Predicting the Tag

[LinvilleGorge]

5 minutes ago, AU-panther said:

Option A:  Sign Norwell, draft a receiver

Option B:  let Norwell go, draft a guard, sign a receiver in free agency

Option C:  Sign Norwell, Sign a receiver, and maybe have to let Williams go next year and/or have less cap space to spend on other positional groups.

For whatever reason I feel like we can find a decent guard in the draft easier than a decent receiver so B might seem the way to go.

Option D: Cut Kalil, Cut Stew, Cut Shepard, Sign Norwell, Sign a receiver.

But honestly, I just don't think we're gonna re-sign Norwell. I think he wants absolute maximum dollar and we think we can replace him.

[DaveThePanther2008]

There are a couple of good Centers in the draft.   If we cut Ryan and sign Norwell we might get lucky enough to get a good Center in the first day or two of the draft.

 

 

[kungfoodude]

6 hours ago, stbugs said:

Yeah we can’t match that. It would definitely be a 3rd comp pick too. The tough part is that if we want comp picks (one of the ways NE has always had draft capital) then we can’t make much of a splash in FA. It would be better to get a guy like Crabtree if cut than Robinson who’s contract expired. Crabtree wouldn’t count against or comps. 

I think we if let Norwell walk then it will be a larger trend of us not making big free agency moves. Not that I would be against that.

[kungfoodude]

6 hours ago, jumpman910 said:

In a perfect world Kalil restructures this off season and frees up reasonable money for Norwell. Then we cut Matt next off-season and frees up that money for Williams.

Because having Norwell tagged at 14/15 million, Kalil at just under 12 million, and turner at 11.5 million considering we already have limited cap space and other needs would be a horrible way to manage the current cap. I know we all love the white Buffalo and he's elite but you really  can't tie all that cap into a line when you're trying to contend for a Superbowl. The browns can do that type of poo before they have money to burn 

It would be great if Kalil restructures but he also don't have a real reason to.

[LinvilleGorge]

7 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

It would be great if Kalil restructures but he also don't have a real reason to.

To not get cut. It's not out of the question that whoever the GM is approaches him and tells him he'd love to have him for one more year, but only if he's willing to take a pay cut. Everyone keeps talking about restructuring but it won't be a restructure. Restructuring is when teams convert salary to bonus to spread out the cap hit. Hurney used to do it quite often. It creates more cap space in the short term at the expense of decreasing flexibility by creating more dead money in the contract if the player is released. That isn't a possibility with Kalil since he's in the final year of his deal and has already said he's retiring so that would seem to rule out an extension.

[kungfoodude]

17 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

To not get cut. It's not out of the question that whoever the GM is approaches him and tells him he'd love to have him for one more year, but only if he's willing to take a pay cut. Everyone keeps talking about restructuring but it won't be a restructure. Restructuring is when teams convert salary to bonus to spread out the cap hit. Hurney used to do it quite often. It creates more cap space in the short term at the expense of decreasing flexibility by creating more dead money in the contract if the player is released. That isn't a possibility with Kalil since he's in the final year of his deal and has already said he's retiring so that would seem to rule out an extension.

I am not sure how much of Ryan's final year is guaranteed but if it is the bulk, it is entirely possible that he doesn't care if they cut him at all. 

[LinvilleGorge]

2 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I am not sure how much of Ryan's final year is guaranteed but if it is the bulk, it is entirely possible that he doesn't care if they cut him at all. 

He'll get $2.8M if he's cut. He'll make an additional almost $6.9M if he's on the roster. His cap hit is the total of the two at $9.7M. 

 

[Woodie]

36 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

To not get cut. It's not out of the question that whoever the GM is approaches him and tells him he'd love to have him for one more year, but only if he's willing to take a pay cut. Everyone keeps talking about restructuring but it won't be a restructure. Restructuring is when teams convert salary to bonus to spread out the cap hit. Hurney used to do it quite often. It creates more cap space in the short term at the expense of decreasing flexibility by creating more dead money in the contract if the player is released. That isn't a possibility with Kalil since he's in the final year of his deal and has already said he's retiring so that would seem to rule out an extension.

While you're focusing on the financial implications of releasing Kalil, the much bigger issue with cutting him is in the locker room.  And I don't mean what we would lose in leadership (which would be huge in itself).  Cutting Kalil would cost the team a lot of goodwill with their veteran players, and would make them question their trust and loyalty to the team.  Dumping a team leader and one of the guys with the biggest influence on the team after he announces his plans to retire after next season would not go over well at all.

Most within that locker room believe Kalil has earned the right to go out on his terms.  And when healthy, he is still our best center by a large margin.  And since he finished the season relatively healthy, there's reason to think he should be fine for one more year...especially after having an offseason to get in shape and ready, which he didn't have last offseason.

The thing is, it's easy for us fans to think about things in an impersonal way, but the organization has to consider how each move will affect the team on the field, but off as well.  And this is not a Smitty, or even DeAngelo, situation.  Kalil is well liked and highly respected by pretty much everyone.  So him being cut, denying him his farewell tour, would be an extremely hard pill for most of the players to swallow.  

