The Arizona Cardinals And The 2012 Salary Cap

by Jess Root on Feb 7, 2012 1:00 PM MST in NFL Offseason/Free Agency

Now that the offseason is officially here, although the actual new league year does not begin for another month, it is officially time for teams and fans to begin thinking about moves for next season. The Arizona Cardinals will want to get Calais Campbell under contract, address the offensive line and maybe even go after Peyton Manning.

As it stands, the Cardinals do not have a ton of cap room to be able to work with. According to one report, the 2012 salary cap is estimated to be around $124 million. As things currently stand for Arizona, they would only have about $4 million to work with.

This leads us to the next topic -- what are the Cardinals to do?

Arizona currently has 11 players with a cap number of at least $3 million.

That list is Larry Fitzgerald, Kevin Kolb, Darnell Dockett, Adrian Wilson, Kerry Rhodes, Levi Brown, Stew Bradley, Daryn Colledge, Patrick Peterson, Lyle Sendlein and Todd Heap.

Most of those guys are guys who are not going anywhere.

We know that Levi Brown will come off the cap with his $17 million dollars in cap. Unless Peyton Manning is coming, Kevin Kolb is going nowhere. Fitz, Wilson, Dockett and Rhodes are not being cut. Neither is Patrick Peterson.

That leaves Colledge, Sendlein, Bradley and Heap.

Of that group, I can only see Bradley or Heap being let go.

In Heap's case, he played very little in 2011, but added a nice dimension to the offense late in the season. With Jeff King already under contract as a blocking TE and Rob Housler on a rookie contract, Heap could get the heave-ho.

The same could happen to Bradley. He disappointed last season, but part of that was because Paris Lenon kept him off the field. If the team finds a linebacker they like in the draft, Bradley could go. However, he is able to play both inside and outside, so his flexibility may be good to keep.

So the Cardinals could find themselves in a tough spot. After the expected release of Levi Brown, the team will have some room, but not a ton of room to go after free agents.

Based on the list of "higher cap numbers," who do you think will be a cap casualty after Brown?

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Comments

Colledge and Sendlein shouldn't be going anywhere

They were easily the two best pieces of our Oline last season. I can see Heap being let go, but only if we really need to create some salary space. Bradley will likely be staying too. He should see a lot more playing time in the SILB spot, and then we can truly evaluate him going forward. With up $17M being freed up from Levi (Although I would bring Levi back for around $2-3M, league average for LT is $7M), we should have ample space to re-sign CC, bring in another WR, and possibly another Oline piece.
If we bring in Peyton, Kolb could very likely be released, freeing up even more cap space to protect Peyton.

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by GreaZzy on Feb 7, 2012 1:10 PM MST reply actions

Peyton's hit will be greater than Kolb's

So that will be a net negative on the cap space, leaving less room for the OL, not more.

by CardsFan1976 on Feb 7, 2012 2:52 PM MST up reply actions

Not necessarily

Peyton has been quoted to come in on an incentive-laden contract, and if he signs that sort of contract to play in Arizona, some of this contract would not count against the cap. Basically, on incentive on contract fall either into the “likely to happen” or “not likely to happen”. If Peyton’s contract was based on team incentives, such as wins, then it would likely fall under the “not likely to happen” category, just because that is how it works. Team based incentives usually fall under the “not likely to happen” category, and those incentives that fall under that category do not effect the cap.
All in all, we could easily structure Peyton’s contract so he gets the money he deserves, and it wouldn’t count against the salary cap, thus leaving more room with Peyton than with Kolb.

Follow me on Twitter at @AlexDavidson68

by GreaZzy on Feb 7, 2012 3:17 PM MST up reply actions

Don't forget our own FA

We not only would have to free up space to sign Manning, we have to sign Campbell and we want to sign Marshall. And it looks like without re-doing someone’s deal, we’ll only have best-case around $30 mil to do that (cutting Levi, Heap, and Kolb).

