Cap Space & Extending Brissett

[VeveJones007]

According to the NFLPA website (via Holder), the Colts have $54.5MM in cap space for 2019 now that Luck's base salary is off the books. While this opens the door to possible extensions now for other players (e.g. Castonzo, Ebron, Doyle), I think extending Brissett is worth some consideration.

(This is of course reliant on the Colts internal assessment of Brissett (do they really think he's a top 20 QB) and Brissett's willingness to agree to some form of a team-friendly deal.)

There are a couple main reasons to explore this:
1) The ample cap space now could be used to reduce the impact on future seasons.
2) The free agent crop of QBs isn't very good.
3) If Brissett plays well, he'll only get more expensive.

We can use Garoppolo's contract with the 49ers as a template:

5 years, $137MM, $74MM guaranteed, BUT the deal was seriously frontloaded w/$55MM paid in the first two seasons. After year two, the 49ers can cut Garoppolo at a modest $5MM cap hit.

I don't think Brissett can command quite that deal at this point in time, but that's the basic structure that could work for the Colts. Frontload a Brissett deal to minimize the cap impact in 2020 and beyond and give yourself an out if he doesn't prove to be the guy. This kind of deal would have several benefits:

1) Reduce cap hit on possible extension/tagging (if Brissett proves capable)
2) Give yourself an out after 1-2 years (if Brissett isn't the guy)
3) Even if Brissett isn't the guy, whoever the Colts get in the 2020 draft may not be ready day 1. Brissett can serve as a stopgap in 2020 until that player is ready to hit the field (e.g. Alex Smith in 2017 for the Chiefs).

[DrSpaceman]

I wouldn't be extending him until we see how he can play, at least give it half a season.

I just think its too risky right now. Tie up cap space in a guy that might not be the long term answer.

If he plays great this year and deserves a big contract, I'm Ok with that. That's why the cap space is there, to sign deserving players. ANd then we know we have a QB

If we pay him now just to be cheap though and are stuck with him due to contract reasons, it just creates another problem

And despite what the Giants are trying to do and what the Chiefs did with Mahomes, you draft a guy now and they play year one if they are the future starter.

This comes across as trying to get by with a cheap option and hoping you get lucky that he overplays the contract. its risky and doesn't strike me as something Ballard would want to do.

[Oldcolt]

Maybe as the season unfolds he deserves an extension. I certainly hope so. But not until we see what he can do with this team.

[rcubed]

I am currently not excited about the thought of brissett as our long term option

[omahacolt]

No way would I extend Brissett unless he was cool with top backup money. And he wouldn’t be

[Chromeburn]

AND Brisset may not want an extension. Choosing to bet on himself as a full time starter and see what the open market can give him.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by DrSpaceman

I wouldn't be extending him until we see how he can play, at least give it half a season.

I just think its too risky right now. Tie up cap space in a guy that might not be the long term answer.

If he plays great this year and deserves a big contract, I'm Ok with that. That's why the cap space is there, to sign deserving players. ANd then we know we have a QB

If we pay him now just to be cheap though and are stuck with him due to contract reasons, it just creates another problem

And despite what the Giants are trying to do and what the Chiefs did with Mahomes, you draft a guy now and they play year one if they are the future starter.

This comes across as trying to get by with a cheap option and hoping you get lucky that he overplays the contract. its risky and doesn't strike me as something Ballard would want to do.

If you wait, you run the risk of him putting up solid numbers and commanding a contract on par with Garoppolo's. That's the downside.

What I'm suggesting is to frontload a big part of it into the 2019 cap space and structure it so that you can get out after 2019 or 2020 if he isn't the right guy. Basically, cut Brissett a $30MM check now and cut bait pretty quickly if he isn't the guy...or save a TON of money from 2020-2023 if he is a solid starter.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

AND Brisset may not want an extension. Choosing to bet on himself as a full time starter and see what the open market can give him.

Of course. That's the underlying assumption.

[CanuckColt]

No big money contract extension until we see how he does this season.

[DrSpaceman]

Originally Posted by VeveJones007

If you wait, you run the risk of him putting up solid numbers and commanding a contract on par with Garoppolo's. That's the downside.

What I'm suggesting is to frontload a big part of it into the 2019 cap space and structure it so that you can get out after 2019 or 2020 if he isn't the right guy. Basically, cut Brissett a $30MM check now and cut bait pretty quickly if he isn't the guy...or save a TON of money from 2020-2023 if he is a solid starter.

Still not really sure what you mean there or how you are suggesting this be structured. You just want to give him a big salary for next year or this year, but then less money for 2020 to 2023 in case he doesn't work out so you have him under contract?

Again not clear on the structure you have in mind but just offhand, I don't know why he would take such a deal. And that doesn't seem like an extension, that seems like a big 1-2 year contract to be a starter in 2019 or 2020.