We often hear the Jets should try to emulate successful organizations around the NFL, Packers, Giants, Steelers, and Patriots when it comes to building their team.\u00a0 It makes sense to look at other franchises building strategies but doesn\u2019t mean they need to copy others to have positive results.\u00a0 Maybe just this year the Jets should duplicate the philosophy of two organizations, the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins, as both teams had poor 2011 seasons and decided to set up their finances for the long-term in 2012.<\/p>\n
The Colts had a $90 million payroll<\/a> last year, while the Jets spent $121 million<\/a>, and finished 11-5 making the playoffs.\u00a0 Yes 2012 first overall pick quarterback Andrew Luck helped but they purged their roster having almost $39 million in \u201cdead money\u201d salary which counts on a team\u2019s cap for players no longer there.<\/p>\n The Dolphins had a similar purging as receiver Brandon Marshall <\/a>was traded to the Chicago Bears for a pair of third round draft picks (2012-13) and cornerback Vontae Davis<\/a> was sent to the Colts for a 2013 second round pick.\u00a0 They also released offensive linemen Vernon Carey and safety Yeremiah Bell<\/a>, who ended up a Jet, leaving the Dolphins with $13 million in dead money on the 2012 books.\u00a0 The team did finish with a 7-9 record but broke in a rookie quarterback and coach while looking far more competitive than they did the season before starting 0-7.<\/p>\n The benefit of using this strategy has been the salary cap space these two teams now have heading into 2013, $44 million (Dolphins)<\/a> and $43 million (Colts)<\/a>.\u00a0 By clearing out salary from high priced veterans while acquiring draft picks, whether by trade or potential compensatory picks via the NFL, they have set themselves up for the long-term at least in a financial sense.<\/p>\n These organizations will still have to make smart personnel moves as just having your finances in order does not guarantee success, see the Cleveland Browns $45 million <\/a>in 2013 cap space, but financial flexibility allows a team options to retain players they want and acquire players they need.<\/p>\n The Jets built in an aggressive manner<\/a> over the past few years signing free agents, trading draft picks for players who required large contracts and often trading up in drafts to obtain more ready-made players rather than developmental ones.<\/p>\n This aggressive philosophy has left the Jets $23 million over<\/a> the 2013 salary cap.\u00a0 They can release some players out of their contracts to improve the overall cap situation, Calvin Pace<\/a> $8.56 (in millions), Bart Scott $7.15, Jason Smith $12.0, Tim Tebow<\/a> $1.055, and Eric Smith $3.0, Sione Po\u2019uha<\/a> $3.835, total $35.6 million, but even after you save this salary the team will not have much space for free agency.<\/p>\n The Jets will likely tender two current restricted free agents<\/a>, offensive tackle Austin Howard and tight end Jeff Cumberland, costing $2.65 million and replacing the other four roster spots will be $1.6 million at minimum.\u00a0 So the Jets $23 million over, minus $35.6 puts them $12.6 million under, then add the 6 new players salaries $4.25 million and the Jets end up $8.35 million under the salary cap after these likely moves.<\/p>\n Thinking long term the team will need about $2.5 million in cap space for the 2013 draft class and another $1.5 million when the season starts as only 51 players count on your salary cap during the off-season while 53 and the practice squad salaries count during the year.\u00a0 That leaves about $4 million to spend on free agents.<\/p>\n Of course there are many ways to restructure contracts to create cap space.\u00a0 Just look at the wonderful contract extension the Jets gave Mark Sanchez<\/a> that saved $6.4 million on the 2012 cap, which the team is now choking on.\u00a0 The Jets need to \u201cbite the bullet\u201d for their lack of financial discipline and hold money in 2013 grabbing control of these high priced player\u2019s contracts and open up cap room for the future.\u00a0 How about being $10-15 million under the cap before the start of a new league year instead of $20 million over?<\/p>\n The Jets don\u2019t need to completely gut the team instead take a fiscally responsible approach as artificially creating cap space in a \u201cSanchez like manner\u201d will only lead to year-in year-out financial issues.\u00a0 Simple pushing money forward, worrying about it later, is not currently a prudent choice but getting younger, cheaper and hungry players, underpaid overachievers rather than overpaid underachieves, will actually provide better results this season and stability moving forward, just look at the Colts and Dolphins.\u00a0 Bet the fans of those two teams thought they\u2019d be terrible given the difficult decisions made but now their futures are bright.<\/p>\n