It’s that time of year when teams in the NFL are looking over their players’ contracts, looking where cuts need to be made in order to keep star players and sign new pieces in order to chase that elusive Lombardi Trophy. Some of the cuts are simple and the fans are happy to see the back of a player who was paid too much and not contributed enough. But for other players, well, it’s a hard thing to see a player who has contributed so many memories to the fan base, maybe even a championship, leave. Butthat is the reality of the situation today. Free agency and the salary cap have changed the league.
Already this offseason we have seen the New Orleans Saints cut four key members of their Superbowl winning team plus attempt to trade Darren Sproles, a key offensive weapon and fan favorite. The Carolina Panthers are looking to trade or possibly cut Steve Smith, arguably the best and most beloved player in the franchise’s history, while the Chicago Bears cut Devin Hester after eight seasons after becoming one of the greatest returners in NFL history, and defensive end Julius Peppers, a long-time stalwart on their defense. The Dallas Cowboys cut all-time team leader in sacks, DeMarcus Ware. Of course there are many more who will be added to this growing list of chopped or shopped players. The question is why some of these franchise stalwarts get such an undignified end to their time with team. The answer – economics.
In today’s NFL the need to win is as great as it is in all sports and with current salary cap restrictions General Managers have to be ruthless. And when fans cry about lack of loyalty from teams, remember that players can be just as ruthless when they hit the open market. Just this off-season, Seattle Seahawks Defensive Tackle Michael Bennett was quoted remarking “This isn’t Costco. This isn’t Walmart. This is real life,” when asked if he would take a hometown discount to stay with the Seahawks (Bennett signed a four-year, $28.5 million deal with the Seahawks March 10th).
Another factor that allows GMs to be so ruthless is the current collective bargaining agreement which includes a rookie salary cap. This allows GMs to find contributors to the team who contribute very little to the salary cap and allow the team to pay key veterans and make a championship caliber team. Clear examples of this are the current champions, Seattle Seahawks as well as the San Francisco 49ers. The downside is when these players reach the end of these rookie contracts many of them are due big pay days for their play and this is where the hard choices come in. Many of New Orleans cuts can be attributed to the franchise tag number of All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham and the need to free space to give him a long-term deal. Seattle have some hard choices to make with players such as Richard Sherman and Russell Wilson coming towards the end of their rookie contracts.
This brings us back to the original point: cutting veterans who have produced in the past but are declining is not only prudent, but more than ever it is a necessity.
The NFL like any other sport is evolving and the general managers of all 32 franchises are having to adapt while still trying to win. Some are successful, others not so much. Four NFL GMs were sacked this off season, which means that fans will have to get used to former heroes being replaced with other players who can offer similar production but at a more economically viable price. Fans will have to face the fact that loyalty is a two-way street that neither franchises nor players in the NFL visit very often any more.
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