Where do we go from here? I am panicking

[JetSouth1]

I want to preface this by saying yes I am putting the cart before the horse. The season hasn't even started yet and everything could be fine. But so far from what I've seen on the field and in the bookkeeping, this season is our last chance to make some noise. It seems like the Ryan/Tannenbaum era is crumbling before our very eyes and I am none too pleased. Somebody please tell me where the hope is?

2013 NFL Cap estimate $120,900,000

Jets rollover money $4.330,000 mil (took off 1.6 for 52nd+53rd men and practice squad)

2013 Jets cap $125,230,000

After this year we have some key free agents

None of these players are superstars, but these are all 2012 key contributors for better or worse. This is A LOT of run defense that will be hitting the open market.

Brandon Moore

Dustin Keller

Mike DeVito

Shonn Greene

Matt Slauson

Aaron Maybin

Laron Landry

Yeremiah Bell

Calvin Pace

Bart Scott

Bryan Thomas

Eric Smith

Wayne Hunter

2013 salaries

Next year we have $103,823,993 tied up in 30 players (Only a handful of the bottom of the list are truly safe, but for the sake of the exercise let's roll with it)

1. David Harris- 13,000,000

2. Sanchez- 12,853,125

3. Holmes 12,500,000

4. Cromartie 10,750,000

5. Brick 10,716,666

6. Mangold 9,117,100

7. Revis 9,000,000

8. Pouha 6,166,666

9. Tebow 2,586,875

10. Wilson 2,010,400

11. Coples 2,000,635

12. Wilkerson 1,875,000

13. Hill 1,070,988

14. McKnight 708,370

15. Ellis 707,500

16. Demario Davis 664,490

17. Powell 655,125

18. Conner 632,870

19. Lankster 630,000

20. Kerley 601,062

21. McIntyre 568,120

22. Josh Bush 506,055

23. T Ganaway 499,670

24. Robert Griffin 499,670

25. Antonio Allen 491,474

26. Jordan White 491,474

27. Caleb Schlauderaff 555,000

28. Josh Baker 555,000

29. Vlad 839,370

30. McElroy 571,288

Dead Money

Dead money total is $4,527,336

1. Pace 3,013,335

2. Scott 1,500,000

3. Donovan Robinson 4,667

4. GJ Kinne 4,667

5. Brian Linthicum 4,667

2013 rookie salaries

Let's just assume we pick around where we did in the 2012 draft and use seven players (one per round). The total will be $6,462,844 for this exercise. I also counted the 2013 practice squad in the final figure.

Specialists

Let's just go with K/P/LS at a 500k average for $1,500,000

Spots 52 and 53

We know at least two UDFAs will make next year's team so let's add the final two spots at the minimum of 400k a piece for a $800,000 total.

In summation, that is 42 players at a grand total of $117,114,173 and leaves us with $8,115,827 left to spend for ten players. That's an average of $811,000 to replace our ten starters who will be free agents. Moore is a Pro Bowl caliber guard, Slauson is serviceable, Pace, Scott, Devito all help the run defense tremendously.

We would have our seven draft picks plus free agency to address

Two starting offensive guards

One right tackle

Two tight ends

Two running backs

Swing tackle

DL depth

LB depth

Two outside linebackers

Two safeties

This doesn't even include finding a punter or satisfying Revis.

Sure there are ways to clear cap space.

1. Cut Eric Smith before the 2012 season or make him cut his salary in half to save on the rollover money. If we cut him we would be vulnerable at safety with an older player and an injury risk and it would also hurt our special teams.

2. Cut Pouha after 2012 and save $3,833,332.

3. Borrow money from future salary caps (Up to four million)

4. Restructure current players but that just enables this endless cycle of mediocrity.

[Jetsouth]

Don't tell me.. an accountant .

cute name

[pointman]

Harris, Sanchez, and Holmes... all money that needs to come off the table.

[THE ILK]

Yeah but you'll win teh contest.