For starters, I took the Jaguars $3.72 Rookie Pool and subracted the other four draft picks' cap hits, along with an additional $20,000 to $30,000 for the bonus money hits for UDFAs on the roster prior to the last round of cuts, and came up with $2.1 mil as a maximum cap hit for Harvey. That said, I expect his cap hit to be much lower. Above I explained that the difference in where the Jaguars are under the cap suggests a cap hit around $700,000. So let's break down his deal as much as possible...

Harvey's base salaries are as follows...

• 2008 - $295,000
• 2009 - $802,500
• 2010 - $1,215,000
• 2011 - $1,637,500
• 2012 - $2,060,000
• 2013 - $2,482,500

Interestingly he's under contract for six years, but all reports said the deal was for five years. This tells me it's a six-year deal, but the last year is voidable. With that in mind, I'm not sure if he'd also have a base salary escalator in 2012, but that would make sense given his $33.4 mil total maximum contract. Since incentives and escalators are unkown at this point in time (hopefully we'll eventually know about these), we only need to look at his $23.8 mil base contract total which we know includes $17,177,000 guaranteed money.

His base salaries total $8,492,500, which when subracted from his base contract total leaves $15,307,500 to account for. Since this amount is less than his guranteed money, this tells me that some of his base salary (perhaps his first three years) was included in the reported guaranteed money total. At this point I really have to start guessing, so let me ponder on these numbers and I'll continue.

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Clearly I have plenty of salary cap updating to do. I've been struggling to find the time. As for these three, they all signed one-year deals and are set to be UFAs come March 1 if not re-signed by then.

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The rule as I understand it deals with base salary, roster bonus money, and I'm guessing workout bonus money, but does not include signing bonus money. It basically says that the increase in a rookie player's salary and roster bonus total cannot increase each year more than 25 percent of his rookie total. From '10 to the end of his contract, his total increases by an amount of $422,500 each year. This is likely his yearly total increase, and therefore reflects a rookie salary and roster bonus total of $1.69 mil ($422,500 x 4). Since his base salary is $295,000, this $1,690,000 total implies a roster bonus of $1,395,000.

Per the rule, his '09 total can be $422,500 more than his '08 total, or $2,112,500. Subtracting his base salary of $802,500 leaves us with $1.31 mil. The same amount is surely being added to his "total" in each year that follows, and my assumption is that he has a $1.3 mil roster bonus and a $10,000 workout bonus in each year from '09 through '13.

Adding up his $8,492,500 base salary total, his $1,395,000 rookie roster bonus, $6.5 mil worth of roster bonuses in years 2 through 6 ($1.3 mil x 5 years), and another $50,000 in workout bonuses those same years brings me to an overall sub-total of $16,437,500, including $7,945,000 in roster and workout bonus money.

I'm thinking all that's left is a rookie signing bonus and a 2nd year "option" signing bonus that might even alter future base salaries when paid. With a base contract total (not including incentives or escalators) of $23.8 mil, we still need to account for $7,362,500 in signing and option bonus money. It's hard to know how they split this up, but I do know from prior research that there was only $2,110,000 left over from their rookie pool. With that in mind I'll estimate his rookie signing bonus to be $2.52 mil ($420,000 per year). This in turn leaves $4,842,500 ($968,500 per year) as a 2nd year option bonus.

I'm inquiring to find out how accurate my estimates are, but they should suffice for right now so I can work on getting caught up with all their roster moves since mid-August. Keep in mind that Harvey's contract includes an additional $9.6 mil is possible incentives including a future base-salary escalator based on playing-time. His incentives are NLTBE as a rookie. Excluding these incentives, here are how his future cap hits work out...

• 2008 - $2,110,000 = $295,000 salary + $1,395,000 roster + $420,000 SB hit
• 2009 - $3,501,000 = $802,500 salary + $1.3 mil roster + $10,000 workout + $420,000 old SB hit + $968,500 new SB hit
• 2010 - $3,913,500 = $1,215,000 salary + $1,310,000 roster & workout total + $1,388,500 total SB hit
• 2011 - $4,336,000 = $1,637,500 salary + $1,310,000 roster & workout total + $1,388,500 total SB hit
• 2012 - $4,758,500 = $2,060,000 salary + $1,310,000 roster & workout total + $1,388,500 total SB hit
• 2013 - $5,181,000 = $2,482,500 salary + $1,310,000 roster & workout total + $1,388,500 total SB hit (voidable season)

You may notice that the bonus money total is precisely $1,869,500 less than his reported guaranteed money total of $17,177,000. I assume this is because portions of his base salaries over his first three years are guaranteed.

