I have a question for you very knowledgeable folks concerning the salary cap. But first let me say that I am a long time reader and first time poster. I really enjoying reading the wide array of comments and opinions.

My question is this: When calculating the dollar amount "available" to sign players, I've never seen anyone take into account the players current salary. My understanding is that the amount of "available" money to spend on players (free agents, drafties) is the difference between the Bronco's current salary obligations (taking into account bonuses and such) and the salary cap given by the league. I also understand that the Bronco's had a carry over from last year.

What I mean by this is, take for instance Ryan Clady. Clady's current salary is 3.5 mil. His new "tagged" salary will be 9.8 mil. The difference being 6.3 mil. Isn't it this 6.3 mil that is coming out of the "available" money - not the full 9.8 mil? His current salary has already been accounted for.

Or to put it another way - if we were to (hypothetically) cut Clady we would then have an extra 3.5 mil to spend in free agency right? Instead we give him a raise - the difference in monies being the amount that is deducted from those "available" funds.

If Brandon Stokely played for 1 mil last year (I don't know the actual figure) and we were to resign him for 1 mil this year then there is no money being used from those "available" funds. Am I totally missing something here?

If this is true then the Bronco's have a few more million to work with than what I've heard bantered around - 3.5 mil from Clady alone.

Thanks in advance for any input. And as a side note - I'm on the Rodney bandwagon with the LDE position.