Jets "Cap Hell" Scaring GM's Away

[ccugrad1]

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/...y7F60IEiLpHQ6O

Jets’ cap number scares off GMs
By BRIAN COSTELLO
Last Updated: 7:31 AM, January 11, 2013
Posted: 2:18 AM, January 11, 2013
Jets Blog

“Salary cap hell.”

That is how one league source described the Jets’ current salary cap situation. That may be an overstatement, but it is going to be one of the new general manager’s immediate challenges.

ESPN reported yesterday the Jets are $19.4 million over the projected 2013 salary cap, the most in the NFL, and the perception of the situation may be scaring GM candidates away.

League sources said at least two people have turned down the chance to even interview with the Jets because the salary cap situation scared them away. As much as has been made of the new GM being forced to keep Rex Ryan as head coach, the team’s salary cap health appears to be the bigger challenge.

Former Browns GM Tom Heckert canceled his interview because of concerns over the cap, according to a source. The Jets have also seen Dave Caldwell (Jaguars) and Tom Telesco (Chargers) pick other teams over them.

The Jets had three interviews yesterday with Dolphins assistant GM Brian Gaine, Steelers director of football and business administration Omar Khan and former Bears GM Jerry Angelo, according to sources. All have experience dealing with the cap.

Today, the Jets will have three more interviews with Seahawks vice president of football administration John Idzik and two candidates whose names are not known, but are both former GMs in the league, according to a source.

The Jets’ cap situation is not as bad as it appears on the surface, though. They carried $3.4 million over from 2012, ESPN reported.

The Jets can easily maneuver their way under the cap by releasing linebacker Bart Scott, linebacker Calvin Pace, tackle Jason Smith and safety Eric Smith next month. That would save them $30.7 million. You can add another $1.5 million if they release quarterback Tim Tebow, as expected. Those moves would put them $12.8 million under the cap.

The problem for the Jets is that leaves them with only 10 players who were starters this year under contract — QB Mark Sanchez, C Nick Mangold, T D’Brickashaw Ferguson, WR Santonio Holmes, WR Stephen Hill, NT Sione Po’uha, DE Muhammad Wilkerson, LB David Harris, CB Antonio Cromartie and CB Darrelle Revis. They will probably tender tackle Austin Howard, who is a restricted free agent, to bring the number to 11.

Then, the Jets would have to hope some of their unproven draft picks from the last few years can step into starting roles. Backups such as RB Bilal Powell, DL Quinton Coples and G Vlad Ducasse may become starters in 2013. The Jets also may hope either Antonio Allen or Josh Bush can grab one of the safety spots.

brian.costello@nypost.com

[JETS TURN!]

it was the same story last year and we ended up fine.. we have alot of money just sitting there waiting for the word of the gm, like pace thomas keller smith

[Jetsguy]

We certainly are not in a position to make a splash but its not like we are a 1 player away (unless a QB) from contending anyway. We need to trade away one of our expensive "stars" Holmes/Harris/Cromartie IMO. Seems crazy on a team so in need of talent but these contracts are killer and we DESPERATELY need cheap, young talent on this team.

[Clarkib]

I think it is a good opportunity if the GM looks at it like he has a free year to clean house and draft for the long term. We are in Cap hell for 1 season then a ton of money comes off the books and we only have one bad contract and that is questionable at best because he can still be good....David Harris.

[J-E-T-S-7]

it was the same story last year and we ended up fine.. we have alot of money just sitting there waiting for the word of the gm, like pace thomas keller smith

I guess it depends on your definition of fine, but 6-10 isn't fine. Not having the talent to compete with top teams in our conference is NOT FINE. But then again, that's just me. If tied for 3rd in the division is an acceptable result then, yeah, we are going to be all right.

I think we need to trade Revis or Harris personally. Tough decisions have to be made. We need to acquire some picks and not screw them up. Could be a long long turnaround process if we screw up this offseason.

[Mr. Magoo]

I think it is a good opportunity if the GM looks at it like he has a free year to clean house and draft for the long term. We are in Cap hell for 1 season then a ton of money comes off the books and we only have one bad contract and that is questionable at best because he can still be good....David Harris.

You are correct. Anyone who is scared of this opportunity is not someone the Jets should be targeting.

It's easy to walk into a perfect situation and succeed, but anyone with real world experience knows that winners are the ones who don't hide from adversity.

[HaruSoul]

it was the same story last year and we ended up fine.. we have alot of money just sitting there waiting for the word of the gm, like pace thomas keller smith

Have to disagree on that one.

[Jets Fan Tdot]

Would be perfectly happy if the Jets could trade Holmes and recoup the 5th (or higher) that they originally sent to the Steelers.

[SenorGato]

The 49ers were in "cap hell" when their FO took over IIRC. It's a non-issue at a time when everything Jets related is written as an issue.

[JETS TURN!]

I guess it depends on your definition of fine, but 6-10 isn't fine. Not having the talent to compete with top teams in our conference is NOT FINE. But then again, that's just me. If tied for 3rd in the division is an acceptable result then, yeah, we are going to be all right.

I think we need to trade Revis or Harris personally. Tough decisions have to be made. We need to acquire some picks and not screw them up. Could be a long long turnaround process if we screw up this offseason.

OK but loosing your top wide out and top defensive player and we were still close to making the playoffs is fine to me.. how many teams can say they lost there best players and still had a chance to make it to the playoffs?

everyone seems to forget we lost 2 valuable players on our team.. im in now way shape or form happy we finished 6-10 but once revis and holmes went down did you expect anything different?

[Clarkib]

OK but loosing your top wide out and top defensive player and we were still close to making the playoffs is fine to me.. how many teams can say they lost there best players and still had a chance to make it to the playoffs?

everyone seems to forget we lost 2 valuable players on our team.. im in now way shape or form happy we finished 6-10 but once revis and holmes went down did you expect anything different?

I can see how you can view it that way but that is very optimistic and not looking at the trend over the past 2 season. We have an aging team and not a young developing team therefore "the glass is not quite half full". We already drank half of the glass and it is more than half empty. The Seahawks last year would be more consistent with your view of this team because they were and are so young across the board and their players are getting better with experience. Our players are already experienced but their skills are diminishing with age. Also, the parity is gone in the NFL. There is no middle class. The bad is real bad now and the good is real good and we are closer to the real bad then the real good. Those teams the last quarter of our season were about as bad a stretch of teams any team has played over the past decade and we could not run the table much less compete.

[jonesyLakeShow]

it was the same story last year and we ended up fine.. we have alot of money just sitting there waiting for the word of the gm, like pace thomas keller smith

Don't forget Scott , devito, e smith or j smith whichever one u didn't mean. Plus tebow

[Realistik84]

It is interesting as to how a "Cap Guru" got us in a bad cap situation....

[SenorGato]

It is interesting as to how a "Cap Guru" got us in a bad cap situation....

"Cap hell" tends to get massively overblown. It's so easy to get under the cap in the NFL given that all full contract values are non-guaranteed.

[PatrickBateman]

I think it's more Woody and Rex scaring GMs away.