[CarolinaSamurai]

To all those thinking we can just draft a guard to replace him. The teams that want him have higher picks than us yet still want him. Remember that. 

[Toomers]

5 hours ago, Woodie said:

While you're focusing on the financial implications of releasing Kalil, the much bigger issue with cutting him is in the locker room.  And I don't mean what we would lose in leadership (which would be huge in itself).  Cutting Kalil would cost the team a lot of goodwill with their veteran players, and would make them question their trust and loyalty to the team.  Dumping a team leader and one of the guys with the biggest influence on the team after he announces his plans to retire after next season would not go over well at all.

Most within that locker room believe Kalil has earned the right to go out on his terms.  And when healthy, he is still our best center by a large margin.  And since he finished the season relatively healthy, there's reason to think he should be fine for one more year...especially after having an offseason to get in shape and ready, which he didn't have last offseason.

The thing is, it's easy for us fans to think about things in an impersonal way, but the organization has to consider how each move will affect the team on the field, but off as well.  And this is not a Smitty, or even DeAngelo, situation.  Kalil is well liked and highly respected by pretty much everyone.  So him being cut, denying him his farewell tour, would be an extremely hard pill for most of the players to swallow.  

  If it is a choice between one year of Kalil, or possibly signing Norwell long-term, who do you think the “vets” want? Sentiment over success is what got us here. These players know it’s a business. Just like they know Ryan is probably a coin flip to play 8 games this year. Wish this wasn’t the case as your scenario is ideal. Ryan does deserve it. Many players do. But with a cap, it’s not realistic. Been a Steelers fan for 40 years. They let every vet go when they lose value. Personal feelings and cap space don’t go together well at all.  

 

[LinvilleGorge]

9 hours ago, Woodie said:

While you're focusing on the financial implications of releasing Kalil, the much bigger issue with cutting him is in the locker room.  And I don't mean what we would lose in leadership (which would be huge in itself).  Cutting Kalil would cost the team a lot of goodwill with their veteran players, and would make them question their trust and loyalty to the team.  Dumping a team leader and one of the guys with the biggest influence on the team after he announces his plans to retire after next season would not go over well at all.

Most within that locker room believe Kalil has earned the right to go out on his terms.  And when healthy, he is still our best center by a large margin.  And since he finished the season relatively healthy, there's reason to think he should be fine for one more year...especially after having an offseason to get in shape and ready, which he didn't have last offseason.

The thing is, it's easy for us fans to think about things in an impersonal way, but the organization has to consider how each move will affect the team on the field, but off as well.  And this is not a Smitty, or even DeAngelo, situation.  Kalil is well liked and highly respected by pretty much everyone.  So him being cut, denying him his farewell tour, would be an extremely hard pill for most of the players to swallow.  

This is the way other NFL franchises have almost always operated. Panthers fans just aren't used to it. It's a two way street here. I'm sure the team would love to have Kalil back. Kalil sounds like he'd love to be back. Work it out. He's no longer worth his cap hit. Take a pay cut.

[jumpman910]

9 hours ago, Woodie said:

While you're focusing on the financial implications of releasing Kalil, the much bigger issue with cutting him is in the locker room.  And I don't mean what we would lose in leadership (which would be huge in itself).  Cutting Kalil would cost the team a lot of goodwill with their veteran players, and would make them question their trust and loyalty to the team.  Dumping a team leader and one of the guys with the biggest influence on the team after he announces his plans to retire after next season would not go over well at all.

Most within that locker room believe Kalil has earned the right to go out on his terms.  And when healthy, he is still our best center by a large margin.  And since he finished the season relatively healthy, there's reason to think he should be fine for one more year...especially after having an offseason to get in shape and ready, which he didn't have last offseason.

The thing is, it's easy for us fans to think about things in an impersonal way, but the organization has to consider how each move will affect the team on the field, but off as well.  And this is not a Smitty, or even DeAngelo, situation.  Kalil is well liked and highly respected by pretty much everyone.  So him being cut, denying him his farewell tour, would be an extremely hard pill for most of the players to swallow.  

The franchises that compete for Superbowls don't worry about the locker room when they make the best decision for the team moving forward. These guys know it's a business and hell the players should know that we might can't rely on Kalil staying healthy, they saw that this past season. 

And realistically cutting Kalil or reducing his contract in ANY way is the only way we'll be able to retain Norwell. Any other way would be putting other needs in jeopardy with having little to no cap to work with.

poo who knows Hurneys plan this entire time may have been to let both star and Norwell to not jeopardize the cap 

[Ja Rhule]

Move M Kalil to G and get a true LT.  Kalil problem is speed rushers of the edge.  He’d be a solid guard.

[WOW!!]

Ppl have to just get to the realism that we can't afford Norwell.. He played his way out of Carolina pay rate.. We choose the guard we wanted to keep in Turner.. I know it hurts and it's scary.. But we have to let him and Star walk and cut some fat to improve the team.. We will be able to fill more holes and get some good Comp picks for next year.. Letting Norwell walk is the best for the team going foward.. Paying 2 guards top money is a cap killer..