Offseason: Players we can cut that would provide the most cap savings...

[bills6969]

It's looking like the Salary cap for next year will be somewhere around the $175mm mark.  If this is the case,  we won't have much room to do anything in free agency.   In order to create some room, we're going to need to let some guys go.  Here is a list players we can cut a reasonable price that would provide highest Cap savings:

 

1. John Brown - Dead cap 1.6m;  Cap savings 7.9m

2. Jerry Hughes - Dead cap 2.1m; Cap savings 7.5m

3. Vernon Butler - Dead cap 1m; Cap savings 6.8m

4. Quinton Jefferson - Dead cap 1.5m; Cap savings 6.5m

5. Mario Addison - Dead cap 4m; Cap savings 6.1m

6. Micah Hyde - Dead cap 1.6m; Cap savings 5.2m  

7. Mitch Morse - Dead cap 5.5m; Cap savings 4.8m

8. Lee Smith - Dead cap 0;  Cap savings 2.25m

 

Imo, you absolutely cut ties with 1 thru 4. These are guys whose value to the team does not exceed the cap savings we would attain by letting them go.  This would equate to about $29m in cap savings.  Add in 5 thru 8 (excluding Hyde; too valuable to team to cut) and we're at a cool 42m of cap savings.  These players can all be replaced in the draft or cheaper route in FA.

 

 

[NewEra]

We will be worse off if we cut Jerry Hughes.   Mark it down

[Watkins101]

You don’t get pass rushers of Jerry Hughes level with 7.5 million, unless you get one in the draft, likely early on, and they likely won’t be nearly as good for next year.

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

Everyone but Hughes and Hyde.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

I'm fine with all of them except Hughes and Hyde.  If they let Hughes along with the others go they will have no less than 3 or four DL to replace.  That is not going to happen.  The DL is already a weak unit and it's not because of Hughes.  I think they can get one more productive year out of him.  

My hope would be they restructure Hughes, Brown, and keep Hyde.  

Cut all the rest.  

[LABILLBACKER]

The only two guys I would keep one more year is Hughes and Hyde. The other 6 are gone. AJE is not ready yet to replace Jerry. And Micah probably lasts one more too.

7 minutes ago, Watkins101 said:

You don’t get pass rushers of Jerry Hughes level with 7.5 million, unless you get one in the draft, likely early on, and they likely won’t be nearly as good for next year.

There are no compelling pass rushers slated in the late 1st.  This pandemic cap handcuffs us to go out and get a Ngakoue or Clowney type. We keep Jerry one last season and pray AJ improves.

[balln]

love these posts.

 

i would love to cut all of them. but hughes and addison will need to keep one unless they can sign a vet for cheaper and draft another. Then you will have to rely on D Johnson, AJ, vet and rookie. its a gamble for sure. but gotta make tough decisions. Would jerry re do contract? 

[bills6969]

 

11 minutes ago, Watkins101 said:

You don’t get pass rushers of Jerry Hughes level with 7.5 million, unless you get one in the draft, likely early on, and they likely won’t be nearly as good for next year.

I just don't think Hughes is that great of a pass rusher.  He's on the backside of his career and hasnt been great at getting to the QB the past few years (only 4.5 sacks this year).  Biggest weakness of this team is lack of passrusher.  I don't expect it to improve next year if we keep the same guys.  Let Hughes go and use cap savings to go after a younger DE in FA.  We could get Hendrickson for like 10m-12m aav contract.

[balln]

2 minutes ago, bills6969 said:

 

I just don't think Hughes is that great of a pass rusher.  He's on the backside of his career and hasnt been great at getting to the QB the past few years (only 4.5 sacks this year).  Biggest weakness of this team is lack of passrusher.  I don't expect it to improve next year if we keep the same guys.  Let Hughes go and use cap savings to go after a younger DE in FA.  We could get Hendrickson for like 10m-12m aav contract.

what was SUPER noticeable this year (and of past couple) is jerry gets held a lot (credit to him - he beats his guy) but the NFL arent calling holding anymore. 

 

ALSO - jerry MISSES tackles. A lot. He doesnt do a great job of bringing QBs or RBs down when has the chance. 

[NewEra]

1 minute ago, bills6969 said:

 

I just don't think Hughes is that great of a pass rusher.  He's on the backside of his career and hasnt been great at getting to the QB the past few years (only 4.5 sacks this year).  Biggest weakness of this team is lack of passrusher.  I don't expect it to improve next year if we keep the same guys.  Let Hughes go and use cap savings to go after a younger DE in FA.  We could get Hendrickson for like 10m-12m aav contract.

We can keep Jerry and still go sign Hendrickson.  
 

Hendrickson is probably the only FA pass rusher I see as worth his projected salary...but I think he gets paid 12-15 mill aav  

[ColoradoBills]

Wouldn't some players on this list have some trade value?  I would think so.

