CAP SPACE AFTER BROOKS

Originally posted by ninertico:

Originally posted by NCommand:
True but typically, the SAM isn't the guy who is required to get 10+ sacks every year. That comes from the WILL position on the blind side of the QB's side. Those are your Ware's, Harrison, Matthews, etc.

If Brooks can get 7+ sacks every year while also leading the team in TFL (like a sack), seals the edge effectively, remains 6th on the team in total tackles, 3rd in pressures/hits and continues to impress with underneath and outside-in coverage like he did last year in his first year, than he has more than earned his contract! But I have no doubt this contract is set up to motivate him even more and if he DOES get double-digit sacks from the SAM, it will benefit both sides.

The more effective Brooks is and the more teams have to continue to double and even triple team him, the more effective the rest of the front 7 (esp. Aldon) AND the back end will be.

Very nice contract!

PS: We just have to remember the differences in responsibilities between the SAM & WILL positions. Eventually, both may be learning the other position and they will become interchangeable like in Pittsburgh to help with disguising the blitz!

How long have we've been talkin' 'bout this, N? Been soooooooooooo long ago that I think I was playing with my Pong game. Shheeeez. We finally have our QB Rushing Book Ends and man are they nice.

Hehe, the point of my post wasnt to say he would be our main sackmaster... just if he wants that type of contract he will have to produce to get it. Trust I remember all the zone conversations of OLB's and their responsibilities ever since Nolan took over or thought that Justin Smith would make a great OLB.... which has now turned into the move Grant to OLB argument lol. If nothing else this extension has put to rest those ridiculous threads . Though I still cant believe we never moved Lawson to safety!

For those who want to know about 2013, we have around $91.384M committed, and we would have $96.39M with draft picks this year. I dont include Spillman's extension as the details haven't come in yet. I am including Brooks' extension though.

Originally posted by ninertico:


How long have we've been talkin' 'bout this, N? Been soooooooooooo long ago that I think I was playing with my Pong game. Shheeeez. We finally have our QB Rushing Book Ends and man are they nice.

Forever!!!! Literally, we have NEVER had two bookend OLB pass rushers since we first employed the 3-4...how many years ago?

We should ALL be stoked! Finally!

Originally posted by 5280High:
Hehe, the point of my post wasnt to say he would be our main sackmaster... just if he wants that type of contract he will have to produce to get it. Trust I remember all the zone conversations of OLB's and their responsibilities ever since Nolan took over or thought that Justin Smith would make a great OLB.... which has now turned into the move Grant to OLB argument lol. If nothing else this extension has put to rest those ridiculous threads . Though I still cant believe we never moved Lawson to safety!

Oh totally! Sorry, didn't mean to come off like I was calling you out...just alerting ppl that these two positions have very different responsibilities. Ppl shouldn't expect Brooks to ever have a 14 sack season from the SAM. Now, if both evolve and start rushing interchangeably, yeah, that's possible!

Oh man, those threads are WZ classics, brother! Classic!

Originally posted by NCommand:
Forever!!!! Literally, we have NEVER had two bookend OLB pass rushers since we first employed the 3-4...how many years ago?

We should ALL be stoked! Finally!

I'm not calling Brooks a bookend OLB, but I'm hopeful he can be. And if he can't, then the team can dump him off the books. What a team friendly contract.

So before Brooks we had roughly $23.5 million. His deal ate up roughly $3 million and Goldson will eat up $6.2 million. So that leaves us at roughly $14.3 million under the cap, which still includes Spencer's salary. You could basically cut Spencer and apply that to signing our draft picks with a little left over, still leaving us with about $14.5 million.

If Baalke has any kind of serious designs on Mike Wallace that might be it for "big" signings before the 13th. Per Mike Lombardi, in order to pry Wallace away from the Steelers a team will have to front load a deal with a 2012 cap charge of $10-12 million to keep Pittsburgh from matching, which I have no problem doing assuming that we can still sign Smith, Snyder and the core special team players back-loaded deals. They may be able to extend and re-structure players like Sopoaga and Justin Smith to create some more room.