Offseason plan with salary cap UPDATE 2/13/12

I previously detailed a plan on how to shape our roster for 2012 given our salary cap room. Now that the team has moved $15M of 2011 cap room into 2012 given us more than $60M of space, it may be time to revisit that plan.

Holes on the 2012 roster:

Starters: WR, both OG positions, RB, SLB, FS, K, possibly CB (depending upon Leon Hall’s health)

Reserves: WE, both DT positions, DE, CB

Players resigned (with 2012 cap budget and rank amongst position cap):

K Mike Nugent ($3.25M, 6th)

DT Jonathan Fanene ($3.5M, 33rd)

DE Frostee Rucker ($3M, 36th)

SLB Manny Lawson ($3.75M, 45th)

OT Anthony Collins ($2M, 92nd, note: moved to RG)

FS Reggie Nelson ($4.5M, 15th)

TE Donald Lee or Bo Scaife ($0.75M, 32nd)

CB Kelly Jennings ($2M, 45th)

RFAs LB Dan Skuta, FB Chris Pressley, LS Clark Harris ($1.26M each)

Free agent options (with cap budget and rank amongst position cap):

WR ($4-5M = top 16-25): Robert Meachem, Mario Manningham, Pierre Garcon

RB ($5-6M = top 9-10): Michael Bush, Marshawn Lynch

Players released (cap savings):

S Chris Crocker (-$2M, production has really dropped off)

DE Robert Geathers (-$4.4M, still productive but have excellent 6-man rotation even without him)

Draft:

1a SS Mark Barron Alabama (starts opposite Reggie Nelson)

1b OG Cordy Glenn Georgia (starts at LG, moves to RT in 2013 if Andre Smith not resigned)

2 CB Brandon Boykin Georgia (a little short at 5090 good speed and provides options in return game)

3 RB Chris Polk Washington (he’s rated higher but I think he’ll end up dropping plus need isn’t great if we sign a FA RB)

4 WR Tommy Streeter Miami (Fla.)

5-7 TBD but likely DT, TE, DE, RB

With the players resigned, free agents acquired and the draft picks, we should add approx. $36.3M to our cap. We are currently at $83.9M which puts us at $120.2M giving us an estimated $20.4M in room under the projected cap. This fits well into the Mike Brown budgeting plan and doesn’t rely on crazy Daniel Snyder "what if" dream scenarios of signing guys who we can’t afford or don’t want to play in Cincinnati. Side note: we finished 2011 with $17.6M in cap room so this is a pretty big shift, but I think the combination of making the playoffs with this roster, no fans in the stands and Marvin Lewis having more "control" might shift the balance some.