P. Ram Restructures!

[Schneed10]

Players are happy to restructure contracts when the overall value of the contract remains the same, and the length of the contract remains the same. It just means that instead of getting their money in the form of salary throughout the season, they get that same amount of money all up front in one lump-sum bonus payment. They don't change the contract, they just change when they get paid, which affects the way you allocate the bonus to the cap.

It's a good point on Samuels, he doesn't want to sign an extension at this point because he knows he's better than how he's done in the past couple seasons. I'm sure the Skins are pushing to extend him out to like 2010 and sign him to a Jon Jansen type contract. Samuels probably doesn't want to committ long term, because he thinks he's better than Jansen; and since Samuels has been to the Pro Bowl before and thinks he can get back there, he wants to prove it before he signs a long-term deal. I can't say I blame him, it's in his own best interests. But that said, I'd much rather have Jon Jansen than Chris Samuels if you forced me to choose, despite Jansen never making it to the Pro Bowl. The dude's got a passion for the game and you can tell that other players look up to him. I think if the Skins can't extend Samuels in the coming weeks, I think they have to cut him. He's good, and he'd be missed, but at that price I'm sorry, I'd have to cut ties and let Molinaro give it a go.

Of course, also don't forget that Vaughn Parker is quite a talent, and if he can get into shape he wouldn't be a bad insurance policy.

All that said, I hope Samuels gets extended and sticks around. He is real good and we need him. But he's no Jon Jansen in my eyes, and he's not worth a cap hit of $9 million a year.