Dallas Cowboys release Kyle Orton; move adds $2.2 million of dead money to 2015 salary cap

[TexasTowelie]

The Dallas Cowboys made it official Wednesday. They have released Kyle Orton.

Orton, who signed with the Cowboys as an unrestricted free agent in 2012, had one year left on his three-year, $10.5 million contract. His next step could be to join another team or retire.

If the Cowboys did not cut Orton and he decided to retire, the 31-year-old backup quarterback would have had to surrender $3.4 million of his signing bonus.

Orton was due to receive $3.25 million in base salary this year. While his departure frees up cap space from the base salary this season, Orton’s release adds roughly $1.1 million of dead money to the 2014 cap and $2.2 million in 2015 for the prorated signing bonus, according to spotrac.com.

More at http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2014/07/dallas-cowboys-release-kyle-orton-move-adds-2-2-million-of-dead-money-to-2015-salary-cap.html/ .

[FBaggins]

1. Classy move

Not a Dallas fan, but they could have forced him to repay millions.

I wonder why he wants to retire?

[ProfessorGAC]

2. Don't Think That's What This Says

Had he retired he would have had to pay back bonus money, which would be some serious motivation to not retire.

Now that he's released, he doesn't have to pay anything back, and he is "free" to retire.

Still, i think someone will take him on for a million as a back up. He's getting older but he's a smart player and could be a useful backup in a league where a QB gets hurt practically every week.

[FBaggins]

3. You're correct that it doesn't say that...

... but it is what appears to have happened.

Orton announced months ago that he wanted to retire and the Cowboys made clear that they wanted him to continue playing. There's no reason to think that it was a ploy for free agency or an attempt to renegotiate a better deal (he was already one of the highest-paid backups in the league if not THE highest). It looks like he simply doesn't want to play any more. I suppose it could be a repeat of the Ratcliff fiasco (absolutely there are teams that would pick him up... perhaps even as a starter), but it doesn't look like it.

So they could have forced him to repay 2-3 million... but elected to release him.

They can afford it (and I don't think it impacts the cap differently from a retirement)... but it's still a classy move (IMO).

And that's likely the only nice think I'll have to say about the team this year.

[ProfessorGAC]

4. I'll Betcha He Plays This Year

He's the type that would get offered something by a good team with a good QB because he wouldn't have to be taught much. He'd learn the playbook in a weekend.

With his tenure at that position, he'd make $1 million to pretend he's someone else 4 days a week, not take a beating, and still take the Cowboy's money.

I can't see him passing that up.

Now, if Jacksonville is the only team that calls, he's retiring.

[FBaggins]

5. Keep in mind...

the 2-3 million that they're forgiving him from repaying was the bonus money on his contract... he was also schduled to make over $3million this year. So he clearly isn't doing it so that he can sit on someone else's bench for a million bucks.

If he's scamming them, it would almost have to be a starting position somewhere that he has in mind.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. If They Released Him, They Owe Him The Money Anwyay

How are we disconnected? I read that as that the team released his contract. He won't make the $3million but gets to keep the pre-payment.

Now he's free to do whatever he pleases.

How are we not seeing the same thing?

[FBaggins]

7. Nope.

It isn't guaranteed money. There is still a cap hit, but they don't owe him anything if they cut him.

How are we disconnected? I read that as that the team released his contract. He won't make the $3million but gets to keep the pre-payment.

Cutting him rather than him just quitting saved him from potentially having to repay the bonus money. In neither case, however, would he be due the ~$3.25 million for this year.

So... assuming he was lying when he said that he wanted to retire (or that he could be convinced to change his mind), the offer would have to be more attractive than sitting on Dallas' bench (almost certainly starting a couple games when Romo gets hurt) for $3.25 million.

Now he's free to do whatever he pleases.

Yep... and all I'm saying is that there's every reason to believe that he's being honest about wanting to retire.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Then We ARE Agreeing

He doesn't get this year's money because he's released. (What i thought i said. Maybe not.)

He doesn't have to pay the money back from up front payment because they released him.

Now, if he gets the right situation, he can go play for someone else for the league minumum for a QB with his term of service, which is not insignificant.

Maybe he really does want to hang 'em up, but we've seen that song and dance by a lot of athletes who just can't walk away.
GAC

[FBaggins]

9. I don't think so

Now, if he gets the right situation, he can go play for someone else for the league minumum for a QB with his term of service, which is not insignificant.

That's where we still disagree. Why would he play somewhere for the league minimum if he already has the option of playing for Dallas for an additional $3.25 million? Answer... he wouldn't. He might play somewhere for more than that (particularly if he expected to start)... but then this would be an intentional (and dishonest) move - and Orton doesn't strike me as the type.

[ProfessorGAC]

10. They Released Him

We agreed they owe him nothing. You don't have to play a player after you release him.

So, he's not getting that money. Hence, he has the choice of making nothing or making something.

He didn't retire. The Cowboy's released him. If they wanted him bad enough, they would have tried to talk him out of retirement, not release him just so he could keep the money. If he was going to walk and they thought they still wanted him, why wouldn't they at least take the money back?

They are eating the bonus return because they were planning to cut him anyway.

I think there's our disagreement. I don't believe they cut him to let him keep the money. I think they were going to cut him anyway.

Now he has options.

[FBaggins]

11. There's a clear enough distinction between our positions - yes

There's no a chance that Dallas "was going to cut him anyway". They wanted to keep him.

http://overthecap.com/kyle-orton-cowboys-retirement/
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000352994/article/kyle-orton-dallas-cowboys-in-standoff-over-future