THE SIX KINGS Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Scouts Inc. The following is a list of players who might be cut this offseason, with a sentence or two explaining why. Arizona Cardinals DE Calvin Pace -- He is a young player with talent who does not have a big 2006 salary. His cap number is close to $2 million, which is a lot for a player who has underachieved as much as Pace has. The Cardinals will bring him back, but he will be on a short leash in camp. Atlanta Falcons DC Kevin Mathis -- Despite a manageable salary of $700,000 in 2006, he is 31 and has an injury history. Atlanta would like to get younger at the position. DE Brady Smith -- He is a 10-year veteran who is still a solid role player when healthy. However, his 2006 salary of $2.5 million is much too much for his current production. He is an excellent team player and the team might be open to keeping him if he is willing to restructure. Carolina Panthers RB Stephen Davis -- At age 32, he is too injury prone and has very little gas left in the tank. He has a $1.5 million roster bonus and $1.8 million base salary. The team has committed to DeShaun Foster by placing the transition tag on him and needs a much younger and dependable backup than Davis can be at this point in his career. PK John Kasay -- He is under contract next season for $1.3 million. Even at 35, he is still kicking at a solid level. There are more teams with kicker needs than available options at the position, so the Panthers would be wise to keep him and not create a hole on their roster. LS Jason Kyle -- He has a base salary of $770,000, which is not bad for a long snapper. However, he has no value as a position player. OLB Brandon Short -- He is a good player when healthy, but is not dominant or a big-play guy. His status may be dependant on what happens with free agent Will Witherspoon. Short's 2006 cap number of a little over $2 million is a little high, but the team can manage it. Chicago Bears TE Desmond Clark -- He is not the game-changer the Bears need to take pressure off their young QBs. He has a base salary of $1.25 million and a March roster bonus of $250,000. They can afford to keep him on, but they really need to find a better player at the position. Dallas Cowboys OG Larry Allen -- He is getting close to ending an excellent NFL career. He still flashes the ability to dominate at times, but has a $3.5 million salary and $2.5 million March roster bonus. He is a player who can still start in the league, but the Cowboys need to get him to restructure his contract. DT La'Roi Glover -- With a $4.5 million 2006 salary and $1.5 million roster bonus, his days in Dallas appear to be numbered. He still has the ability to be effective in the right system, but he has never been a good fit for the 3-4 defense Dallas employs. ILB Dat Nguyen -- Due to injuries, there is a very good chance he is going to retire. He really does not fit the defense either, as head coach Bill Parcells would prefer bigger bodies at the position. With a cap number of close to $2.5 million, Nguyen won't be in a Dallas uniform next season. Detroit Lions DC Fernando Bryant -- He is a solid player when healthy, but he missed a good portion of last season. When healthy, he is not a shutdown corner, but the Lions have few options right now at the position. Although $2.75 million seems a little steep for Bryant, they will have to bite the bullet and hope he stays healthy. QB Joey Harrington -- Both he and the team are in a tough spot. His base salary is $4.45 million and he has another $6.5 million due in roster and option bonuses. Although he has not earned the money due to him, the team has very few other options. WR Charles Rogers -- He won't be released due to his $750,000-plus salary, but his off-the-field issues and work ethic are a concern. The team is also trying to recoup money from his original signing bonus due to his suspension, so this has the potential to be an ugly situation. It is time for Detroit to admit it made a mistake in drafting him and move on. Green Bay Packers OLB Na'il Diggs -- Even though he is only 27, his career is not ascending as the team had hoped. Injuries have been a big reason for that. With salaries and bonuses, Diggs stands to earn close to $3 million this season. That would not be a stretch if he shows he can stay healthy. QB Brett Favre -- He has yet to announced if he will return or retire. You never want to see a legend leave the game, but the Packers need cap space and Favre's 2006 cap number is over $12 million. For a team that would like to build for the future, Favre's return would hinder that process. OG Adrian Klemm -- He is due $1.2 million in 2006, which is not bad for a backup offensive lineman who can come in and give adequate reps across the O-line. Minnesota Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper -- He has a $6 million roster bonus due in mid-March. He is coming off major knee surgery and his name has been linked to potential trades. The new staff seems more than willing to move Culpepper and go with veteran Brad Johnson until they can develop a young QB. Culpepper's most likely landing spots if he is dealt are Oakland, Baltimore, Miami, New Orleans and the New York Jets. OG Chris Liwienski -- Former Mike Tice favorite who was benched during the 2005 season. He is only 30, and he appeared to hit the wall very quickly. He might still have a few good years left under the right circumstances, but with a new regime in place, it is unlikely the team will pay him the $2 million he is due in salary and bonuses. WR Marcus Robinson -- He is primarily just a flash player at this point in his career