Did the Rams find a loophole?

[mykc14]

Hats off to the Rams. Great FA signings and trades (Stafford, OBJ, Weddle, Milller) I wish the Hawks could make the SMART moves the Rams made this year to win a SB. Here’s the reality- they had multiple weapons out and still were able to win a SB (Woods, Higbee, OBJ). I’m back to the QB/cap %. The Rams were able to win a SB without stressing that cap percentage because of a trade for a good QB who wouldn’t eat up the cap. Now Stafford needs to sign an extension. He is like 34 years old but the Lions have already paid for his extension. Now to the Rams have a great opportunity- they can extend Stafford and not have to worry about huge cap hit (cap hits over 13% of total cap) for like 4 years. They can extend him and still have $$ to spend on Donald, Ramsey, Kupp, and OBJ. We’re talking about All-Pro players- not just good athletes. Is trading for a viable veteran QB the way to go??? It creates a situation where another team pays for an extension while allowing you to just pay for the remaining years (the Rams only had to pay for Staffords salary- (19 mil) the Lions had to pay for his signing bonus). It also allows you to extend said QB without having to worry about cap issues for multiple years down the road. The Rams are going to be able to have a very low cap hit for their QB (below 20 mil) for at least 3 years. the Hawks on the other hand are going to be above 35 mil. Imagine having 15 more mil to spend on on other players. I love RW, but I honestly don’t think there is any way that we win a SB with him if he continues to make over 13% of our cap.

[NorthHawk]

First of all, the Cap is going to expand quite a bit, so what's 13% today will be much less in a few years.
Secondly, there are creative ways to lessen the Cap figure that we have never explored in a big way.
So although the Cap isn't meaningless, it's not the hurdle people make it out to be.

[govandals]

I’m back to the QB/cap %. The Rams were able to win a SB without stressing that cap percentage because of a trade for a good QB who wouldn’t eat up the cap.

The Rams just won the SB with 23.89% of their cap going to QB's. Staffords cap hit was 20 mil and Goffs was 24.7 mil.

With smart roster construction you can win it all paying QB's more than 13% of the cap.

[mykc14]

The Rams just won the SB with 23.89% of their cap going to QB's. Staffords cap hit was 20 mil and Goffs was 24.7 mil.

With smart roster construction you can win it all paying QB's more than 13% of the cap.

I see what you are saying but that's a little different in that they can move other money around for a one year salary dump for Goff. When you sign a QB and they are consistently taking up more than 13% of the cap you don't have the maneuverability that the Rams had with the one year hit. I agree that with smart roster construction it seems like you should win it all, but why hasn't it happened? Manning, Brees, Big Ben, Russ, Rodgers, etc. These are considered some of the best QB's to ever play the game- HOF players who all have SB wins (some mulitple), but none of them won while making more than 13% of the cap. Again, I hope we can do it but I don't see any examples for us to follow.

[govandals]

FWIW, I found this on Spotrac.

Top 10 Super Bowl QB cap percentages
2009: Peyton Manning (IND): 18.8% Lost to Saints
2016: Matt Ryan (ATL): 15.3% Lost to Pats
2013: Peyton Manning (DEN): 14.16% Lost to Seahawks
2020: Tom Brady (TB): 12.61% Beat Chiefs
2018: Tom Brady (NE): 12.42% Beat Rams
2015: Peyton Manning (DEN): 12.21% Beat Panthers
2011: Eli Manning (NYG): 11.71% Beat Pats
2014: Tom Brady (NE): 11.13% Beat Seahawks
2011: Tom Brady (NE): 10.76% Lost to Giants
2007: Eli Manning (NYG): 10.75% Beat Pats

2016 Matt Ryan certainly played well enough to win. Maybe 2009 Manning as well. 2013 Manning had no chance. Those are the only ones over the 13% threshold.

[c_hawkbob]

Those percentages for just the starter or for the position?

[obiken]

Whats the Cap hit percentage for RW?

[mykc14]

Whats the Cap hit percentage for RW?

RW's Cap hit as a percentage of our teams Cap total:

2018: 13.4%
2019: 13.8%
2020: 15.5%
2021: 17.5%
2022: 16.9%
2023: 17.8%

[mykc14]

FWIW, I found this on Spotrac.

Top 10 Super Bowl QB cap percentages
2009: Peyton Manning (IND): 18.8% Lost to Saints
2016: Matt Ryan (ATL): 15.3% Lost to Pats
2013: Peyton Manning (DEN): 14.16% Lost to Seahawks
2020: Tom Brady (TB): 12.61% Beat Chiefs
2018: Tom Brady (NE): 12.42% Beat Rams
2015: Peyton Manning (DEN): 12.21% Beat Panthers
2011: Eli Manning (NYG): 11.71% Beat Pats
2014: Tom Brady (NE): 11.13% Beat Seahawks
2011: Tom Brady (NE): 10.76% Lost to Giants
2007: Eli Manning (NYG): 10.75% Beat Pats

2016 Matt Ryan certainly played well enough to win. Maybe 2009 Manning as well. 2013 Manning had no chance. Those are the only ones over the 13% threshold.

Here is a list of SB winning QB's in the salary cap era and their cap hits the year they won.

94- Young 13.1
95- Aikman 6.7
96- Favre 10.2
97- Elway 5.0
98- Elway 4.9
99- Warner 1.3
00- Dilfer ?
01- Brady 0.5
02- Johnson ??
03- Brady 4.4
04- Brady 6.3
05- Rothlesburger 4.9
06- Manning 10.4
07- Eli 9.2
08- Rothlesburger 6.9
09- Brees 8.7
10- Rodgers (Uncapped year, but it was around 7% of what the cap would have been)
11- Eli 11.7
12- Flacco 6.6
13- Russ 0.5
14- Brady 10.6
15- Manning 11.7
16- Brady 8.6
17- Foles 0.9
18- Brady 12.2
19- Mahomes 2.4
20- Brady 12.2


The highest hits were Young in 94 at 13.1, Brady in 20 and 18 at 12.2, and Mannings (Eli in 11 and Peyton in 15). 16 QB's were under 10% of the cap and 8 were over 10%. The average of the 24 QB's counted was 5.98%.