Buffalo Bills’ salary cap ramifications of cutting DT Star Lotulelei

[HOUSE]

 

The Buffalo Bills have some choices to make this offseason, as they are up against the salary cap. One of the things they are likely to do to create some cap space is cut some veterans with big cap hits. One player that fits that description is defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, who lost his starting spot in 2021 after he contracted COVID-19.

When the Bills restructured his contract in 2020, most of us assumed it was so they could cut him in 2021. When he opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID concerns, that kicked the can down the road one year. That brings us to now, where his contract is escapable for the first time in a long time.

 

https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2022/2/7/22919536/buffalo-bills-salary-cap-ramifications-of-cutting-dt-star-lotulelei

[ColoradoBills]

I said it before, his heart is not in the game and he should retire.

[Einstein's Dog]

I gave the article a click based on the tease "his contract is escapable for the first time in a long time."  I thought people here had it wrong.  Not really.

 

What it did bring to light for me was the unpleasant reality of this may be a test of the business of football vs the game.  Capwise it's a no-brainer, Star or no Star in a contract year for the difference of $1.5M.  No question you keep him.  But in money out the door it could cost the Pegula's over $3.5M.  I know what Ralph would do.

[BADOLBILZ]

18 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

 

The Buffalo Bills have some choices to make this offseason, as they are up against the salary cap. One of the things they are likely to do to create some cap space is cut some veterans with big cap hits. One player that fits that description is defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, who lost his starting spot in 2021 after he contracted COVID-19.

When the Bills restructured his contract in 2020, most of us assumed it was so they could cut him in 2021. When he opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID concerns, that kicked the can down the road one year. That brings us to now, where his contract is escapable for the first time in a long time.

 

https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2022/2/7/22919536/buffalo-bills-salary-cap-ramifications-of-cutting-dt-star-lotulelei

 

 

The atrocious contract Beane gave him was much like the one the Pegula's gave Rex Ryan...........so unexpectedly/undeservedly large that it only served to disincentivize the employee.    I know there isn't much cap difference between cutting him or keeping him but expecting him to repeat even what little he did this year is foolish.    If he is going to be kept I'd insist that he be there for the offseason and OTA's to prove that he cares about being the best player he can be again.    If not,  let him go so he can retire.

 

[BuffaloBobs]

This may be unpopular but I am not in a rush to get rid of him, especially for only $1.5M in cap savings.

 

I think you can make an argument to justify $1.5M in cap and $3.5M in salary and bonuses for last seasons production. It's a slam dunk you think there's a chance that without missing time from COVID he would be able to maintain his early season level of production, even in a more limited role.

 

 

 

 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Average player. Terrible contract. 

[ColoradoBills]

3 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

I gave the article a click based on the tease "his contract is escapable for the first time in a long time."  I thought people here had it wrong.  Not really.

 

What it did bring to light for me was the unpleasant reality of this may be a test of the business of football vs the game.  Capwise it's a no-brainer, Star or no Star in a contract year for the difference of $1.5M.  No question you keep him.  But in money out the door it could cost the Pegula's over $3.5M.  I know what Ralph would do.

 

The other thing is if Star is on the team this year he gets paid and has the cap hit not only for this year.  They will owe another $2.6M next year.

I've been a fan of Star earlier in his Bills tenure but now it looks to me like it's throwing good money after bad.

[Doc]

It's $1.5M savings on the cap ($4.1 if post-June 1st) but more importantly almost $4.5M in savings by the Pegulas.  He's gone.

Edited February 7, 2022 by Doc

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

6 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

I gave the article a click based on the tease "his contract is escapable for the first time in a long time."  I thought people here had it wrong.  Not really.

 

What it did bring to light for me was the unpleasant reality of this may be a test of the business of football vs the game.  Capwise it's a no-brainer, Star or no Star in a contract year for the difference of $1.5M.  No question you keep him.  But in money out the door it could cost the Pegula's over $3.5M.  I know what Ralph would do.

 

It's one of those things - are you better without him.  The cap savings won't get you a full replacement, but if you're using other cap to bring in a starter/phillips anyway, and you want to draft someone then its probably worth moving on simply to give the snaps to other players.

[Success]

I hope they keep Star.  When he plays, he's a force, imo.  We improved when he was in there.

 

Replacing him, Addison and Hughes would be a tall task.

