Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: AFC West
Before NFL training camps get underway later this month, we’re taking a closer look at the top 2015 cap hits for teams around the league. We began our series in June by focusing on the NFC East and AFC East divisions, before looking at the NFC North, AFC North, and NFC South last week. Earlier this week, we recapped the AFC South and NFC West, and today we’ll wrap up our series by concluding with the AFC West.
Listed below are the top 10 cap hits for the coming season for each of the four AFC West franchises, accompanied by some observations on the spending habits of those clubs. Let’s dive in….
Denver Broncos:
- Peyton Manning, QB: $17,500,000
- Demaryius Thomas, WR: $12,823,000
- Von Miller, OLB: $9,754,000
- DeMarcus Ware, OLB: $8,666,666
- T.J. Ward, S: $7,750,000
- Aqib Talib, CB: $6,968,750
- Louis Vasquez, G: $6,250,000
- Emmanuel Sanders, WR: $5,850,000
- Britton Colquitt, P: $3,750,000
- Chris Harris, CB: $3,000,000
Total: $82,312,416
The top three contracts on the Broncos’ list are all ones worth keeping an eye on. Manning’s cap number for 2015 was adjusted earlier in the offseason, bringing it down from $21.5MM, while Thomas and Miller are both candidates for extensions. Thomas’ figure is based on the franchise tag and Miller’s is based on the fifth-year option — presumably, the team would like to lock up at least one of those two players to a long-term contract this offseason to avoid having to decide between them for the franchise tag in 2016.
Elsewhere on the list, Sanders and Harris look like two of the NFL’s best bargains. Harris’ cap hit will jump to $9MM in 2016, but based on what Byron Maxwell received on the open market this winter, that still looks like a very fair price for one of the top cornerbacks in the league. As for Sanders, his cap charge continues to be very affordable next year, at just $6MM.
One name that jumps out on this list is Colquitt, who is a solid but unspectacular punter, ranking 23rd in net average last year. It looks like the team will probably carry him this year, but when his cap hit increases to $4MM in 2016, with just $750K in dead money, it may be time to bring in some legitimate competition at the position.
Kansas City Chiefs:
- Alex Smith, QB: $15,600,000
- Justin Houston, OLB: $13,195,000
- Dwayne Bowe, WR: $8,894,118 (dead money)
- Eric Berry, S: $8,357,700
- Jamaal Charles, RB: $7,970,835
- Sean Smith, CB: $7,750,000
- Eric Fisher, LT: $6,051,954
- Derrick Johnson, LB: $5,250,000
- Tamba Hali, OLB: $4,964,706
- Chase Daniel, QB: $4,800,000
Total: $82,834,313
Like the Broncos, the Chiefs have a franchise player near the top of their list of cap numbers, so if Houston reaches a long-term agreement with the club within the next few days, his number could be reduced.
Still, there are some unexpected names here for Kansas City — Bowe, for instance, will be playing in Cleveland this season while he continues to count for nearly $9MM against the Chiefs’ cap. It’s also not clear if Berry will be able to return to the field in 2015, though obviously his recovery from lymphoma is more important than any cap considerations.
When I looked at the NFC West earlier this week, I observed that the Cardinals were one of the league’s only teams with two quarterbacks amongst their top 10 cap charges. Kansas City is the other club to have that honor, and it’s somewhat surprising that Daniel’s contract hasn’t been addressed. The Chiefs clearly value him highly, having made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid backups, despite the fact that he has only thrown 75 passes in his career.
Oakland Raiders:
- Rodney Hudson, C: $13,000,000
- Dan Williams, DT: $8,000,000
- Nate Allen, S: $7,000,000
- Tyvon Branch, S: $6,671,000 (dead money)
- Curtis Lofton, LB: $6,500,000
- Austin Howard, RT: $6,400,000
- Donald Penn, LT: $5,400,000
- Justin Tuck, DE: $4,968,750
- Khalil Mack, OLB: $4,244,773
- Charles Woodson, S: $4,200,000
Total: $66,384,523
The Raiders entered the offseason with a boatload of cap room to use, and they took advantage by lavishing lucrative contracts onto a handful of free agents who may not have been entirely deserving of such big annual salaries.
