Papa Smirt already has me re-thinking rookie draft volatility and payroll structure. Now I may be re-thinking dead cap.

I noticed that, during free agency, several of you offered six-year contracts to players in their eighth or ninth seasons. Maybe I will compile a list for a later post. I have always tried to avoid doing this because the concept of cap space being consumed by retired players just goes against my conservative fiscal nature.

However, for you who do this, I am wondering if it is part of a greater scheme on your part ... to intentionally take on future dead cap to be able to increase your total offer to a current free agent. If so, I wonder how you come up with a figure or formula for the future dead cap you are willing to live with?

Discuss, please. I enjoy cultivating advice from people who are good at this sort of thing.

For some players, I may offer a six year deal to offset the bonus. I don't know if that makes sense or not. On my Arizona team, it's been hard to let a 9 year stud DE walk because he wants too much, but I am gaining self restraint. That team's success has helped me here to a degree.

I have went back and forth about the amount of dead cap my team will accrue.

My latest theory is to check out the free agent market and see what is available for my 2nd and 3rd tier depth. If there are some that fit the need, I will sign them cheap to long term deals and will go after that 1st tier "older" player no matter how much I have to spend and how many years I have to offer. If the 1st tier player retires early, I'm not so worried about the dead cap because I still have depth at the position.

If there aren't many lower tier players available to sign. I won't go after that aging 1st tier player because I won't have depth if he retires sooner rather than later. What I will try and do is go after a couple lower rated players at sensible amount of seasons.

One thing I generally don't do is trade a player with multiple years still left on their contract. Unless the deal is out of sight, it just bothers me to eat all that dead cap.

I don't want to reveal all my FA tactics, but...

The object is to win the player and when you're aiming for one of the top players you have to consider how far will others go?

Now, I don't do stupid sh*t like offering a 9-year WR a 6 year contract but I decide in each off-season in attacking this prime piece I'm willing to eat the dead cap for 2-3 seasons; dependent on high my offer is. (play around with the bonus and figures to see what I can accept)

I'll never select someone up there in age and toss a ridiculous offer at him in years length which obliterates my cap.

My tactic as always been and will always be, future.

My point of view is if i always keep my future clean, one day ill be getting the divident of it while still preparing the future getting into an happy vicious circle. In all my public leagues i am a no-brainer contender, BUT i also have the nerve to toss away a vet or two to better serve the future because i trust my lower depth chart.
In mfn85 tho i have too many long contracts and my picks are overemcumbering (idk how to pronounce this) so its a different mindset but it still tries to follow the same approach.

With long contracts to old vets i can get why people do it, its a game.
My opinion in real life sports team management (i follow hockey a lot) all the worst contracts have been signed july 1st, the beginning of free agency.