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As noted before, the Jaguars were listed at $13.3 mil under on August 25th. My intent is to match this number as of that date. Previously I mentioned that this must have included Harvey's signing, but in retrospect it couldn't have because Harvey signed on August 27th. The players involved in the cutdown to 75 were waived on the 25th or 26th so it's tough to stay if they'd have been included, but fortunately none of the them were among the 51 most expensive meaning they had no effect on the cap. As a result, I've adjusted the books to reflect the Jaguars at $13.3 mil under just prior to Harvey signing and the last round of cuts. I'm now showing $3 mil in my "unkown savings" column.

Tacking on Harvey's $2.11 mil cap hit (top 51 rules still applying) brings me to $11.64 mil under the cap as of August 27th. The next day when Harvey's roster exemption was lifted, the Jaguars placed Wrighster on the PUP list. His cap hit remained intact, and still counts seperately from the 53-man roster.

On August 30th in the last round of cuts, the Jaguars placed Nkang and Mincey on their PUP list while placing DT Jonathan Lewis on IR. They also waived Bouman, C. Brown, Bruce, Carnahan, C. Davis, Fason, Gardner, Gilbert, M. Grant, Hoag, Mahelona, McMahon, D. Miller, Moulton, Myles, Pettway, Schobel, Tr. Williams and Woods.

Per my estimate on UDFAs signed immediately after the draft, C. Brown, Gardner, Grant, Miller and Myles are each counting $2,500 dead money this year, and $5000 dead money next year. The $2,500 was already counting in my "addition bonus hits" column so their releases had no effect the cap. Bruce, Davis, Fason, Hoag, Mahelona, McMahon, Moulton, and Schobel were all players not among the top 51 with with no known bonus hits counting, which in turn means their release had no effect on the cap. Gilbert ($610,000 salary) and Pettway ($520,000 salary) also had no known bonus hits in their contract, although they're salaries were counting among the top 51 wherein their releases freed up a little money.

The remaining players each left a small dead money hit. Todd Bouman is listed with a $10,000 dead money hit, and Trae Williams is listed with a $43,625 dead money hit this year and a $130,875 dead money hit in '09. Woods had a $5,000 estimated dead money hit leftover from last year.

On September 1st with Regular Season cap rules in effect, the Jaguars added Brown, Bruce, Carnahan, Davis, Gardner, Miller, Moulton and P. Smith to their Practice Squad at the yearly rate of $88,400 each. The same day they also added William James (who had just been released by the Bills the day before) while releasing Jamaal Fudge. Fudge had no bonus money counting so his release likewise had no effect on the cap. James signed on for the year with a $735,000 base salary, which counts in full because it's $5,000 more than his minimum base of $730,000. The Jaguars occasionally do this as if they don't want the player to have part of his salary taken care of by the league. It's a safe bet to assume he received no additional bonus money.

Switching over to Regular Season rules means that all players on the roster in any capacity count in full against the cap. In other words, you count the entire 53-man roster and all of their dead money hits along with players on their Practice Squad (8 players), PUP list (3 players), NFI list (Collier), and IR list (currently 8 players). So as of September 1st with the Jaguars having signed all of their draft picks and having concluded their final round of cuts, I'm showing the Jaguars at $6.43 mil under the cap.

In my next reply (probably next week) I'll cover their "in-season" moves to date starting with roster adjustments made on September 2nd. At that point I should be caught up. Once caught up I'll be interested in finding a new quote for where everyone is in order to compare it with my estimate. I've been discussing with other fan capologists about whether or not big dead money hits count among the 51 most expensive hits. I'm rather certain they do count and that's what my offseason spreadsheet reflected, but they're convinced otherwise. When the next cap quotes come out, I should be able to determine who is right. It's not like I have any doubt, but I'm not going to call them wrong without proof.

Also, I'm wondering if any of the players on IR are counting a "split salary" wherein their base salary is substantially reduced. So far I'm counting them all in full, but a UDFA like Horrocks might have a split salary contract. A solid cap quote might help me determine this as well.

