The easiest way for the Chicago Bears to create significant room under the salary cap in advance of the March 12 opening of free agency is to restructure the contract of eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports. The Bears did so two years ago with a move in February 2011 that cleared $8.4 million in cap savings, a year after he signed an $84 million, six-year contract, the largest in franchise history. Peppers is due a base salary of $12.9 million in 2013 and has a cap number of $16,383,333 – about 13 percent of the entire team’s cap. By converting a portion of Peppers’ base salary to bonus money, the Bears could spread out the cap hit over this year and the remaining two seasons of the deal – he is signed through 2015 – and give themselves some more operating room with NFL shopping season fast approaching. For example, if the Bears converted $9 million of his base salary to a bonus payment, they could reduce his cap hit for this season by $6 million. Source: The Redzone
jesus, $16.4 mill for a DE ? although that's not quite as stupid as tying up that much cap space in a wide receiver like the lions did
Yeah but he was worth it at the time because he was the man coming out of Carolina. Question is will he want to do redo his contract. If it's bonus money wouldn't he get that right away?
It just all about the cap space, DaBears & Cap'n.. I'd agree with the deal all over again as far as the $$$. Peppers has been the savior of that line with what he brings to the table.
I hope he'll be willing to restructure a second time. They should add a few more years on the end of the contract and make him a lifetime Chicago Bear.
To be fair, the Bears did sign Peppers in the uncapped year. If it wasn't for the uncapped year, no way the Bears spend the money they did on Peppers for a DE. I just hope Peppers agrees to restructure his contract because lord knows the Bears need it.
