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March 11, 2008
Hartwig release costs cap room
Unlike the other times they cut players this offseason, the Panthers did not save salary cap room by releasing center Justin Hartwig Tuesday.
The move actually cost the Panthers an extra $750,000 against their cap. Hartwig was scheduled to count $3.75 million if he was on the team, but now he’ll count $4.5 million because of bonus prorations for the three years remaining on his contract.
-- Charles Chandler
Posted by Observer Sports on March 11, 2008 at 07:21 PM | Permalink
Comments
Steve Reed from carolinagrowl.com says, "Hartwig started the first 15 games in 2007 but suffered a knee injury versus Dallas on Dec. 22 and ended the year on injured reserve for the second straight season. Hartwig's release saves the Panthers more than $2.15 million under the salary cap." Which is correct it saves a lot of cap room or costs us?
Posted by: JayJ6 | Mar 11, 2008 7:41:43 PM
Never played up to his contract anyway. He was knocked out of position every game last year by the opposing DL.
Posted by: Brandon | Mar 11, 2008 7:42:09 PM
espn said it saved us 2 million in cap space chuck
Posted by: james | Mar 11, 2008 7:42:46 PM
espn said it saved us 2 million in cap space chuck
Posted by: james | Mar 11, 2008 7:43:25 PM
Here's a further breakdown of how it works:
Hartwig was scheduled to have a base salary this season of $2.15 million, a workout bonus of $100,000 and $1.5 million in prorated bonus pay, which was going to bring his total cap figure to $3.75 million if he was on the team this season.
But because he got cut, the base salary and the workout bonuses do not count. What does count is THREE YEARS of prorated bonus at $1.5 million per year (His contract ran through 2010). By cutting him, the three years of bonus prorations "accelerate" and all count now ... a total of $4.5 million.
So ... there you have it ... It's $4.5 million instead of $3.75 million, a cap loss of $750,000.
Posted by: Charles Chandler | Mar 11, 2008 7:53:46 PM
Thanks for the break down Chuck
Posted by: Dwayne Jarrett's DD | Mar 11, 2008 8:01:03 PM
So where are we with the cap? And I think Hurney figures this is the year to take the hit, since our cap is $8M over the $116M, due to his incentives not hit clause...
Posted by: PantherHead | Mar 11, 2008 8:05:06 PM
Good breakdown.
Posted by: hillbilly | Mar 11, 2008 8:05:34 PM
does that mean that kalil will be the starter now?
Posted by: paul | Mar 11, 2008 8:16:58 PM
Yeah...Kalil is the only real option at C, although Hangartner is an OK backup there. I don't see why you spend nearly a million under the cap to cut a guy with all the tools (and the experience) to be a capable starter.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Mar 11, 2008 8:44:49 PM
Why did they not wait 1 more year no sense to me
Posted by: sam | Mar 11, 2008 8:48:52 PM
This makes little sense to me. We cut a guy who "could" have ended up starting at LG, we pay him 4.5 mill, and he can still get paid by another team that may end up playing us? The math does not add up. It is obvious that the front office has class, and treats their players well, but in this case it is at a LARGE expense to the team.
Posted by: Will Parker | Mar 11, 2008 9:08:04 PM
Sorry, he "could" have started at RG (not LG).
Posted by: Will Parker | Mar 11, 2008 9:09:30 PM
Thanks for explaining the cap hit, Charles. So why do you think they cut him? Is he going to fester if benched?
Posted by: David | Mar 11, 2008 9:09:57 PM
This is yet another offseason move that makes no sense - why cut a guy and COST the team money, especially when he could have been a viable starter. I was against signing him to begin with but now that he is here AND costing us cap space keep him around. Hurney is determined to get himself fired before the season even starts.......
Posted by: Ben | Mar 11, 2008 9:13:58 PM
the league has a rule that allows teams to spread salary cap hits over multiple seasons
Posted by: randy | Mar 11, 2008 9:51:29 PM
So Chuck, are you saying that this moves creates a cap hit of $750,000 that will count in total on next seasons cap figure?
Posted by: m | Mar 11, 2008 10:06:57 PM
the reason we cut him is because he was not willing to change positions. so why have someone for a year who is not happy? good move i believe
Posted by: kirk | Mar 11, 2008 10:30:25 PM
Randy, we've already done that with Wahle and Morgan. Apparently you can only apply the "June 1" cut rule on two players. And m...Hartwig's total cap hit will now be $4.5 million (even though he's not on the team), which is $750K more than he would have cost to remain a Panther.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Mar 11, 2008 11:23:13 PM
Hartwig to me is just another example of how ineffective our GM is..
Posted by: Joe | Mar 11, 2008 11:24:27 PM
I think this is a great move. We have cap space now, and the free agents are extremely weak, so we use our remaining cap space to sign draft picks, take hits now instead of later, sign jordan gross to an extension. I think this is smart...
Posted by: Jeremy | Mar 12, 2008 12:53:50 AM
YEah It's a example of the idiot! Hurney is..along with fox..now we turn to Kalil..who gained praise coming out but lets be real....when he started at RG that first game he was HORRIBLE!! He gave up 3 sacks! in one gamE! freak'n bum..he was getting blown off the ball! and i know he's a natural Center but...it's easier to go from center guard because all u have to do is block the man in front of you! on passing downs....and he couldn't even do that!! now we have to depend on what looks like another bust! to CAll out the blocking schemes, snap the ball and then block the man in front of him...this is going to be funny!! Fox and hurney....your jobs are over! u freak'n idiotS!!
By the way Hartwhig....wasn't that good eitehr...so i don't know what they are doing
Posted by: Cheven | Mar 12, 2008 1:21:13 AM
Wait one more year guys...Cowher will be the next coach of the Panthers. Just hope and pray that Hurney doesn't mess it up too bad. Hurney is the worst GM in the NFL. I can't understand what the Richardsons' see in him. What a loser!!!
Posted by: transman71 | Mar 12, 2008 1:42:44 AM
You got it, Cheven...every NFL draft analyst and college football scout in the world was totally wrong when they said Ryan Kalil was the consensus best player at his position in last year's draft. All those people who said he'd have an All-Pro career are just living on hyperbole.
And transman, I can point out at least 20 GMs in the NFL who haven't matched the success of the teams Hurney has put on the field.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Mar 12, 2008 3:31:21 AM
OK then!! A ton of you so-called fans were screaming for Fox & Hurney to cut the bastard! Now that they did it, you are screaming they are idiots for doing it! Of course they tried everything they possibly could to get some value from a trade from him, but if he sucked as bad as he did and costs so much (as so many of you "fans" proclaimed) then why would anyone with half a brain give anything up to retain his services. I mean, this isn't fantasy football or Madden people. It's the real world, so get yer heads out of yer own butts already and give the rest of us a break, will ya!?!
Posted by: SYRPIS | Mar 12, 2008 4:01:09 AM
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