 

[thewookie1]

I’d just wait until June 2nd, then there would be tangible cap gained 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

1 minute ago, thewookie1 said:

I’d just wait until June 2nd, then there would be tangible cap gained 

 

This too - you can split some of it into 2023.  

[Blank Stare]

I used to look forward to this year as our opportunity to finally(!) get out from under this contract, but he was solid for us this year before he came down with Covid. For the little savings he gives us to walk, I’m probably keeping him one more year. The difference for me this year is that I wouldn’t rely on him. That’s been a failure of theirs the past couple years in my opinion. In other words, bring in some other younger players (FA or draft) to compete with him. If he ends up playing as a backup for this year, so be it. Even though the contract is what it is, you can do worse on a backup DT. Next year I’m definitely out though. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by TheProcess

[MWK]

Cut him. He sucks and doesn't improve our team.

[HOUSE]

Part Time player deserving  part time pay

 

Undependable

 

 

[First Round Bust]

seems to be a matter of when, post-June makes a lot of sense; more cap money saved, so he has to attend OTAs and training camp during which time we get to see things such as:

 

1. is he motivated and worth keeping, depth, inuries, etc - likely not and hopefully not

2. can he tutor-mentor a younger replacement - draft pick, UDFA, etc 

[All_Pro_Bills]

There are other players that have contracts with cap saving potential.

 

Mitch Morse 2022 cap hit 11.25M, dead cap hit 3.75M

Jordan Poyer  2022 cap hit 10.7M, dead cap hit 3.6M (keep)

Micah Hyde 2022 cap hit 10.2M, dead cap hit 5M (keep)

Daryl Williams 2022 cap hit 9.925M, dead cap hit 3.6M

Cole Beasley 2022 cap hit 7.6M, dead cap hit 1.5M

AJ Klien 2022 cap hit 5.76M, dead cap hit .4M

Jon Feliciano 2022 cap hit 4.97M, dead cap hit 1.5M

 

Of course clearing that cap space would leave room to sign other free agents but also leaves some gaps in the line up.  Or are there comparable players already on the roster for less money?  And do you trust the Bills front office can fill these holes in the line up via the draft?   

[Locomark]

The only emotion I saw from that guy in half a season was that playoff sack. Otherwise, he may as well been holding a clipboard on the sideline the rest of the time. Defense is 2/3 emotion and 1/3 leverage. Cut him after June 1. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

5 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

The atrocious contract Beane gave him was much like the one the Pegula's gave Rex Ryan...........so unexpectedly/undeservedly large that it only served to disincentivize the employee.    I know there isn't much cap difference between cutting him or keeping him but expecting him to repeat even what little he did this year is foolish.    If he is going to be kept I'd insist that he be there for the offseason and OTA's to prove that he cares about being the best player he can be again.    If not,  let him go so he can retire.

 

I'm not going to debate Star's motivation to play football.  He's said flat out that he doesn't love football.  His motivation comes in portraits of dead presidents.  When that's the motivation, if you're payed whether you perform or not, well...

 

But how are you going to "insist that he be there for the offseason and OTAs"?

 

They're called voluntary workouts because they're contractually voluntary up until mandatory minicamp.

 

And even if somehow they did persuade/insist...that doesn't guarantee full-go effort throughout the season.  Star did show up in shape and ready to go.  Beane pointed to effective play from Star week 2-8, and not as effective play week 13, 15, 17 and 18 plus playoffs.  Beane attributed this to lingering effects of Star's bout with covid 19 (did we ever get an explanation of the mysterious "personal reasons" week?) even on a drastically lowered snap count.

 

Obviously McDermott and Frazier have (in the past anyway) disagreed with your long-time take on Lotulelei's on-field contributions, it's not my intent to argue that here. 

 

My point is that the coaches and Beane have to decide whether Lotulelei's value to them  exceeds the roster space he takes up and the savings from cutting him, based on what they perceive as his on-field and off-field work ethic and committment, not based on a participation in OTAs they can't insist on or enforce, and which wouldn't necessarily foreshadow an adequate season-long effort.

 

I will say that McDermott has repeatedly referenced "leadership in the room" when discussing some of his under-performing veterans, but need to confront the contradiction implicit in having "leaders" like Hughes who don't actually show their butts up for OTAs

 

[BuffaloRebound]

This would seem to be easy decision.  He’s not dependable.