Just to use Morse as an example.  After the Bills take the dead cap hit his contract looks pretty good for any team

needing a center.  A draft pick OR finding a team with a glut of decent TEs (or another position of need) would be advantageous over just cutting some of

these guys.

 

I'll wait to see what exactly the Cap is for 2021 because as it potentially increases the above scenario gets better and better.

[Might Rather]

7 minutes ago, balln said:

Would jerry re do contract? 

I hope he will. He seems like a team guy and the players have to see what's going on with the cap. 

[CaptnCoke11]

Jefferson and Butler look obvious with their low dead number.   I’d add a year to Browns deal lowering his 2021 hit.  Addison is a possibility but the 4 million dead money might keep him here another season.  

[balln]

2 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

Wouldn't some players on this list have some trade value?  I would think so.

Just to use Morse as an example.  After the Bills take the dead cap hit his contract looks pretty good for any team

needing a center.  A draft pick OR finding a team with a glut of decent TEs (or another position of need) would be advantageous over just cutting some of

these guys.

 

I'll wait to see what exactly the Cap is for 2021 because as it potentially increases the above scenario gets better and better.

like the trade route

[MWK]

Addison, Jefferson, and Butler must go. None of them provide any value we couldn’t get in the draft or off the scrap heap. I pray that they cut them, but fear they wont because of “continuity.” Continuity doesn’t matter if the players aren’t any good. Brown and Smith will also go, we will need the money. Hughes doesn’t do much but I think they’ll keep him. No idea on Morse, I’m not sure they like him very much anymore but I’m not sure they’ll cut him.

[Rc2catch]

I would keep Addison over Hughes. 
Jerry’s play has dropped off a lot, but I’m letting him go simply because the refs hate his guts. I watch a decent amount of football around the league and I have never seen a defensive lineman abused as much as Hughes and never get a call. I don’t know his leadership abilities but production wise our guys are all pretty easily replaced by younger and hungrier guys. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

44 minutes ago, bills6969 said:

It's looking like the Salary cap for next year will be somewhere around the $175mm mark.  If this is the case,  we won't have much room to do anything in free agency.   In order to create some room, we're going to need to let some guys go.  Here is a list players we can cut a reasonable price that would provide highest Cap savings:

 

1. John Brown - Dead cap 1.6m;  Cap savings 7.9m

2. Jerry Hughes - Dead cap 2.1m; Cap savings 7.5m

3. Vernon Butler - Dead cap 1m; Cap savings 6.8m

4. Quinton Jefferson - Dead cap 1.5m; Cap savings 6.5m

5. Mario Addison - Dead cap 4m; Cap savings 6.1m

6. Micah Hyde - Dead cap 1.6m; Cap savings 5.2m  

7. Mitch Morse - Dead cap 5.5m; Cap savings 4.8m

8. Lee Smith - Dead cap 0;  Cap savings 2.25m

 

Imo, you absolutely cut ties with 1 thru 4. These are guys whose value to the team does not exceed the cap savings we would attain by letting them go.  This would equate to about $29m in cap savings.  Add in 5 thru 8 (excluding Hyde; too valuable to team to cut) and we're at a cool 42m of cap savings.  These players can all be replaced in the draft or cheaper route in FA.

 

You don't improve a team by leaving gaping holes all over the place.

 

The object is to improve the team, not save cap per se

[balln]

1 minute ago, Rc2catch said:

I would keep Addison over Hughes. 
Jerry’s play has dropped off a lot, but I’m letting him go simply because the refs hate his guts. I watch a decent amount of football around the league and I have never seen a defensive lineman abused as much as Hughes and never get a call. I don’t know his leadership abilities but production wise our guys are all pretty easily replaced by younger and hungrier guys. 

yea its been apparent. not sure the refs hate him. BUT he gets held and cant fight through it. and doesnt get the calls. not a knock on him its just the effectiveness of him as a player and his cost dont add up

[BeastMode54]

I don't think, even though it makes sense, to have a mass cutting of players. We have a great culture and the team really seems to bond and get along with each other. I'd be worried it would mess up the teams chemistry a little or thoughts about the FO. maybe Im overthinking this as some of them have only been here a year. 

[Reks Ryan]

Remember that you need to replace the guys you cut.  Impact players are not cheap.   In a salary cap league, value is important.  But ultimately it's about getting the best players on the field.  

 

Last year the Bills decided Jordan Philips and Shaq Lawson were not worth $10 mil / year contracts and Star opted out.    The replacements of Vernon Butler, Jefferson, and Addison probably offered better value.    Understandable decisions by Beane & co, but in the end the D-line was a downgrade from 2019 to 2020. 

 

My point, is before you cut a starter / key contributor or let them walk in FA, you better have a plan to bring in a player as good or better.  Not just a better value.