and the Vikings have some young and talented receivers on their roster. With a 2006 base salary of $2 million, the Vikings may look toward that youth movement at WR. OT Mike Rosenthal -- He is due only $1.45 million in salary and bonuses, and he's just 28. But the bottom line is that he just isn't good enough to get the job done and the Vikings need to upgrade the position. New Orleans Saints DS Jay Bellamy -- He finished the 2005 season on IR and at 33, can no longer be counted on to be a 16-game starter. He has a minimal 2006 salary of $850,000, so the Saints could bring him to camp and see how he looks before making a decision on him. QB Todd Bouman -- Career backup who started late last season and showed why he has never ascended into that No. 1 role. He is due a little over $1 million in salary and roster bonuses, which is not bad for a backup QB. Look for Bouman to stick. QB Aaron Brooks -- He's never played to his ability with the Saints. His cap number is $8 million-plus this season, so he will be moving on to another situation. TE Ernie Conwell -- He is injury prone and no longer possesses playmaking skills in the passing game. With a cap number over $2 million, it is time for the Saints to get much younger at the position. OG Jermane Mayberry -- It will be intriguing to see how the new staff feels about him. He is due a base salary of only $777,000 but has an early roster bonus of $2.1 million. DC Fred Thomas -- He has never been a shutdown-type corner, and at 31 his skills are beginning to deteriorate. He is due close to $3 million this season in salary and roster bonuses, which is too much for a player of his caliber. The Saints must get younger and better in the back end. New York Giants OLB Carlos Emmons -- He suffered a partially torn pectoral muscle late in the 2005 season. He does not have a roster bonus due and carries a base salary of $2 million for the 2006 season. His base salary is not guaranteed until the start of the season, so the Giants will take a wait-and-see approach. P Jeff Feagles -- At 39, he is still punting at a solid level. He is due only $770,000 this season and is still kicking well enough to play another season. OLB Barrett Green -- His 2006 base salary is $2.48 million and he is not even the starter. They can save cap space by finding a lower-priced backup. DT Fred Robbins -- He is another backup with a big salary. He is due close to $2 million this season in salary and bonuses, so the Giants might look to find a cheaper replacement and save cap space. WR Amani Toomer -- He made some plays last season, but the team would like to start developing some younger players at the position. With a cap number at close to $6.4 million, he will need to restructure if he is going to remain a Giant. DS Shaun Williams -- The 28-year-old has talent, but he is a career underachiever. With a cap number a little over $5.8 million, even a restructuring could not save him. It is time for him and the organization to part ways. Philadelphia Eagles DT Paul Grasmanis -- Scheduled to make only $770,000 in 2006, but at 31, he is strictly a rotational player at this point in his career. The team needs to start developing young players at the position, and he is just eating up a roster spot. DE Jerome McDougle -- His 2005 season was a washout due to him being shot in a robbery attempt in South Florida. His 2006 salary is only $625,000, so his return is not as much dependent on the bottom line as it is his health situation. WR Terrell Owens -- His imminent departure is the worst-kept secret in the NFL. He is gone, now it is just a matter of where he will land. Potential suitors are Denver, Kansas City, Seattle, Dallas, Washington and Chicago. San Francisco 49ers OLB/DE Andre Carter -- He is another in a long list of 49ers early-round picks who have been disappointing. Even though he is due close to $2.3 million this season, the team will likely keep him as fellow outside linebacker Julian Peterson is set to hit the market as a free agent. OC Jeremy Newberry -- The veteran has been an absolute warrior for the 49ers. He plays hard and is willing to drag himself out on the field even when injured. Though only 29, he has the body of a player who is 35 and his durability is a huge concern. His $3.5 million salary might be a little rich for a guy who lacks durability, but how do you replace his leadership and toughness? WR Rashaun Woods -- He has done nothing in his first two seasons to show anyone in the organization he is nothing but a first-round bust. His 2006 base salary is only $435,000, so he will likely be in camp, but he needs to start making something happen in a hurry. Seattle Seahawks OLB Jamie Sharper -- He missed the majority of the 2005 season with an injury. The team signed him as a security blanket, but with the emergence of rookies Lofa Tatupu and LeRoy Hill, Sharper's services are no longer needed. St. Louis Rams MLB Chris Claiborne -- He is still only 27, but moves like he is a lot older. He is an underachiever on an underachieving defense, so he and his $3.9 million cap number will be moving on. RB Marshall Faulk -- Interesting situation because of the coaching change. The Rams did not use him much last season, but I think he still has value as a role player. He is due $2 million, which is a little much for his current production. There is also a chance he could retire. Tampa Bay Buccaneers FB Mike Alstott -- He has talked about possibly retiring. He is a tough player who has been an excellent leader. At 31, he is starting to wear down, though. The team would take him back if he wanted to play and was wiling to restructure the nearly $5 million