Tennessee Titans: 2015 Salary Cap Report
By Les Bailey
With the first week of the 2015 NFL Free Agency in the rear-view mirror, the Tennessee Titans, and their salary cap situation has undergone some changes. I have seen questions around social media with fan concerns after the recent signings, if the Titans still have room to pick up more players through free agency, and still have enough to cover players acquired through the 2015 draft.
Salary Cap
The NFL Salary Cap system can be as difficult at times as the old collegiate BCS projections, but without going into all the details, the Tennessee Titans entered free agency with approximately $47 million in cap space.
The NFL has minimum spending limits, and having the cap space, does not mean teams have to spend it all, it is a maximum dollar amount they can spend.
Thanks to Over The Cap we can get a good look at the numbers available to the Tennessee Titans.
Out of the $47 million, the Titans need to budget enough space to sign their draft picks during the summer. That number for Tennessee is just over $7.49 million. This leaves about $39.510 million to spend in free agency.
Unrestricted Free Agents
The Titans re-signed punter, Brett Kern, and long-snapper Beau Brinkley before the free agency period began. Adding Kern’s $1.5 million salary to his $500,000 signing bonus, and he hit the cap for $2 Million.
With Brinkley’s salary and bonus, his cap numbers were minimal, at $828,000.
Since free agency started, the Titans re-signed, outside linebacker, Derrick Morgan, defensive lineman, Karl Klug, and kicker, Ryan Succop.
Succop re-signed for $1.5 million and counts for $1.9 million on the 2015 salary cap. Karl Klug’s numbers are not available yet, but the DL made $693,613 in 2014, and his cap hit is projected at around $1 million.
Derrick Morgan is another story. He signed a new contract that was for four years at $27 million. $10.5 million guaranteed with a $6 million signing bonus. His yearly salary totals out at around $6.7 Million.
Brian Orakpo
Brian Orakpo’s contract was for $3 million a year, with a $1.25 pro-rated bonus, and a $500,000 roster bonus, bringing his 2015 cap hit, to $4,468,750 million.
Other known Tennessee Titans Free Agency signings:
- Perrish Cox 3 years $15 million
- Anthony Fasano TBD
- Da’Norris Searcy 4 years $23.75 million
- Harry Douglas 3 years TBD
- Jonathan Massaquoi TBD
The speculation around the Tennessee Titans, is they have approximately $22 million in cap space available at this point. The $7.94 draft spacce will have to be taken away here, but should leave the Titans with around $14 million yet to spend.
Restricted Free Agents
The Titans entered the free agency period with three restricted free agents, one of which was Beau Brinkley. He has since, signed, so there are only two left. Wide receiver, Kris Durham and linebacker, Kaelin Burnett.
Both are minimal salary players, and even if they get a good deal somewhere, the Titans would have to match, they will still not be big hits on the salary cap.
Tight end, Brett Bracket is an ERFA, and with a year left on his contract that would cost the Titans $420,000 in 2015.
Speculations
The Titans are expected to cut running back, Shonne Greene before the season gets underway. Greene is due salary, and a bonus for 2015, and his total against the cap is $ 4.15 million. If the Titans cut him, they will pick up some dead money in the cap, but would free up some salary cap space if they find someone they want to sign.
So fans need to have a little patience here. The Tennessee Titans still have some money to spend for the right deal, and with free agency moving into the “value stage”, expect them to stay active. It will just go a little slower now.
Next: Anthony Fasano: A Good Fit For The Titans?