Cut Harper, sign Goldston. (1 Viewer)

[Professor]

So what if some of us are willing to eat the dead money to have a better player on the field.. Why is it every time someone has a difference of opinion they are the ones that need to educate themselves?

Because some of us understand the cap and how it affects the future years and others obviously don't. You'd obviously be willing to cut a player whose cap hit this year was less than the dead money. It's not as if the Saints can't restructure Harper to make this year's cap hit less and release him next year if it's possible to bring in a better player.

Also, some of us understand the effect of using a player in such a way that does not play to his strengths, but rather to his weaknesses. Others just think the player stinks, when it's really the scheme and use of the personnel that stink.

But then, one would have to be educated enough about the NFL to understand that.

 

[d3vanj]

Sorry but I do not agree with y our logic, in my logic if we get rid of Harper we have $1,000,000 to start with a new player. Yes it will take more then a million to replace him but it is 1mil we have to start and with a few other cuts we can look at a better player's. my logic says we do not pay 7mil to a player who is not that great at his position. Eat the 6.1 mil and move on.. Now that is not saying we cannot find a trade with him.. Much like RB maybe we can move him for a promise, just to get out of the 6.1mil hit.

How about we let Loomis do his job, restructure Harper and free up maybe 4-5 million AND sign a better player with Harper as a solid back-up/in the box blitzer? It's all about fielding the best team right?

 

[Bayareasaint]

Dead money gets spread out over the next 2 seasons if regarded as a June cut.

 

[Bala Lowkz]

Oh God.

 

[St4ever]

Because some of us understand the cap and how it affects the future years and others obviously don't. You'd obviously be willing to cut a player whose cap hit this year was less than the dead money. It's not as if the Saints can't restructure Harper to make this year's cap hit less and release him next year if it's possible to bring in a better player.

Also, some of us understand the effect of using a player in such a way that does not play to his strengths, but rather to his weaknesses. Others just think the player stinks, when it's really the scheme and use of the personnel that stink.

But then, one would have to be educated enough about the NFL to understand that.

Then by all means Cary on Mr. Professor, sounds a little nutty to me

 

[Danneaux]

So we add add about 7 million to the cap, move our worst tackler to SS, and sign a FS who looked just as bad in the playoffs as what we already have, with the cap increase preventing us from signing anyone of note to help our front 7, and making it virtually impossible to re-sign our LT and OC?

I have a hard time buying into that one.

 

[KtoLV]

If I am to understand Harper's contract right, if we cut him, his cap figure for this year will be $6mill. If we keep him, his cap figure will be $1mill. We really don't save that much by cutting him this year. You can't find a starting safety for that much.

He should be more effective in Ryan's defense.

 

[St4ever]

So we add add about 7 million to the cap, move our worst tackler to SS, and sign a FS who looked just as bad in the playoffs as what we already have, with the cap increase preventing us from signing anyone of note to help our front 7, and making it virtually impossible to re-sign our LT and OC?

I have a hard time buying into that one.

I am not suggesting that scenario but how do we add $7mil to our cap? It is already there anyway regardless if he is here or not! He is just taking up a roster spot if he is not producing.. I personally willing to trade that spot with a rookie who will perform on special teams also.

 

[St4ever]

If I am to understand Harper's contract right, if we cut him, his cap figure for this year will be $6mill. If we keep him, his cap figure will be $1mill. We really don't save that much by cutting him this year. You can't find a starting safety for that much.

He should be more effective in Ryan's defense.

And you may be right.. Maybe he can teach him to cover a tight end!

 

[Bala Lowkz]

And you may be right.. Maybe he can teach him to cover a tight end!

What are you talking about Harper actually does a solid job at covering most tight ends thats names are not Vernon Davis.

 

[Danneaux]

I am not suggesting that scenario but how do we add $7mil to our cap? It is already there anyway regardless if he is here or not! He is just taking up a roster spot if he is not producing.. I personally willing to trade that spot with a rookie who will perform on special teams also.

Because releasing Harper only saves us about 1 million, and we'll add another 8 million for Goldson for a net increase of 7 million.

I'd prefer front 7 help and re-signing our LT and OC in lieu of spending 14 million for a safety swap that won't make us any better.

 

[Dan in Lafayette]

Gee, another cut Harper thread. Sometimes the best threads are the ones not started. Posting any and every thought that crosses your mind is not really necessary.

 

[ozwego15]

we can sign the best DBs out there...but without a pass rush they're going to be helpless

 

[BobE]

Gee, another cut Harper thread. Sometimes the best threads are the ones not started. Posting any and every thought that crosses your mind is not really necessary.

 

[60minutes]

If we cut harper we only save a million if we cut him next year we save 7 million

This thread is a prime example of why some understanding of the cap is needed if one intends to make such propositions.

The Saints gain only 1 million if they cut Harper because 6.1 million of his 7.1 million cap hit becomes "dead" money, meaning the 6.1 million would count against this year's cap.

It isn't rocket science. It's simple math. I have posted about this in a thread I started earlier this evening. All some people can see is, "I don't like (fill in the name of the Saints player who is hated). I like so-and-so. Therefore, the Saints need to get rid of said player and sign so-and-so." If only it were that simple.

Nothing against bornnraisedwhodat. I often agree with his viewpoints. But if one is going to make a suggestion, the cap ramifications need to be considered.

PLEASE go to this site and educate yourself. The "dead" money counts against the cap if the player is released.

New Orleans Saints - 2013 Cap Hits

This is incorrect. If Harper is cut this year, we will save $5, 250, 000. This is his base salary plus, minus the roster bonus of $100, 000* and the accelerated bonus, which will be split over 2013 and 2014 as a June 1st cut qualifier. The dead money is representative of the remaining signing bonus of $3.5 million, the roster bonus, and then probably the remaining guaranteed money Roman Harper will make even if cut.

When he signed his contract, it was 4 years, $25 million with $7 million signing bonus and $16 million guaranteed. You can slice $7 million off that for the bonus, and then figure that the money Harper earned over the first two years was probably $6.5 million. So, he would then have $2, 500, 000 in money left in remaining guarantees. That, along with the prorated bonus, becomes the "dead money." It can inhibit a team, and you often see it show up in the "real cap" that a team carries each year versus the NFL's designated salary cap.

I say all this to say that cutting Harper will pay dividends for us this year, should we decide to part ways with him.

*I should note that the roster bonus may or may not count. It depends on if it is guaranteed by a particular date and I do not know what that date is/will be. That said, I assume it will count and I base that off the extra $100, 000 listed as a part of his dead money.

For more on dead money, see: Dead money disasters | National Football Post

For more on cutting Harper, in particular, see:
New Orleans Saints' defensive salary-cap figures for 2013 | NOLA.com