GREAT ARTICLE: Sunday notes: Jets playing Moneyball By Rich Cimini March 30, 2014 Thoughts and observations on the New York Jets: 1. Penny pinchers: For those not happy with John Idziks conservative approach to free agency ... well, you may not want to read this. It will raise your ire to a new level. Right now, the Jets have the lowest cash payroll in the NFL -- $86.1 million, according to overthecap. Were not talking cap dollars, were talking actual cash spending for 2014. Theyre $50 million under than the top-spending team, the Baltimore Ravens. The paltry number makes the Jets seem like the New York Mets of the NFL. In 14 months, Idzik has systematically dumped many of the highest salaries. Their once-top-heavy cap has thinned to the point where only three players have cap charges of at least $7 million -- DBrickashaw Ferguson ($11.7 million), Nick Mangold ($7.2 million) and David Harris ($7 million). Its telling that the fourth- and fifth-highest cap numbers belong to players no longer on the roster -- Antonio Cromartie ($5.5 million) and Mark Sanchez ($4.8 million). The Jets flirted with several big-name free agents (Jared Allen, DeMarcus Ware, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie), but missed out, in part, because they failed to show them the money. (Pardon the Jerry Macguire-ism.) What conclusions can be drawn? Either the Jets are cheap or Idzik is budgeting for the future. Its probably more of the latter. Know this: Starting this year, teams are required to spend at least 89 percent of the cap in cash over a four-year period. It looks like the Jets will have some catching up to do in future years.
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 01:38:35 +0000
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