Cutting Star Lotulelei- why not ask him to retire?

[Commish]

If we cut Star there's a cap hit and he doesn't get paid - if he retires there's no cap hit and he doesn't get paid. Doubt that he really wants to go join another team and keep playing, and I feel like he owes Beane a favor.  What am I missing?

[Brand J]

1) He may not want to retire and 2) even if he does, money will still count against the Bills. They don’t get out scott-free, I know that. 
 

Oh and 3) I don’t think he’s a guy interested in cutting Beane any favors.

Edited March 17, 2022 by JayBaller10

[Brennan Huff]

Wouldn’t that be a weird thing to ask someone?

[MJS]

Just cut him post June 1st.

[billsfan1959]

Actually, I think there may be a good possibility that he does retire

[Hapless Bills Fan]

14 minutes ago, Commish said:

If we cut Star there's a cap hit and he doesn't get paid - if he retires there's no cap hit and he doesn't get paid. Doubt that he really wants to go join another team and keep playing, and I feel like he owes Beane a favor.  What am I missing?

 

You're missing the fact that Star has $1.5M amortized signing bonus for this year and next, plus $2.5M guaranteed salary this season.

 

If he retires, the Bills can ask him to pay back $3M and decline to pay him $2.5M

 

Remember the Eric Wood "Retirement Conference" where he very carefully did not use the word "retire"?  He had literally millions of reasons to avoid that word.

[BuffaloRebound]

Why would he retire and fore-go his $2.5m in guaranteed money?  

Edited March 17, 2022 by BuffaloRebound

[FilthyBeast]

Still puzzling he's on the roster but even more puzzling that his deal was restructered in a way that didn't give us the option to dump him right now without cap ramifications.

 

Either way would be shocked if he's on this roster heading into camp.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

6 minutes ago, FilthyBeast said:

Still puzzling he's on the roster but even more puzzling that his deal was restructered in a way that didn't give us the option to dump him right now without cap ramifications.

 

Either way would be shocked if he's on this roster heading into camp.

 

The deal was restructured before Covid and the opt-out season.

[MJS]

7 minutes ago, FilthyBeast said:

Still puzzling he's on the roster but even more puzzling that his deal was restructered in a way that didn't give us the option to dump him right now without cap ramifications.

 

Either way would be shocked if he's on this roster heading into camp.

There's this thing that happened called COVID...

[Big Turk]

14 minutes ago, Commish said:

If we cut Star there's a cap hit and he doesn't get paid - if he retires there's no cap hit and he doesn't get paid. Doubt that he really wants to go join another team and keep playing, and I feel like he owes Beane a favor.  What am I missing?

 

Firstly, what makes you think another team wouldn't sign him and secondly, if he is cut there is a once a career flyer a player can take to be compensated for his yearly salary he would have received before being cut, but he can only do this once in his career.  Most likely he would choose to do that this year.

[FilthyBeast]

2 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

The deal was restructured before Covid and the opt-out season.

 

I know but my point is that after the restructure year (which was 2021 even though it should have been 2020) it should have given us the ability to dump him or make him an UFA like the situation with many others (beasely, Addison, Butler, etc).

 

The restructure essentially gave star leverage for 2 more seasons which seems pointless in terms of the restructure in the first place.

 

Like others have said, this was clearly Beane's worst deal here in Buffalo but also one of his first so it is what it is....

[Hapless Bills Fan]

3 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

Firstly, what makes you think another team wouldn't sign him and secondly, if he is cut there is a once a career flyer a player can take to be compensated for his yearly salary he would have received before being cut, but he can only do this once in his career.  Most likely he would choose to do that this year.

 

So there's a lot of stuff mixed together here.

 

The "once a career flyer" to be compensated for a yearly salary, applies to a vested veteran WHO IS ON THE ROSTER THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEASON.  So that only comes into play in September.

 

Second, even if another team signs a released Lotulelei for $2.5M or more, whether the Bills would get relief for that or still be on the hook depends upon whether Lotulelei has "offset language" in his contract.  "Offset language" allows guaranteed money owed the player by the contracting club to be "offset" by any money the player earns if he's cut and signed elsewhere.

 

Star's contract overall is pretty terrible for the Bills - he must have a good agent/lawyers - so I doubt he has offset language.

[billybrew1]

Because he’ll say, no….

[ColoradoBills]

I still hold out hope for a "retirement" agreement with Star.

 

That being said if he is a no go with that idea I feel they should NOT let him hang around camp only to be cut in September.

Release him now and give whose reps to some other players that may be on the team in the fall.

 

I've been a fan of Star but it's over for me.  Move on now and stop the $2.6M dead money hit for next year.

[buffalostu2]

Why not trade Start and a draft pick to a team with space in exchange for a lower round pick?  I would have thrown Cole in the mix here as well.  These are players that still have value just maybe not at their current number without a kicker.

[HansLanda]

We have to "deal" with him this year. there is no way they can just cut him and eat the dead money - very little chance of any trade...and, hey, with rose colored glasses, maybe he has a big year. 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

4 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

I still hold out hope for a "retirement" agreement with Star.

 

That being said if he is a no go with that idea I feel they should NOT let him hang around camp only to be cut in September.

Release him now and give whose reps to some other players that may be on the team in the fall.

 

I've been a fan of Star but it's over for me.  Move on now and stop the $2.6M dead money hit for next year.

 

Why should he give back money?  You get paid crap on your rookie deal so you can earn a 2nd and 3rd contract.  He was overpaid, so what?  That's not his problem.  

[Ethan in Cleveland]

9 minutes ago, buffalostu2 said:

Why not trade Start and a draft pick to a team with space in exchange for a lower round pick?  I would have thrown Cole in the mix here as well.  These are players that still have value just maybe not at their current number without a kicker.

Contracts go with the player via trade. That is why no one wanted Cole.  No one will want Star either. And trade or cut has no bearing on salary dead cap hit.

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by Ethan in Portland

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

1 minute ago, HansLanda said:

We have to "deal" with him this year. there is no way they can just cut him and eat the dead money - very little chance of any trade...and, hey, with rose colored glasses, maybe he has a big year. 

 

There's still cap savings though.  If you believe he's sufficiently replaced - cut him.  You can split the dead money over 2 years if you need space this year.  

 

4.1 on a post-june cut is pretty good.  Anything you carry over lessens the dead hit in 2023 as well.