Source: Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic [ Full Article ]
The Cardinals haven't been impulse buyers in this free-agent market, signing only three players, including two of their own.
Yet, those deals have consumed nearly $10 million of salary-cap space, leaving the team about $11 million under the $109 million cap, and bringing into question how many more free agents it can afford.
In each of those three contracts, the Cardinals chose to pay a roster bonus instead of a signing bonus. It's a significant difference, because a roster bonus counts toward this year's cap. A signing bonus can be prorated over the life of the contract for cap purposes, saving the team cap room in the current year.
Center Al Johnson, who signed a four-year, $17.5 million deal earlier this week, received a $3.5 million roster bonus. Combine that with his $3.5 million salary and Johnson's cap figure is $7 million this year.
If the Cardinals had paid him a $3.5 million signing bonus, Johnson's cap figure would have been about $4.4 million, instead of $7 million, a difference of $2.6 million.
Add the contracts of running back Marcel Shipp and safety Hanik Milligan, and the total difference in cap figures increases to almost $3 million, enough to accommodate another player or two.
The Cardinals have entered the past few seasons with more than $10 million under the cap. This has prompted criticism from fans and media, who would like to see them acquire more free agents with that money.
Rod Graves, the team's vice president of football operations, did not return a call seeking comment Wednesday. In the past, however, he has said structuring contracts this way is a prudent financial and football decision.
If a player is cut, his signing bonus can accelerate on to the current year's cap, leaving the team to pay for a player who is no longer available. The Cardinals ran into that problem a few seasons ago when departed players were consuming almost $10 million of cap space.
A team avoids that problem with a roster bonus, which is counted against one year's cap figure.
This isn't a new strategy by the Cardinals. Running back Edgerrin James' 4-year, $30 million contract, which he signed last spring, included a $4.5 million roster bonus. His salary-cap number in 2006 was $9.5 million.
The roster bonuses do help the Cardinals' salary cap in subsequent years. For instance, James' figure decreases this year to $7 million. If the Cardinals had increased his signing bonus by $4.5 million, his cap figure would be about $8.125 million.
But with only $11 million under the cap this year, the Cardinals can't afford many more large contracts in free agency, unless they decide to make adjustments by cutting players or signing them to extended deals.
Part of that $11 million of space must be used to accommodate rookies, cover ancillary player costs, re-sign players or to acquire additional players in the event of injuries.
Cardinals' Contracts Eat Up Cap Space 
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