That sounds like a lot, but Campbell will take $10 mil on the franchise tag if they don’t get a deal done, and you know Manning’s going to get at least $15 mil/yr, so there’s $25 mil of that gone already. Throw in $3 mil/yr or so for Marshall (although they could probably back-load his deal), and that’s not a lot of room to play with.

by CardsFan1976 on Feb 7, 2012 2:51 PM MST reply actions

But nobody knows if Manning is gonna want or even expect 15mill/year

As Greezy stated, Manning said he would be open to an incentive laced contract, that can be structured so that we may not even take a hit on the cap space. If we do it will likely be a couple million at most with the rest being incentive money.

If we can do that, why not have Kolb stick around and if we want can release him after this upcoming season?

by cgcardzfan on Feb 7, 2012 4:09 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

Mark my words

If Peyton gets cut he will be a Jet. New York has Manning fever and with the Superbowl heading their way, they will try to set it up for a Jets/Giants Manning Bowl. So the bigger question is would the Cardinals rather have Mark Sanchez over Kolb/Skelton and I would have to vote no

Chicago Cubs - Arizona Cardinals 168 combined years and no rings
I guess I'm a masochist

by TBru on Feb 7, 2012 3:19 PM MST reply actions

How is that the bigger question at all?

That is just your speculation.

"If Gortat pulls off a real Dream Shake in-game this year I will shave my head.
Mark my words." Piotr Szczesniak 12/12/11 2:12 PM
Cardinals, Suns, D-backs for life!

by Airwave on Feb 7, 2012 3:21 PM MST up reply actions

Peyton would have to WANT to go to the Jets

What makes you think he wants to step into all the drama and bickering that’s in that locker room?

Go big or go home!! Bet big to win big!!

by Steamin' Beamin' on Feb 7, 2012 3:29 PM MST up reply actions

We've already tried to go with a USC QB

Leinart was my man, but he truly let me and us down. Sanchez I believe is no different he loves the party life style and his QB play is in question. So you ask either Sanchez or Kolb/Skelton? I thought there in no question at all, I’d take Kolb and or Skelton even Flynn over Sanchez any day, year, season, career.

by NATIVEWOOD on Feb 7, 2012 4:51 PM MST up reply actions

No way!

I am from Indy and go to everything Colts. Peyton does not want to play for the Jets. It will either be Arizona or Miami.

by colt_monger on Feb 8, 2012 6:01 PM MST up reply actions

peyton will look at 2-3 teams

Arizona, Miami, and San Fran. Miami for family reasons. Arizona for obvious reasons. And San Fran because of SBs. New york is considered farther down the list of teams interested that could land him. BTW didnt anyone think that if manning came here that Wayne might come with him? Might be a good fit. Also Levi is not getting paid like hes a top 5 tackle. Nor do I see kolb staying if manning is coming here.

by frost11111 on Feb 7, 2012 3:39 PM MST reply actions

The reports say

that Peyton is getting supported interest from four teams and those were Washington, Miami, Seattle, and the New York Jets. Washington needs to grab too many weapons on offense so I bet they go after someone like Matt Flynn or through the draft. Miami lacks enough talent to keep him away. Seattle will probably drop out and keep whatever QB they have. The Jets have a great team on offense and defense and would be the most ready to use Manning for a couple of years.

by kj197728 on Feb 7, 2012 8:20 PM MST up reply actions

It's amazing how quickly a team $30M under the cap can get so close to the limit

That’s enough money 3-5 FAs (counting CC’s franchise) and rookies. $30M used to sound like a complete team overhaul

by cardinalbrown on Feb 7, 2012 4:11 PM MST reply actions

If the Colts...

release Manning and we get him and we release Kolb. No doubt San Fran would be his landing spot that is the system that Kolb is built for the west coast offense.

by NATIVEWOOD on Feb 7, 2012 4:54 PM MST reply actions