Considerations for 2020 Free Agency

[sec101row23]

Given all the speculation and predictions surrounding free agency this year, there are a couple changes to how contracts can be structured this year due to the expiring CBA.   Unless a new CBA is reached before March, these changes will still be in place.  
 

1. There is no post June 1 designation for cutting someone.  

2. Salaries can not increase more than 30% Year to year.  This is a big one because in the past teams could sign a player and give him an artificially low year one salary with a large signing bonus, and then push the cap implication from the bonus over the next 5 years.  This gives the newly signed player a much lower year 1 cap number.  This year that is not possible.  That makes the likelihood of signing multiple high priced guys incredibly difficult.   
 

3. Incentive bonus’ are paid for and accounted for when the bonus is earned.  So if a WR has a $1 million dollar incentive if he reaches 70 receptions, and he does that in week 12, then that bonus money must hit the cap in that season.  So teams will have to leave enough cap space on the table to cover all of these incentives, thus not being able to use it on other players.  
 

So keep this in mind when creating “wish lists” and all of your free agency mock scenarios.   

[slats]

I don't think the impact will be huge. I suspect you'll see more contracts with guaranteed salaries instead of big bonuses, and likely to be earned incentives would count against this year's cap, anyway, while the unlikely ones wouldn't. So you're talking about a player hitting an unexpected benchmark, probably making it not too painful to pay him. 

I expect JD to be a buyer in free agency, but I don't expect him to spend to the cap. There will be a few million set aside for flexibility and/or emergencies. 

[section314]

34 minutes ago, sec101row23 said:

Given all the speculation and predictions surrounding free agency this year, there are a couple changes to how contracts can be structured this year due to the expiring CBA.   Unless a new CBA is reached before March, these changes will still be in place.  
 

1. There is no post June 1 designation for cutting someone.  

2. Salaries can not increase more than 30% Year to year.  This is a big one because in the past teams could sign a player and give him an artificially low year one salary with a large signing bonus, and then push the cap implication from the bonus over the next 5 years.  This gives the newly signed player a much lower year 1 cap number.  This year that is not possible.  That makes the likelihood of signing multiple high priced guys incredibly difficult.   
 

3. Incentive bonus’ are paid for and accounted for when the bonus is earned.  So if a WR has a $1 million dollar incentive if he reaches 70 receptions, and he does that in week 12, then that bonus money must hit the cap in that season.  So teams will have to leave enough cap space on the table to cover all of these incentives, thus not being able to use it on other players.  
 

So keep this in mind when creating “wish lists” and all of your free agency mock scenarios.   

Wow! Interesting, and scary, stuff. Can be game changers in some cases.

[Beerfish]

I like all of those rules as stated to be honest.

[bealeb319]

But we can still sign players to cheap contracts and hire their companies under the table right?

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2 hours ago, bealeb319 said:

But we can still sign players to cheap contracts and hire their companies under the table right?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using JetNation.com mobile app
 

I hear Patrick Mahomes is taking a very team friendly deal..... Oo and Arrowhead is opening the Patrick Mahomes Hot Dog Stand for $200m

[bla bla bla]

12 hours ago, sec101row23 said:

Given all the speculation and predictions surrounding free agency this year, there are a couple changes to how contracts can be structured this year due to the expiring CBA.   Unless a new CBA is reached before March, these changes will still be in place.  
 

1. There is no post June 1 designation for cutting someone.  

2. Salaries can not increase more than 30% Year to year.  This is a big one because in the past teams could sign a player and give him an artificially low year one salary with a large signing bonus, and then push the cap implication from the bonus over the next 5 years.  This gives the newly signed player a much lower year 1 cap number.  This year that is not possible.  That makes the likelihood of signing multiple high priced guys incredibly difficult.   
 

3. Incentive bonus’ are paid for and accounted for when the bonus is earned.  So if a WR has a $1 million dollar incentive if he reaches 70 receptions, and he does that in week 12, then that bonus money must hit the cap in that season.  So teams will have to leave enough cap space on the table to cover all of these incentives, thus not being able to use it on other players.  
 

So keep this in mind when creating “wish lists” and all of your free agency mock scenarios.   

In all seriousness I wonder if Patrick Mahomes will restructure a deal for this year and then renegotiate after the new CBA. You'd have to imagine there will be a lot more money heading his way after the CBA, similar to the Cousins contract.