Still, it’s worth pointing out that the figures here for Hudson, Williams, Allen, and Lofton aren’t quite representative of their per-year salaries — all four players will see their cap numbers decrease in future seasons, with Hudson dipping most drastically between 2015 and 2016, from $13MM to $7.7MM. The contracts themselves may not turn out to be smart investments, but Oakland was smart to allocate larger cap hits to 2015, when the team had cap space to burn.
The Raiders, like a handful of other teams we’ve examined so far, benefit from not having to spend big yet on their young quarterback, but the club’s spending habits at other positions are a little unusual. While most teams would invest most heavily in players on the outside – left tackles, edge rushers, wide receivers, and cornerbacks – the Raiders’ top 2015 cap hits are all for up-the-middle players, including a center, defensive tackle, safety, and inside linebacker.
San Diego Chargers:
- Philip Rivers, QB: $17,416,668
- Eric Weddle, S: $10,100,000
- Antonio Gates, TE: $9,762,500
- Corey Liuget, DT: $7,977,000
- Donald Butler, LB: $5,480,000
- Malcom Floyd, WR: $4,716,668
- Orlando Franklin, G: $4,400,000
- Mike Scifres, P: $4,347,500
- Brandon Flowers, CB: $4,250,000
- King Dunlap, LT: $4,125,000
Total: $72,575,336
The Chargers’ top 10 cap numbers for 2015 are made up nearly entirely of players who are entering the final year of their respective contracts and players who just signed new contracts with the club this offseason. Only Butler, who signed an extension in 2014, and Scifres, who is under contract for 2016, don’t meet this criteria.
Of the longtime Chargers entering the final year of their contracts, Rivers appears to have the best chance of reaching a long-term extension that would affect his cap number for 2015. Talks between the Chargers and Weddle haven’t gone well, Gates is facing a four-game suspension, and Floyd has talked about the possibility of retiring after the coming season.
As for the recently signed players, Liuget, Flowers, and Dunlap re-upped with San Diego this offseason, with Flowers and Dunlap narrowly avoiding reaching the open market, while Franklin was poached from the division-rival Broncos. All four players will see their cap numbers rise after this season, going from a combined $20.752 in 2015 to a total of $33.275 in 2016.
Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.
Chiefs, Houston To Talk Contract This Weekend
The Chiefs and Justin Houston will discuss a possible extension for the standout pass rusher this weekend, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who indicates agent Joel Segal will talk to Kansas City GM John Dorsey.
Like Jason Pierre-Paul, Dez Bryant, and Demaryius Thomas, Houston received the franchise tag earlier this offseason but has yet to sign that one-year, $13.195MM tender, preferring for the time being to pursue a long-term contract. It’s no surprise that Houston and the Chiefs are expected to ramp up negotiations in the coming days, since the deadline for franchised players to strike a multiyear deal is next Wednesday.
According to Cole, the Chiefs have an offer on the table for Houston that features “generational wealth”-type money. It’s not clear exactly what that means in terms of per-year salary or overall guarantees, but Cole suggests the NFL’s reigning sack leader is seeking a deal in the neighborhood of J.J. Watt‘s six-year, $100MM pact. That’s no surprise either — we heard way back in November, when Houston was on his way to finishing with 22 sacks, that he and Segal may look to top Watt’s deal.
If the Chiefs don’t increase their offer into the Watt range, the two sides likely won’t get anything done within the next five days, leaving Houston to play the 2015 season on his one-year franchise tender. However, it’s not unreasonable to think Kansas City’s offer could get close to that six-year, $100MM figure.
Although Watt received more than $50MM in total guarantees, only about $20MM of that amount was fully guaranteed up front. And while a report in May indicated the Chiefs wouldn’t want to pay Houston more annually than they’ve committed to quarterback Alex Smith ($17MM), a six-year, $100MM agreement would come in just below that.