 

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DT Marcus Stroud – Bills (traded for 3^rd and 5^th round picks)
WR Ernest Wilford – Dolphins

RDE Bobby McCray – Saints

SS Sammy Knight – Giants

RB LaBrandon Toefield – Panthers (released)

OLB Shantee Orr – Browns

CB Aaron Glenn - Saints

QB Quinn Gray – Texans (released; signed w/ Colts)

CB Terry Cousin – Browns

WR Craphonso Thorpe – Giants (claimed off waivers; released)

CB Chris Roberson – Dolphins (released)

QB Lester Ricard, Jr – Panthers (released)

DT Grady Jackson – Falcons

OL Ryan Gibbons – Cowboys Practice Squad

OL Pete McMahon – Patriots (released; claimed off waivers by Jaguars, released)

RB Lavarius Giles – Rams (claimed off waivers; released)

QB Todd Bouman – Ravens

RB D.D. Terry – Texans Practice Squad

LB Tony Gilbert - Falcons

S Jamaal Fudge – Falcons

CB Trae Williams - Eagles Practice Squad

TE Isaac Smolko - Colts Practice Squad

WR John Broussard – Giants Practice Squad

DE Kenneth Pettway - Packers

Interestingly, when the Eagles signed Trae Williams to their Practice Squad they agreed to pay him twice the going rate. Instead of paying him the normal $5,200 per week, they're paying him $10,400 per week.

• Tuesday, September 2nd
• DE Brent Hawkins waived - $38,750 dead money in both '08 and '09
• CB Isaiah Gardner activated from Practice Squad - re-signed to original three year deal, including his $295,000 rookie base salary
• CB Rashad Moulton released from Practice Squad - waived before he could collect a single Practice Squad paycheck
• OT Cliff Louis and WR D'Juan Woods signed to Practice Squad - Both were waived two days prior (Louis by the Giants) and signed for P.S. minimum $88,400 rate for the season
• Thursday, September 4th
• OT Richard Collier placed on Reserve/Non-Football Injury List - $1.95 mil cap hit believed to remain the same, although there may be a rule to reduce or eliminate his $445,000 base salary
• OT Charles Spencer signed - released by Bills in early August; signed for year at $370,000 rate

Going into their first game I'm showing the team at $6.21 mil under the cap. During week two, they made the following moves...

• Tuesday, September 9th
• CB Isaiah Gardner waived - took home $17,353 paycheck for the week
• OT Cliff Louis waived from Practice Squad -took home $5,200 paycheck for the week
• G Vince Manuwai placed on IR - $3.2 mil cap hit remains intact
• G Milford Brown signed - recently released by Panthers; signed for year at $605,000 rate; beleived to be a BSP contract for remaining 16 weeks wherein he only counts $418,824
• OT Chad Slaughter signed - recently released by Ravens; signed for year at $445,000 rate; for remaining 15 games he counts $418,824.
• Wednesday, September 10th
• RG Mo Williams placed on IR - $4 mil cap hit remains intact
• OT Todd Wade signed - recently released by Redskins; signed with $982,813 base salary for remaining 16 weeks 
• Thursday, September 11th
• CB Isaiah Gardner cleared waivers and re-signed to Practice Squad - $100,553 cap hit includes rookie paycheck for week one plus $83,200 for remaining 16 weeks on Practice Squad (estimating additional $2,500 dead money hit from initial release)
• Saturday, September 13th
• Chad Slaughter released - he should still get credit for one week on roster, which means he took home a $26,176 paycheck
• D'Juan Woods activated from Practice Squad - he'll actually get a Practice Squad paycheck and an active roster paycheck for the week. Accounting for $5000 dead money carried over from last year, $10,400 for two weeks on the Practice Squad, and $277,647 for 16 weeks on the roster at the rookie minimum rate, I'm showing his cap hit at this point at $291,963.

Going into their second game on September 14th  I'm showing the Jaguars at $4.78 mil under the cap. I'm only a couple weeks behind now.

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Following the Bills game, the Jaguars made adjustments to get Naeole (still out vs. Steelers)  back on the roster...

• Monday, September 15th
• WR D'Juan Woods waived - dead money = $32,753 (includes one week at rookie minimum rate, $5000 dead money carried over from last year, and two weeks on Practice Squad)
• Wednesday, September 17th
• RG Chris Naeole signed - $1,076,667 salary for last 15 weeks
• OT Andrew Carnahan waived from Practice Squad - $10,400 dead money from squad
• WR D'Juan Woods re-signed to Practice Squad - $78,000 for remainder of year on squad
• LB Lamar Myles signed to Practice Squad - $78,000

As of Sunday, September 21st with week three's transactions in the books, I'm showing the Jaguars at $3.97 mil under the cap. I'm assuming that Naeole's deal with straight salary with no bonus. If you know otherwise, let me know.

'02 Check out my CAP_INFO, and join my new WEBSITE. Coach Del Rio: "Respect every opponnent, and fear nobody."