Howard, Kwiatkoski Salary Escalators Will Impact Cap

[Mikefive]

Interesting that for some reason Sam Acho isn't on the chicagobears.com roster. Is he out of contract?

And I don't see any way that they cut Long. What they're getting for $6M is worth it, particularly considering he didn't end the season with injury and doesn't need any surgeries of any kind this offseason. I just can't buy that he's not notably better than the backups.

[Funkster]

Interesting that for some reason Sam Acho isn't on the chicagobears.com roster. Is he out of contract?

And I don't see any way that they cut Long. What they're getting for $6M is worth it, particularly considering he didn't end the season with injury and doesn't need any surgeries of any kind this offseason. I just can't buy that he's not notably better than the backups.

I’m a big Long fan so I don’t want this to come off wrong but what exactly are the bears getting for 6M? When was the last time he has finished an entire season? IMO, the film says there wasn’t a drop off in production when he was on the sideline to justify his current salary.

[Moriarty]

Acho is under Reserve/Injured

[Bearfacts]

I agree that Long is a team leader, but we’ve seen team leaders cut before or at the minimum restructured. The fans love him and so does his teammates. But you have to be available. It really doesn’t matter why you’re on the sideline, bottom line is you’re there. With Long, he’s been there more than on the field. The glaring point is the team didn’t see a huge drop off when he wasn’t in the field. I don’t think Pace wants to get into pushing cap off to future years, he will have to pay up for a franchise QB, Jackson and let’s not forget the extreme K. Mack cap hits, not to mention Fuller and Robinson.

Players that could relieve some cap:
Simms
Acho
Long
Trevathan
Chase Daniel

I saw a huge drop off in the running game without him and it's possible his absence is why we weren't running more zone blocking sooner than we did. Witzmann is not a co-equal of Long by any means.

As far as a restructure goes using a roster bonus we either skip it and pay him 100% this year injured or not or we reduce his salary an amount equal to the roster bonus and push whatever amount he earns of it into 2020.

If he doesn't take a salary reduction, and realistically how much would we ask him for, it's pay now or pay later take your pick. No doubt Pace could release him and save some cap room but he'd have to spend some of that to replace him as well so who? Bring back Kush.....or Witzmann or another FA and at what price? I'd say $1.5-$3.5 mil.

If we end up paying a guy half of the $7 mil Kyle is getting all we save is $2 mil. Is it worth it to release him for that little? I wouldn't but them I'm not the GM so we'll have to see how Pace handles it. But so far there hasn't even been a whisper of thinking that Long's job is at risk.

[Mikefive]

Acho is under Reserve/Injured

Makes sense. Thanks!

[Funkster]

I agree that Long is a team leader, but we’ve seen team leaders cut before or at the minimum restructured. The fans love him and so does his teammates. But you have to be available. It really doesn’t matter why you’re on the sideline, bottom line is you’re there. With Long, he’s been there more than on the field. The glaring point is the team didn’t see a huge drop off when he wasn’t in the field. I don’t think Pace wants to get into pushing cap off to future years, he will have to pay up for a franchise QB, Jackson and let’s not forget the extreme K. Mack cap hits, not to mention Fuller and Robinson.

Players that could relieve some cap:
Simms
Acho
Long
Trevathan
Chase Daniel

I saw a huge drop off in the running game without him and it's possible his absence is why we weren't running more zone blocking sooner than we did. Witzmann is not a co-equal of Long by any means.

As far as a restructure goes using a roster bonus we either skip it and pay him 100% this year injured or not or we reduce his salary an amount equal to the roster bonus and push whatever amount he earns of it into 2020.

If he doesn't take a salary reduction, and realistically how much would we ask him for, it's pay now or pay later take your pick. No doubt Pace could release him and save some cap room but he'd have to spend some of that to replace him as well so who? Bring back Kush.....or Witzmann or another FA and at what price? I'd say $1.5-$3.5 mil.