Houston isn’t quite the one-man wrecking ball that Watt is up front, but Watt’s deal is viewed as a relative bargain for the Texans, since they got it done well before he would’ve reached free agency. Additionally, you could make the case that Houston is the league’s second-best pass rusher, considering he has racked up 43 sacks over the last three seasons, earning Pro Bowl nods in each of those years.
Based on that production, Houston is probably worthy of an extension that matches or exceeds the contracts for top pass rushers like Mario Williams and Robert Quinn, who are in the $14-16MM per year range. We’ll see if the Chiefs are willing to go that high, or if they’re more inclined to go year to year on their star outside linebacker.
Chiefs Sign Kevin Short
11:17am: The Chiefs have officially confirmed the signing of Short, announcing (via Twitter) that they’ve waived cornerback Kenneth Penny to make room for the new addition. Penny, a UNLV alum, had just signed with Kansas City last month.
8:49am: Former Kansas cornerback Kevin Short wasn’t selected in yesterday’s supplemental draft, but it didn’t take him long to find an NFL home. According to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, Short has joined the Chiefs, signing a standard three-year contract for an undrafted rookie.
Short, a 6’2″ 190-pound defensive back, never actually played for the Jayhawks, having been declared academically ineligible last season. He left school in September, citing personal reasons, before entering this week’s supplemental draft.
While Short was the first of the undrafted players from this week’s group to land a deal, I expect it includes little to no guaranteed money, so he won’t be assured of a roster spot for the 2015 season. If he impresses in training camp, Short could get a longer look and perhaps earn a spot on Kansas City’s practice squad.
AFC Notes: Houston, Chiefs, Ravens
Former Cardinals defensive tackle Dan Williams knows a thing or two about watching a team go from the bottom to the top. Now with the Raiders, the veteran is confident that we will see something similar in Oakland, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes.
“I don’t know how the Raiders were before I got there, but just the fact that the coaches we have now – these guys have a great plan,” said Williams, who signed a four-year, $15MM contract this offseason to help anchor the run defense. “They pretty much laid out the foundation, and now it’s pretty much on the players to buy in. We’ve been doing a great job so far at buying in to what they want us to do.”
Will the new blood in Oakland, including new head coach Jack Del Rio, be enough to turn things around in 2015? Only time will tell. Here’s more from the AFC..
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com looked at Justin Houston‘s situation with the Chiefs and attempted to hammer out a fair contract solution for both sides. Ultimately, Corry suggests a deal worth $81.25MM with $48MM guaranteed and $28.375MM fully guaranteed at the time of signing. The deal is a happy medium of the average of five highest-paid non-quarterbacks, average of five-highest paid defensive players and average of three highest-paid pass rushers while holding true to KC’s contract preferences and conventions. The deal would also provide the Chiefs with $8MM+ of some badly needed salary cap relief. At present, KC has just $550K in salary room.
- The Ravens have been trending younger and younger in recent years and Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun wonders if that trend will continue in 2015. it’s hard to tell where things will be at for Baltimore since we’re so far away from the 53-man cutdown, but it’s possible that the streak will come to an end this year. At this time last year, the Ravens had nine players who were on the wrong side of 30. This year, they have ten, including key pillars such as Joe Flacco, Dennis Pitta, Terrell Suggs, and Steve Smith.
- Matt Calkins of U-T San Diego fears that everything is falling apart for the Chargers. So far this offseason, the Bolts have watched Philip Rivers turn down a contract extension, Eric Weddle declare that this is last season in San Diego, and now veteran Antonio Gates has been hit with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing policy. As all of this goes on, the possibility of relocation lurks over the franchise and its loyal fans.
Extra Points: Chiefs, Collins, Winston
Here are some items to round out the work week across the NFL.
- With the Justin Houston standoff still in motion, the Chiefs have other looming financial decisions, which Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star examines as the team enters the pre-minicamp evaluation period. Paylor points out how Jeremy Maclin‘s backloaded contract, which will features a $3.4MM cap number this year before escalating to $12.4MM in 2016, makes this season’s wide receiver payments particularly minuscule, as no other Kansas City outside target is set to make more than $700K. Both Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson are playing for future deals this season, but as Scott Pioli-selected players coming off injuries, they may be playing for future jobs elsewhere. The John Dorsey–Andy Reid power structure has yet to re-up a previous regime’s offensive lineman, as Paylor notes.
