Hoofbite
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Lots of talk of cap hell but I don't think anyone has ever actually gave a definition. I guess shit tons of dead money is about the only definition I've seen. But then again, dead money only limits you to the extent that you are willing to make more room now at the future's expense so this doesn't really qualify as cap hell, IMO. Furthermore, dead money doesn't hang on for more than 2 years so if you are in cap hell you'll be out quick......not necessarily a true rendition of hell as we know it.
I can't recall any team ever failing to be compliant and being punished. I want to say it may have been rumored to happen with Washington at one point but I don't think it ever happened. In this sense, if even the most horribly managed team can not get punished during a stretch where they wrote contract after contract, does cap hell even exist?
If teams can basically move money around and remain compliant, can any team ever be in cap hell? I don't think so, not as it is normally referenced. In that case, cap hell must be defined with relative terms in relation to where other teams are. How could it be any other way? If you're in the shittiest spot with the cap in the NFL, is that not hell? If not, then the definition of cap hell is so incredibly horrid that it would be impossible for any team to actually find themselves there.
What's the point of having or not having salary cap space in the first place? The cap itself is there to spread the talent out but what about space on the individual team level? Why do some teams have it others don't. It's not really reflective of what a team actually pays in salary to a great extent, it's simply how they choose to structure and allocate their available space. In this sense, it has nothing to do with some owners being willing to spend more because owners could spend equal and depending on how they structure contract have completely different cap numbers. So why doesn't every team just utilize as much as possible? The answer is pretty simple; having space allows you to make moves so planning ahead to have space would generally be a smart thing to do.
So lets look at 4 cap positions:
Given those 4 positions, which one does Dallas reflect most closely. Relative to the others, is this not the shittiest position to be in? Additionally, think of how long Dallas has been there. It pretty much started 2 offseasons ago when Dallas started restructuring multiple guys just to get buy. When Romo gets a new contract, it will make it the 3rd consecutive season that they have restructured Romo's, Ware's and Austin's deals and we know they've done more as well. It started when Barber, Davis, Williams all shat out and Dallas had to carry dead money for them and it continued with Newman.
In 2011, luckily Dallas didn't have to worry about keeping a big name so they only needed to make a little space to get under.
In 2012 Dallas had Spencer who wasn't even a big name but they treated him like one and on top of that they went out and signed a shit ton of contracts. How they got it done was by moving more fucking money down the road and what they got for it was a repeat of 2011. Awesome!!!
This year, the team was $20M over the cap to start and even after making multiple moves and nearly exhausting any sort of ability to make space with only Romo and maybe a long term deal for Spencer as the two main ways to get more space that are left, they're still over the fucking cap right now. Romo might make a little room but Spencer probably won't because he wants to be paid as a DE and they make a shit ton. So when it's all said and done, this team will have restructured about 10 contracts all in the name of getting cap compliant and won't have upgraded a rather shitty roster that has lead to back-to-back 8-8 seasons.
All that said, I don't think Dallas is in cap hell. I don't. They're in purgatory, which is worse.
At least when a team is in cap hell they're generally expecting a shitty season because they've just cut a bunch of players to get compliant after acknowledging a few fuck up with contracts. After that money is gone though, they're back on the horse, going back to work at improving.
Cap purgatory is worse because the team is refusing to acknowledge their fuck ups, they are perpetually stacking money down the road and all the while they aren't fucking improving at all but are simply expecting shit to get better. This team is so obsessed with the fear of things getting even worse, even if only for a season, that they're making all these moves to retain guys in order to keep a team in tact that wasn't good enough in the first place. They're basically praying that every single possible thing goes in their favor in order to get a marginally talented team with a few great pieces over the top of the hill but they're currently only three quarters of the way to the top.
Honestly, I'd rather be in cap hell for a season than deal with this shit. At least in cap hell I could look ahead and say, "next year we get better because we have $20M to spend without having to restructure to do it". As it is, who knows how long this shit continues. Who knows how long the team will be willing to spin it's tires while stacking money on the end. Probably forever.
I can't recall any team ever failing to be compliant and being punished. I want to say it may have been rumored to happen with Washington at one point but I don't think it ever happened. In this sense, if even the most horribly managed team can not get punished during a stretch where they wrote contract after contract, does cap hell even exist?
If teams can basically move money around and remain compliant, can any team ever be in cap hell? I don't think so, not as it is normally referenced. In that case, cap hell must be defined with relative terms in relation to where other teams are. How could it be any other way? If you're in the shittiest spot with the cap in the NFL, is that not hell? If not, then the definition of cap hell is so incredibly horrid that it would be impossible for any team to actually find themselves there.
