...and with Sanders back in the fold and Steptoe starting to step up....he may be released.

     

  • Eric Steinbach - no roster bonus (base salary increases $2.1M)Steinbach is still cheap until 2010...so he will be kept.

     

  • Braylon Edwards - no roster bonus (base salary increases $1.2M)Again, no brainer. He has had one bad year....and has far too much upside. He is a FA in 2010, so 2009 will be a 'prove it' year and the Browns should be able to count on a HUGE season.

     

  • Ryan Tucker - no roster bonus (base salary increases $950K)Tucker is near the end of his career...but he is also the road grinder this offensive line lacks. Unless they can pick up another road grinder type, Tucker sticks around.

     

  • Antwan Peek - no roster bonus (base salary increases $1.45M)2009 is his final contract year...so again he may be given an opportunity to get healthy, but he is also going on 30 in 2009....so we may just cut bait with him.

     

  • Shaun Rogers - unknownNo brainer no matter what.

 

If I were a betting man, I would say the following are gone:

Stallworth

Anderdon

Peek

Jurevicious

 

On the bubble:

Lewis

Williams

 

Keepers

Rogers

Steinbach

Thomas

Edwards

Tucker

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Guest Aloysius
  • Shaun Rogers - unknown No brainer no matter what.

Sure. I was just a little bit concerned that he might have a roster bonus that would hit our cap next year.

 

Apparently, he does.

 

According to Adam Caplan @ Scout.com, Rogers is due a $2.8M roster bonus in March.

 

Add to that the $200k annual workout bonus in his contract, and you've got a solid $3M.

 

Not sure what his base salary is, though. According to John Clayton, Rogers is set to make $23M over the first three years of his deal (he's making $7.6M this season).

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Get rid of DA and Jamal Lewis

 

Keep Donte Stallworth, but rework his contract

 

Pick up Chad Johnson

 

Keep Braylon

 

Keep Kellen

 

our Offense looks like so:

 

Edwards_________Stallworth__OL__OL__C_OL__OL__Winslow________Ocho Cinco

-

-

__________________________________Quinn__Harrison/Jennings______________

 

Can you see the W's in this lineups future?

 

Oh and get rid of Peek and draft another Safety!

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Guest Masters
You're right; Phil was building this team for a Super Bowl run this season. What a joke.

 

Thomas is the only roster bonus I'd pick up out of that entire crew. Perhaps Joe J. as the $ figure is so low.

 

You wouldn't pick up Rogers?!?!?!?!?!?

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You wouldn't pick up Rogers?!?!?!?!?!?

 

What Alo said. :)

 

And I wasn't taking into consideration the bringing back of guys like Braylon, Steinbach, Tucker who weren't due a bonus, either...

 

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