- Jameis Winston wants to drop down to the playing weight of his redshirt freshman, Heisman Trophy-winning year of 2013 (230 pounds) after ballooning to nearly 250 in the offseason, reports Kevin Patra of NFL.com. The Buccaneers‘ presumptive starter’s at around 238 presently. The No. 1 overall pick also doesn’t believe he’s on a redemption tour of sorts after the legal and other negative off-field issues that mounted during his three years at Florida State, notes Tom Withers of the Associated Press. “I have nothing to prove,” Winston said. “I believe that people make mistakes but I also believe that you bounce back from those and I’m just moving forward.”
- With the Giants lacking much depth at safety, Landon Collins will certainly receive enough reps in an attempt to make good on his aspirations at becoming the defensive rookie of the year. But so far in the less-consequential, padless practice portion, the Alabama product is pretty raw in terms of playmaking instincts, writes Nick Powell of NJ.com.
- Tom Compton is still a good bet to make Washington‘s 53-man roster despite the team using the No. 5 pick on Brandon Scherff and relocating the ex-Iowa left tackle to the right side, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. A 2012 sixth-round pick, Compton (six sacks ceded) rated as Washington’s worst offensive lineman in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Jags, Pats, Chiefs Inquired On Josh Cribbs
Speaking to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link), free agent return specialist Josh Cribbs revealed that he has received inquiries from a few teams since hitting the open market, including the Jaguars, Patriots, and Chiefs. According to Fowler, Cribbs is open to the possibility of retiring, but would like to continue his playing career.
Cribbs, who turned 32 earlier this month, was one of the most explosive punt and kick returners in the league in the early stages of his career, tallying 11 total return touchdowns — three on punts and eight more on kicks. After joining the Colts last year, the Kent State product didn’t make an impact on 19 punt returns, averaging just 6.6 yards, but his kick return average was an impressive 32.0 yards per return on 19 attempts.
Despite his success on kick returns, Cribbs became expendable in Indianapolis when the Colts used their first-round pick to select Miami wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, who is expected to handle return duties for the club this year. Indianapolis parted ways with Cribbs on May 1, before the draft had concluded.
AFC Notes: Chiefs, Browns, Raiders, Steelers
The Chiefs went through both voluntary and mandatory minicamp sans holdout Justin Houston, but head coach Andy Reid isn’t concerned about the star linebacker’s status going forward.
“There’s a lot of rules and regulations but I don’t get caught up in that — that’s what Dorse (general manager John Dorsey) does. I have trust in both sides, actually, that they’ll get something done,” Reid told Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Houston after he led the NFL in sacks last year with 22, but he hasn’t signed his one-year, $13.1MM tender and the two sides have until July 15 to strike a long-term deal. Otherwise, the Chiefs’ best hope is that Houston eventually signs his tender and reports in time for the 2015 season. As a nonexclusive franchise player, another team could sign Houston to a deal, which would give the Chiefs the right to match it or let him go in exchange for two first-round picks from the other club.
Here’s the latest on some of the Chiefs’ AFC brethren:
- Given his size (6-foot-4, 233 pounds) and speed, Terrelle Pryor‘s conversion from quarterback to wide receiver could pique some teams’ interest. The Browns won’t be one of them, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweeted.
- Real estate developer Floyd Kephart faces a Monday deadline in his bid to provide proof to the city of Oakland, the Raiders and Oakland-Alameda County that his proposed new stadium plan is making progress, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Scott McKibben, the executive director of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, is optimistic. “We are hopeful we will see what we need to see,” McKibben sid. “This is an important benchmark deadline.”
- The Steelers’ second-ranked passing offense picked apart opposing defenses last year, and it could be more of the same this season – especially if wide receiver Markus Wheaton‘s transition from the outside to the slot goes well. “He is super fast and quick, and that’s what you need because you are facing that third corner or linebacker a lot,” Steelers wideout Antonio Brown told Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review. “On third downs, nine times out of 10 that’s where the ball is going to go. It’s just about being on the same page with Ben (Roethlisberger).”