What's the point of having or not having salary cap space in the first place? The cap itself is there to spread the talent out but what about space on the individual team level? Why do some teams have it others don't. It's not really reflective of what a team actually pays in salary to a great extent, it's simply how they choose to structure and allocate their available space. In this sense, it has nothing to do with some owners being willing to spend more because owners could spend equal and depending on how they structure contract have completely different cap numbers. So why doesn't every team just utilize as much as possible? The answer is pretty simple; having space allows you to make moves so planning ahead to have space would generally be a smart thing to do.
So lets look at 4 cap positions:
- Ideally you'd have enough space on hand to retain any player you wanted and then acquire some better talent at weak spots. Makes sense, improve your team. Keep your good players and add others to get better. I don't think this really applies to a great number of teams. I know Cincy has more cap space than they know what to do with and a few years back Philly had tons. Last year Tampa had tons. Generally small group of teams in this ideal position.
- Less ideal is that you have some space. Not bad if you have no big players entering free agency because you can still make some moves to add talent and be all set. If there is a big name from your team looking at free agency though you might have to choose. Big contract to guy we know or big contract to another player. Likely comes down to need and what you get from a guy but you gotta pick between them if you want to stay under the cap. Or you could move a little money by restructuring a player or two and maybe go after both. Probably not what you want to do but still makes sense because even though you're sacrificing a little down the road you can keep your prized guy now and add some others to try and make a run. I think this is probably were a decent amount of teams fall. Most have enough to operate normally but can always make more if there's a big prized name out there that they absolutely have to have.
- Undesirable is that you have no space but are still compliant. Time to stand pat. If you're lucky you don't have a big name going to free agency so you can make it work. Team doesn't improve but you make it, even if by the skin of your teeth. Or if there's a player or two that represents a significant upgrade you can restructure a little and go get him. If you're unlucky and have a free agent from your team going to market, you can also move some money if he's worth it and bring him back. Kind of sucks in this situation though because not only are you not improving your team, you're adding money in future years if there is a free agent for your team. I think this is where another good chunk is sitting. They're up against the cap and will likely stand pat or exercise their options if they really want a guy or absolutely feel they have to keep a guy.
- More undesirable is that you are OVER the cap. Shit, what to do now? Who can I cut? Who can I restructure? Gotta get under the cap. If you're lucky you don't have a free agent from your team but that's a consolation prize to not improving your team at all and having to push a little money down the road in order to just stay where you are. If you are unlucky, you have a free agent and you gotta make some serios space with multiple restructures just to get him back. Without moving even more money down the road, you're probably not even thinking about free agency at all. I would wager there are a few teams in this position but they often rotate in and out based on big contracts going sour. Can't imagine more than a couple are stuck here.
Given those 4 positions, which one does Dallas reflect most closely. Relative to the others, is this not the shittiest position to be in? Additionally, think of how long Dallas has been there. It pretty much started 2 offseasons ago when Dallas started restructuring multiple guys just to get buy. When Romo gets a new contract, it will make it the 3rd consecutive season that they have restructured Romo's, Ware's and Austin's deals and we know they've done more as well. It started when Barber, Davis, Williams all shat out and Dallas had to carry dead money for them and it continued with Newman.
In 2011, luckily Dallas didn't have to worry about keeping a big name so they only needed to make a little space to get under.
In 2012 Dallas had Spencer who wasn't even a big name but they treated him like one and on top of that they went out and signed a shit ton of contracts. How they got it done was by moving more fucking money down the road and what they got for it was a repeat of 2011. Awesome!!!
This year, the team was $20M over the cap to start and even after making multiple moves and nearly exhausting any sort of ability to make space with only Romo and maybe a long term deal for Spencer as the two main ways to get more space that are left, they're still over the fucking cap right now. Romo might make a little room but Spencer probably won't because he wants to be paid as a DE and they make a shit ton. So when it's all said and done, this team will have restructured about 10 contracts all in the name of getting cap compliant and won't have upgraded a rather shitty roster that has lead to back-to-back 8-8 seasons.
All that said, I don't think Dallas is in cap hell. I don't. They're in purgatory, which is worse.
At least when a team is in cap hell they're generally expecting a shitty season because they've just cut a bunch of players to get compliant after acknowledging a few fuck up with contracts. After that money is gone though, they're back on the horse, going back to work at improving.
Cap purgatory is worse because the team is refusing to acknowledge their fuck ups, they are perpetually stacking money down the road and all the while they aren't fucking improving at all but are simply expecting shit to get better. This team is so obsessed with the fear of things getting even worse, even if only for a season, that they're making all these moves to retain guys in order to keep a team in tact that wasn't good enough in the first place. They're basically praying that every single possible thing goes in their favor in order to get a marginally talented team with a few great pieces over the top of the hill but they're currently only three quarters of the way to the top.
Honestly, I'd rather be in cap hell for a season than deal with this shit. At least in cap hell I could look ahead and say, "next year we get better because we have $20M to spend without having to restructure to do it". As it is, who knows how long this shit continues. Who knows how long the team will be willing to spin it's tires while stacking money on the end. Probably forever.
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