I thought dead money was reserved for players no longer on the roster.
Oh, that's if we cut them. Still don't understand the figure. What is it, guaranteed money left on the contract?
We'll save a lot if we cut Austin after next year.
It's the amount of "dead money" that WOULD BE created if that player wasn't on the roster for that season.
So for this list, "dead money" represents how much cap space would be used to cover the prorated bonus money assigned to 2015 and beyond. It's the amount of dead money that would be generated if each player was cut after 2014.
Here's Miles' breakdown.
I don't know what the last year is about. It just says "salary not awarded". Not sure if that means the final year has been voided in the last restructure or what.
The column labeled "misc." is all the money that was previously his base salary in 2011 and 2013. They basically took $8M to $6M and spread it across 5 seasons for those two restructures.
So Miles' "dead money" is the added amounts in "misc." for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017.
So for 2015, it would cost $9M to have Miles on the roster but it would cost $5M to get rid of him. The team avoids $4M in cap charges by cutting him.
The real problem is this. Cutting those guys doesn't really do much. Well, at least most of them.
These 4 Will Not Be Cut:
Romo
Carr
Claiborne
Lee
You can't cut Romo and have $19M hanging on the books. I actually think they'll restructure the 2015 season. I pray they don't restructure the 2014 season because it would push Romo's cap figure up by $2M for the remaining years, making his 2015 cap number almost $28M.......which would require a restructure.
You're not going to cut Carr because it's cap neutral.
You're not going to cut Claiborne because ideally he would have finally developed into the player he was drafted to be. Even if he doesn't you don't cut him because it is also neutral.
You're not going to cut Lee because it would cost more cap space to actually do so.
These 2 May Be Cut:
Ware
Witten
Ware's cap number is too high and represents the single most cap beneficial the team can make. Cutting him would open up $12M in cap space.
Witten is already at the top of the TE cap number list. He's aging and would free up about $3M. It'd be a shitty fucking move and Jerry'd sell it as some bullshit but the reality would be that Jason was cut because Jerry restructured all these contracts to the point where you have a handful of players who aren't living up to their cap figures and someone has to go.
Goners, Maybe 2014 Cuts:
Austin
Bernardeau
Scandrick
Austin isn't playing at a level anywhere near what his cap number will next year or in 2015. Over the last 16 games he has 64 receptions, 768 yards and 3 TDs. The current #3 WR in Arizona (Andre Roberts) had better stats in 2012 than that shit. Dallas would actually have $7M in dead space if they cut him after this year. It would cost them $8M to keep him. I'd let him go. Maybe give him a chance to reduce his base salary in the form of a pay cut like Free but he'd be gone otherwise. 120 yards receiving on the year. Beasley is outproducing him.
Bernadeau needs to go as well. Dallas frees up $1M by cutting him next year.
Not really sure about Scandrick. I like the guy but may just be one of those business decisions. Maybe they keep him if Morris doesn't pull his head out of his ass. It costs almost the same to cut him as it does to keep him for 2014. I would like for him to stay but these are the decisions that you sometimes have to make. Cut him in 2014, taking the cap hit that is equal to the cost of keeping him.
Take the full hits on all of these guys next season as the hits are cheaper than keeping them. Then they are completely off the books for 2015. Only one of them is actually contributing and that's Scandrick. The other two might as well not be on the team right now.
Cut those three guys in 2014 and take the $14M in dead money that would follow. Reap the benefit in 2015 to the tune of $20M off that $95M they have currently scheduled.
Bottom line is the team is either going to have to restructure to keep the same group of aging and declining players together or they are going to have to start cutting them.
Personally, I'd start next year by cutting Bernadeau, Austin and Scandrick. Austin has already been replace, as has Berny. Even if Waters doesn't come back you can always draft a guy to plug in and he'd be no worse than Bernie. Scandrick is really the only concern I would have. I like him but he's not all that fantastic. Develop a DB at some point and it'll work out.
And lets see. Where would that leave Dallas......6 remaining players on the list at $73.6M in scheduled cap charges.