Any Capologist...

[JoeSkins]

Now, the Skins have said that if Davis doesn't re-work his deal, then he'll be cut. Well, won't cutting him produce the same cap hit as trading him? Why have we not talked of trading him after the season if he doesn't negotiate his deal? He's stillunder contract, so wouldn't that be the best course of action, to at least choose who he goes to and get compensation? If Bledsoe can go somewhere with his fat check, couldn't Davis?

[Buddha]

Trading him next offseason would be substantially harder than trying to deal him this offseason. He'd be a 29 year old running back making the following base salaries for the rest of his contract--

2003: $7.5M

2004: $6M

2005: $7M

2006: $8M

2007: $9M

2008: $11M

The team that trades for him would inherit a cap bomb. They could always guarantee his 2003 salary, converting it into bonus money spread out over the remaining six years of the contract. But then what would they do with his $6 million base in 2004 when he's a 30 year old running back? And this doesn't take into consideration the performance incentives that could jack his cap number to unmanageable heights.

If the Skins want to trade him, this is the time to do it. The team getting him would have a more manageable $3 million base to deal with, and would have an entire season to negotiate a new contract. More than likely, the Skins will hang on to him one more season, see how he performs in Spurrier's offense, then decide whether to keep or cut him.

[NavyDave]

I really hope his contract is reworked before the season starts so this isnt a distraction and issue the whole season.

[Larry]

To answer your question ("Doesn't trading him have the same cap cost as cutting him"), the answer is yes. When a player leaves, regardless of the reason (trade, cut, retire) the cap hit is the same. (The only thing that affects the hit is when he leaves).

(The onl;y exception I know of, which allows a player to leave without a cap hit, is if he had been listed (and taken) in the Texan's expansion draft. In that case, the bonus hit transfers along with the player, and begins counting against Houston's cap, just as if he'd been playing for them all along. That's why you saw some really quality players, but ones with big cap baggage, listed for that draft).

The drawback with trading him next year is:

1) A good part of the reason we'd trade him is his big salary. And whatever team trades for him would get the same salary. (The new team would not be responsible for the cap hit caused by his bonus, nor for escalator clauses that the Skins have paid. Those hits would stay here). The new team might think they could get him to renegotiate. But, if he was willing to renegotiate, then he already would have done so with the Skins.

2) Any other potential trading partner would also know that the Skins are planning on cutting him. If you're, say, Charlie Casserly, would you give a couple of draft picks to the Skins, knowing you can just wait a while and get him without any trade?