Full details on contract restructures for New Orleans Saints' Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma (1 Viewer)

[SweetT]

8 million is still too much to pay Smith.

 

[sa1nt4life]

While I still like Will Smith as a leader, why are we keeping him around for 8 mil this year and potentially more next year if he is average at best? Far more quality players we could have signed on the defensive side of the ball, or even offensive to spend that 8 million on.
Vilma I wanted to come back for depth and feel like we got a good deal with him.

 

[Sardonios]

Big Willie is making 8mil this year? thats crazy

In reality, no. He's making $4.15 million. The remainder of his cap figure is money made years ago.

 

[someone]

Smith gets cut next year

I think after this year, you won't want him cut. I think he'll play really well in a 3-4.

Everyone just wants to cut, cut, cut. The grass isn't always greener...

 

[Professor]

Per Larry Holder, Will Smith took a $6Million pay cut that lowers his cap figure from $14M to $8M. That's only for this year. Next year remains unchanged, with a cap hit, I think, of $14M.

Vilma had his base pay cut, eliminated his roster bonus, and increased his workout bonus, for net cap reduction of $4.8 million.

So there were actual pay cuts for both guys, not just restructures. I think these moves will prove to be good ones for the team.

I read that Vilma's base salary went to $1 million and Smith's to 3 million (from 9 million). These were not restructures, where the money just gets pushed to later years; they were pay cuts.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/45938/vilma-smith-took-massive-pay-cuts

For those who STILL don't understand the difference between cap figure and pay, PLEASE take some time to learn it. You really irritate those of us who at least understand the two are NOT THE SAME! SHEESH!

Big Willie is making 8mil this year? thats crazy

Nope. That is his CAP figure. He's making $3 million this year, down from $9 million.

 

[Bartyboy]

Ok so will everyone not be so literal on the word restructure. It can mean pay cut.

 

[bclemms]

In reality, no. He's making $4.15 million. The remainder of his cap figure is money made years ago.

Now we are overpaying him 4.15 million and taking up a roster spot. Sure would like to have gotten someone to make the defense better with that money. Guess we are rewarding him for the bounty crap because it sure wasnt for his play last season. He wouldnt have gotten near that from anyone else in the league.

 

[Professor]

Now we are overpaying him 4.15 million and taking up a roster spot. Sure would like to have gotten someone to make the defense better with that money. Guess we are rewarding him for the bounty crap because it sure wasnt for his play last season. He wouldnt have gotten near that from anyone else in the league.

Nope. His BASE salary for this year is $3 million. Also, keep in mind he was second on the team in sacks with six. Not exactly the slouch everyone is making him out to be.

 

[bclemms]

Nope. His BASE salary for this year is $3 million. Also, keep in mind he was second on the team in sacks with six. Not exactly the slouch everyone is making him out to be.

He played nearly a thousand snaps and outside of one sack he was either unblocked or had the qb chased into him from junior and cam getting pressure. He was terrible last season.. so are you saying we dont have to pay him the million buck bonus or workout bonus? You cant even look at his pay objectvely.

 

[Professor]

He played nearly a thousand snaps and outside of one sack he was either unblocked or had the qb chased into him from junior and cam getting pressure. He was terrible last season..

Haters gonna hate, which makes your comment about objectivity rather odd.

 

[nelopiceral1]

Dudes, Smith will be fine as a 3-4 end. The requirements of the position are different and though he's regressed to a 1 trick pony, his one trick happens to perfectly line up with the new position. Factor in team chemistry, leadership, smarts, and a big chip on his shoulder, he'll be good. He's got to know he's setting himself up for being cut next year though. Maybe he's thinking that if he plays the new position well enough he'll renegotiate that money to be spread out over a couple year extension...or maybe he's planning to retire anyway. We'll see.

Vilma...man, I wish I could transplant that guys brain and soul into a larger framed and slightly less beat up body. Give him more size, longer arms, and less jacked knees and I'd be stoked about him in the WILB role. I just don't know if that's gonna work as much as I want it to. He's good at blitzing and good at coverage so maybe it'll work out. Given the DC lineage, I'm sure Ryan will use lots of different packages and those with Vilma will cover up his liabilities and put him in a position to be successful...like maybe Bunkly NT and Hicks RDE when Vilma is in to keep him clean.

 

[Merl]

Nope. His BASE salary for this year is $3 million. Also, keep in mind he was second on the team in sacks with six. Not exactly the slouch everyone is making him out to be.

He is also getting $1 million in roster bonus and $150,000 for work out bonus. Those are part of his pay as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Whodat GT]

Vilma...man, I wish I could transplant that guys brain and soul into a larger framed and slightly less beat up body. Give him more size, longer arms, and less jacked knees and I'd be stoked about him in the WILB role. I just don't know if that's gonna work as much as I want it to. He's good at blitzing and good at coverage so maybe it'll work out. Given the DC lineage, I'm sure Ryan will use lots of different packages and those with Vilma will cover up his liabilities and put him in a position to be successful...like maybe Bunkly NT and Hicks RDE when Vilma is in to keep him clean.

I think Vilma could play better next year. He hasn't been able to stay healthy the past two years, and last year could've been because of sitting out the first six weeks. I seem to remember him playing relatively well the last couple of weeks.

 

[LSSpam]

Now we are overpaying him 4.15 million and taking up a roster spot. Sure would like to have gotten someone to make the defense better with that money. Guess we are rewarding him for the bounty crap because it sure wasnt for his play last season. He wouldnt have gotten near that from anyone else in the league.

If he doesn't win a spot in preseason he can still quite easily be cut. There's no absolute risk. There is some opportunity cost, that money is tied up until training cap, but we can roll it over to 2014 if needed.

I agree a $3 million base is probably more than he would have gotten anywhere else, but it's a 1 year deal we can get rid of easily if we draft to that position. It's not a standing ovation move, but we were going to add a veteran for that spot anyways and now we have one on a 1 year deal. Worst case scenario is he gets beat out in preseason and gets cut, giving us cap room to roll over to 2014.

 

[bearze34]

Big Willie is making 8mil this year? thats crazy

It does sound looney but they are paying the price for giving a huge signing bonus and contract to an overrated player. Maybe he will catch fire this year and become a beast. Maybe Vilma will become rejuvenated and surprise many of us. I think there is still over a 50% chance they will both get cut in TC. We shall see.