It's not the total value of the contract but how the money is dispersed. How much is prorated signing bonus over the 5 years of his contract (or is his a 4 year?), how much (if any) is incentives, how his salary is broken down by season, etc.
It does now include Powell but not Carpenter or Skrine. Carpenters deal averages about 5M per year, Skrines a little over 6. sportrac currently lists the Jets at 28.7 for the top 51, Knock 11M off for Skrine and Carpenter (probably closer to 12M) and another 6M for the rookies the Jets draft and you are looking at about 10M left in the tank, give or take a million or two.
if I'm right on the cap numbers then the Jets probably will not be adding a FA LB. fortunately this draft is deep in outside rushers, there should still be some quality pass rush guys as late as the 4th.
Addendum, technically the Jets could free up around 3 million in cap by cutting Babin and Pace, but at this point its not going to matter. Basically the 16M the Jets are paying revis this year takes up the space of two impact players.
I put everything in Excel. I assigned a $6 mil cap hit for Skrine and a $5 mil cap hit for Carpenter. Our top 51 players (including draft picks) plus dead money equals $140,526,323 leaving $15,623,071 available. Keep in mind that each player we sign knocks a player down from 51 to 52 offsetting the cap hit of the signing with an offset amount of $524-585K.
Worilds has decided to retire, so that's one popular option off the table. Seems like the Jets best bet for a pass-rusher will be at #6.
Ex-Steelers LB Jason Worilds shockingly retiring http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...steelers-lb-jason-worilds-shockingly-retiring
I see Snacks gone. And I am wondering if they will trade Wilk. There will be a time when Will, Sheldon, and Revis will all be getting top money. Three guys making 40-45 mil in cap space? That ain't sane, when one of them is not a QB.
I don't think Wilkerson will be traded yet unless he wants a ridiculous contract. Right now the Jets don't have to worry about paying a top QB. I do think that if someone offers a high pick for Snacks, he is gone.
The only way I'd trade Wilkerson is if the compensation somehow netted the Jets Brees or Winston. That said, if he were traded, Coples would fill his spot.
Yes, I have said that myself. I happen to thin he will ask for a ridiculous number, and that will set things in motion