Minor Moves: Friday
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Browns have claimed receiver Shane Wynn off waivers, cutting another wideout, Paul Browning, to make room on the roster, according to a team release. Wynn, a 5’6″ undrafted free agent out of Indiana, signed with the Falcons in May before being waived yesterday by Atlanta.
- The Chiefs have signed a wide receiver, adding McMurry alum Jeret Smith to their roster, the team announced today (via Twitter). Smith caught 54 balls for 1,143 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2014, his senior year.
- Having been cut yesterday with a failed physical designation, cornerback Bill Bentley is expected to reach an injury settlement with the Lions soon, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- After going unclaimed on waivers, Steelers tackle Micah Hatchie has been placed on Pittsburgh’s injured reserve list, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Minor Moves: Thursday
Today’s minor moves..
- The Titans waived tight end Taylor Thompson, tweets the Tennesseean’s Jim Wyatt. Thompson, whom the Titans chose in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, has 11 career catches. It was reported earlier this week that the Titans were primed to fine Thompson for showing up late to mandatory minicamp. He has also been dealing with knee issues.
- The Patriots cut tight end Logan Stokes, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Stokes signed with the Pats last week as an undrafted free agent out of LSU.
- The Chiefs signed cornerback Kenneth Penny and waived both guard Melvin Meggs and cornerback De’Vante Bausby, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
- The Bills signed free agent tight end Matthew Mulligan and released defensive back Merrill Noel, according to the Buffalo News’ Vic Carucci (Twitter link). The 30-year-old Mulligan, who has 16 career receptions, played under current Bills coach Rex Ryan as a member of the Jets from 2009-11.
- The Falcons signed veteran wide receiver Carlton Mitchell and waived fellow wideout Shane Wynn, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mitchell, a sixth-round pick in 2010, last saw action in 2011, when he caught three passes for the Browns. Wynn signed with Atlanta last month as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana.
- The Lions waived Bill Bentley after minicamp practice on Thursday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). The cornerback was attempting to return from a torn ACL. Bentley played some nickel for Detroit over the last three years.
- The Packers released cornerback Travis Manning, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette (on Twitter). Taking Manning’s place on the roster will be tight end Harold Spears, who was waived by the Saints earlier this week, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune (on Twitter). Green Bay still has 89 players on the roster after today’s moves.
West Notes: Foles, Gates, Chargers, Chiefs
At this point, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links) is much more bullish on Bobby Wagner reaching a new deal with the Seahawks than Russell Wilson doing the same. The linebacker is seeking a deal in the range of $10MM per season and Seattle’s evaluation of him likely isn’t far off from that. Wagner, who will turn 25 near the end of this month,graded out as fifth out of 60 qualified inside linebackers according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Earlier this month, the two sides began talks on a new deal. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC West..
- Rams coach Jeff Fisher acknowledged that the club has engaged in contract discussions with quarterback Nick Foles, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter). Earlier today, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reported that the quarterback loves being in St. Louis, but he’ll let agent David Dunn handle negotiations. The Rams are also talking to a few other potential 2016 free agents about new contracts, so it doesn’t sound like they’re focused exclusively on Foles.
- Antonio Gates, the Chargers‘ all-time leader in catches, receiving yardage, and touchdowns, isn’t thinking about retirement after this season, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego writes. “As you get older, people say things,” Gates said. “They make speculations about where you’re going, about how much you have in the tank. To me, it’s all about how I feel as a person, how my body feels physically and mentally. As of right now, I feel great physically. I’m in a great place mentally. So, we’ll see how it goes. I have no expectations for how long I’ll play or if this is my last year. Right now, my main focus is just being around the guys … and working to bring a championship here to San Diego.”
- Kealoha Pilares (WR, Hawaii), Kenneth Penny (CB, UNLV), and Derek Dennis (G, Temple) were at Kansas City’s minicamp today to try out for the Chiefs, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.