If we end up paying a guy half of the $7 mil Kyle is getting all we save is $2 mil. Is it worth it to release him for that little? I wouldn't but them I'm not the GM so we'll have to see how Pace handles it. But so far there hasn't even been a whisper of thinking that Long's job is at risk.

Over the last three seasons Long has played in 26 out of a possible 48 games. He’s 30 and can’t stay healthy and is the 8th highest cap hit. IMO, that screams something is going to be done. You mentioned the running game, the finished 11th overall in rushing last season. Averaging 121 yards a game and 4.1 per carry, Witzman did just fine. I do agree he isn’t the same caliber as a HEALTHY Long.

[malk]

I think it was Amos that received this escalator previously. I'm a big fan of the salary bump but I wish it would be cap exempt, similarly to the one year vet minimum rule. Having it sneak up against the cap could give perverse incentives to not play players etc.

[Atkins&Rebel]

I wonder if we could free up some cap space by extending Trevathan. He could have most of his salary converted to signing bonus with a little extra thrown in, sign a 3 year extension for vet minimums and get roster bonuses and performance escalators fully guaranteed. At his age, I'm guessing he bites to stay on a great defense and have fully guaranteed contracts every year (as long as he's on the roster).

[wab]

RE: Long - you don't let him go until you have someone who can replace him. The Bears currently don't have that guy.

Luckily for everyone involved, he doesn't need any surgeries for the first time in like 4 offseasons. Now if he doesn't make it through next season, some decisions will need to be made. But they absolutely have to draft or sign a young guy soon.

[Bearfacts]

I agree that Long is a team leader, but we’ve seen team leaders cut before or at the minimum restructured. The fans love him and so does his teammates. But you have to be available. It really doesn’t matter why you’re on the sideline, bottom line is you’re there. With Long, he’s been there more than on the field. The glaring point is the team didn’t see a huge drop off when he wasn’t in the field. I don’t think Pace wants to get into pushing cap off to future years, he will have to pay up for a franchise QB, Jackson and let’s not forget the extreme K. Mack cap hits, not to mention Fuller and Robinson.

Players that could relieve some cap:
Simms
Acho
Long
Trevathan
Chase Daniel

I saw a huge drop off in the running game without him and it's possible his absence is why we weren't running more zone blocking sooner than we did. Witzmann is not a co-equal of Long by any means.

As far as a restructure goes using a roster bonus we either skip it and pay him 100% this year injured or not or we reduce his salary an amount equal to the roster bonus and push whatever amount he earns of it into 2020.

If he doesn't take a salary reduction, and realistically how much would we ask him for, it's pay now or pay later take your pick. No doubt Pace could release him and save some cap room but he'd have to spend some of that to replace him as well so who? Bring back Kush.....or Witzmann or another FA and at what price? I'd say $1.5-$3.5 mil.

If we end up paying a guy half of the $7 mil Kyle is getting all we save is $2 mil. Is it worth it to release him for that little? I wouldn't but them I'm not the GM so we'll have to see how Pace handles it. But so far there hasn't even been a whisper of thinking that Long's job is at risk.

Over the last three seasons Long has played in 26 out of a possible 48 games. He’s 30 and can’t stay healthy and is the 8th highest cap hit. IMO, that screams something is going to be done. You mentioned the running game, the finished 11th overall in rushing last season. Averaging 121 yards a game and 4.1 per carry, Witzman did just fine. I do agree he isn’t the same caliber as a HEALTHY Long.

OK, but we see it differently. Trubisky's 421 yds/30.1 ypg/6.2 ypc padded those run stats. Subtract those and we only rushed for 91 yards per game. Where does that rank us?

Howard had is worst year as a Bear. Only 935 yds averaging better than a .5 ypc less than his career avg. of 4.3 ypc.

I'm just gonna leave it as I have every reason to believe Long will still be around in 2019 no matter what.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Betcha a buck I'm right too. LOL