he is due. OLB Derrick Brooks -- Even at 32, he can still play and was the MVP of this year's Pro Bowl. The problem is he has a base salary in excess of $7.7 million. That number is way too high. Look for the Bucs to restructure his contract and keep him for 1-2 more seasons. OLB Jeff Gooch -- He is a backup and special teams player who has a $2 million salary for the 2006 season. The Bucs would like him back because of his prowess on special teams, but he must take his number down a little bit. QB Brian Griese -- He has a cap number in excess of $7 million, so he will need to be restructured or released. Griese tore his ACL during the middle of last season, and backup Chris Simms came in and played well. The team can't afford to pay Griese the kind of money he is due when it is not even sure he will be able to beat Simms out next season. RB Michael Pittman -- He has shown he can still be productive, but Cadillac Williams is now the man in Tampa. Pittman is due close to $1.75 million. The Bucs will think long and hard about what to do with Pittman, because even though they do have the Caddy, he has not always shown he can stay healthy. MLB Shelton Quarles -- Quarles is still a solid player in the middle, but he recently turned 33. He is due $3.5 million in salary and roster bonuses, which means the Bucs have another high-priced guy on an aging defense. DE Simeon Rice -- He is another in a long line of high-priced Tampa Bay defenders. Rice is only 30 and is still dominating as a pass rusher. His base salary this season is $6 million and the Bucs probably have to pay it. Rice is in a position where he does not have to restructure because he will have a big market should he hit the street. OT Matt Stinchcomb -- He is a seven-year player who has been a journeyman backup. It is time for Tampa to start developing some solid players at the position. Stinchcomb is due $2 million and is never going to be more than a role player. Washington Redskins OLB LaVar Arrington -- His base salary is only $545,000, but he has a monster $6.5 million bonus due. That is a lot for a player who is basically not liked by the coaching staff. It is an odd situation to say the least. The Redskins will cut him loose, and look for a big bidding war for the services of the 27-year-old Arrington. DS Matt Bowen -- Bowen is strictly a backup and the Redskins could find a better player for much less than the $2 million he is scheduled to make this season. PK John Hall -- He is still kicking at a good level when healthy, but staying healthy has been the problem. He is due $1.5 million this season, which is not a high number considering the limited options they have to go to. DC Walt Harris -- He is a 10-year veteran who is an average starter at this point in his career. The team has drafted a few young players at the position in recent years, so it might be time to allow Harris to move on so it can start to develop some of those guys. DT Brandon Noble -- He is only 31, but his body has taken on a lot of wear and tear. He is no longer capable of starring or being very dependable as a backup. If the Redskins were to bring him back, they would not get 16 games out of him. QB Patrick Ramsey -- His 2006 salary is only $1.7 million, so his situation is more like trade bait than a potential cap victim. Veteran QB Mark Brunell is close to the end, but the Skins have 2005 first-round pick Jason Campbell waiting in the wings. Ramsey is still young at 26 and has the potential to be a No. 1 QB. If the Redskins offer him up in a potential trade, many teams would be willing to listen. OC Cory Raymer -- He has been a tough, physical offensive linemen over his career, but at 32, he is on the down side. He has a base salary of only $985,000, so the Redskins might be willing to ride him for one more season while they wait for their young players to develop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outshined Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Interesting list - thanks for posting. Question: Why would a team cut a player now that would alter another teams draft strategy. The really don't have to do it until before next season unless they don't want to pay out a bonus right... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outshined Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Minnesota leads all teams with about $24.1 million available to spend in free agency. Arizona will have $23.6 million, Green Bay $20.7 million and Cleveland $20.1 million. These are not just some dollars to be saved for a rainy day. This is money these teams can use to clobber teams like Washington, Oakland and the Jets over the head, because those teams have to work like crazy to get under the cap by midweek -- assuming there's no new labor deal -- and won't be players in free agency this year. I think I found my answer...The teams that are currently over the salary cap now, must get under before free agency starts...makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voltaire Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Roster bonuses are starting to become due... As a rule of thumb, agents try to get the roster bonuses paid earlier (February/March) and teams try to push them back til later. Terrell Owens, for example, is due his on March 5th... so that's the day he gets cut. Eric Moulds, on the other hand, is due his in June... so you may not see his name in the news too much until then unless the Bills do him a favor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Just here to see the avi, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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