Zach Miller’s $11 million cap number is looming over the team right now. Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL announced to day that 2013 salary cap will be set at $123 million. This is up from $120.6 million in 2012, and more than what was expected. Initial reports predicted that the cap would be between $121.1 million and $122.3 million.

As it stands right now, the top 51 salaries for the Seahawks (only the top 51 count against the cap) account for $119.1 million if you include the “dead money” from players cut this past year. Seattle rolls over $13.2 million of unused cap room from last season, meaning their spending cap is $136.2 million.

Basically, the Seahawks have $17.1 million to spend this offseason if they chose to.

Now the question is how to use it. John Idzik, who used to manage the cap for the Seahawks until he was hired to be the GM of the Jets a month ago, said he always wanted to carry over 10-12 million each year. If you do it every year, then you’re still spending the same as everyone else (except the first year you do it), but it provide flexibility in case you need it.

If the Seahawks decide not to do any carryover now that Idzik is gone, then it’ll have to do so in a short term way or they’ll be in trouble. If they spend to their cap number, the’ll have $136 million in salaries, but the 2014 cap is unlikely to be above $126 million.

Obviously, the smart thing to do is to continue rolling over the extra cap room so as to not create problems for next year. If the Seahawks do that, and I expect that they will, then that leaves them approximately $5 million to spend.

$5 million. That isn’t very much. The rookies will eat up about half of that. A much needed contract extension for Kam Chancellor will use up the rest.

And that leaves the team in a bit of a bind. They lack the ability to re-sign Jason Jones, or sign a starting DT, or even go get a WR or a WLB.

What I expect is that the Seahawks will find some ways to free up some cap space (that’ll be another article) and then still go into the season with less than the $12 million of cap room for the carryover. The expectation will be that someone will get beat out for their roster spot, and then get cut.

A couple weeks ago, a cap number of $18 million was floating around for the Seahawks. That number turned out out to be incorrect. A number of Seahawks players had their 2013 salary increased because of playing time or performance clauses in their contracts, Paul McQuistan and Max Unger among others.

Very interesting to me is that all 3 of the our NFC West Rivals are currently over the cap. This means that they have to cut players to get under the cap, even if they let all of their own free agents walk.

For instance, the 49ers have no cap room to re-sign safety Dashon Goldston or wide receiver Randy Moss. If they wish to bring those two players back, they’ll first have to cut other players to clear enough cap room to do so. I’d like to break down some of the other cap issues from our division, but I think I’ll save that for another post.

Also, if you were curious as to why the Jets hired away the Seahawk’s “salary cap guy” to be their GM, instead of selecting a talent evaluator, the below list will tell you all you need to know. The Jets must clear 23 million in salary between now and early March just to get down to the cap, and that’s before they start trying to fill the many holes on that roster.

Anyways, here are the current cap figures for all 32 NFL teams.

The Seahawks added T.J. Houshmandzadeh in free agency and drafted Deon Butler in the third round of last April’s NFL Draft. So the aging, frail veteran is expendable, right?

Not quite.

Sure, it is true that the Seahawks have extraordinary competition and much more depth at wide receiver than they did last season. In fact, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said that this training camp and preseason have offered the “best competition at the receiving corps” that he has ever seen as a coach.

There are several young guys who have skills that won’t find a roster spot on the team. Not because they can’t play in the National Football League, but because the numbers are against them in Seattle.

Cutting an aging veteran who is injury-prone and costly could be one way of ensuring a roster spot for one of the promising prospects. This is where the speculation really gains momentum.

But would it really be wise to cut Deion Branch?

Deion Branch is scheduled to make just under $5 million this season, but cutting him would only create marginal salary-cap savings. The team doesn’t have much incentive to cut Branch as a cost-saving maneuver.

And although there are a lot of good prospects behind him on the depth chart, very few have proven themselves to be NFL-ready, yet. Courtney Taylor and Ben Obomanu, regarded by many as the two receivers who will make the cut behind the top four, have combined for sixteen receptions in the NFL. The other receivers – Mike Hass, Logan Payne, Jordan Kent, and Michael Bumpus – have combined for only seven regular season receptions.

None of the younger receivers, aside from Deon Butler, have stood out this preseason. There is no reason to believe that a Courtney Taylor is ready to step up and replace Deion Branch in the lineup. Better yet, there is no reason to believe that Kent, Bumpus, and others won’t clear waivers and find a spot on the practice squad.

Sure, Deion Branch is probably overpaid, given what his production has been on the field. And yeah, his durability is a concern. But when the guy is on the field, he produces.

A lot of fans still seem bitter about giving up a first-round draft pick for Branch in 2006, but it was the market value for a player of his caliber at the time the trade was made.

To add fuel to the fire, Branch has only played in 33 games in three seasons, often finding himself limited to the sidelines because of various injuries.

But if he can stay healthy, Deion Branch could be one of the more potent weapons in Seattle’s offense.

Last season, in the final four games after Branch returned from injury, he had 17 catches for 260 yards and four touchdowns. In 2007, before he was injured, he had two games against division rivals where he had over 100 yards receiving. Deion Branch can produce if he can stay healthy.

There is no reason for Seattle to spoil their depth at wide receiver. When healthy, Deion Branch is a proven playmaker. Cutting Branch would only create marginal salary-cap savings, and the depth behind him hasn’t proven to be up to par. He deserves at least one more year to prove himself on the field. And chances are, he’ll get one.

Will you be lined up outside of your nearest electronics store awaiting the release? Or will you avoid purchasing the game, much like T.J. Houshmandzadeh?

Either way, Madden has officially become a major part of American sports culture and hits consumers by storm every summer. The annual buzz surrounding the release date seems to exponentially grow every year, and this year is no different.

Madden NFL Football is the number one selling sports video game of all time.

I will most likely be purchasing the title at some point, although I don’t consider myself to be a serious gamer. Madden consistently offers the best football simulation available on any video console.

THIS YEAR: Madden 10 offers several new features this season that make the simulation more realistic, including referees peeling players off of fumble pile, the chain gang rushing in to measure for a key first down, and detailed player equipment. The animation continues to improve, and this year’s edition features gang tackles (up to nine defenders), an enhanced pocket presence, and fighting for loose balls at the bottom of a pile. Every year, it seems as if Madden is always ahead of the curve and becoming more realistic.

As always, Madden 10 will provide gamers with a unique online experience, allowing users to play competitively with opponents around the world. In addition, Madden’s franchise mode continues to be unrivaled, and offers the best real-world simulation. Madden 10, just like its predecessors, will allow you to take over every aspect of an NFL franchise, from drafting players to managing the salary cap.

BEST NEW FEATURE: Undoubtedly, the best new feature in this year’s version will be the online franchise mode. Despite recent improvements to online game play, this feature has been absent in recent years; the NCAA football game from EA Sports implemented an online dynasty mode last year, which is the college game’s equivalent to Madden 10’s online franchise mode.

Online franchise mode will allow gamers to take over a franchise and compete with live users, as opposed to the limited artificial intelligence. This feature will make competition between friends and other groups possibly regardless of location; in the past, online play was limited to head-to-head matches and basic tournaments.

MADDEN CURSE: Even if you’re not a Madden die-hard, you’re likely aware of the renowned curse associated with the game. Every year, it seems as if the player featured on the cover of the game is either injured or plays well below expectations. Seattle fans remember Shaun Alexander’s appearance on the cover after his MVP season; Alexander struggled through injuries afterwards and was never able to match his previous success.

This season, for the first time ever, the cover of Madden features two athletes: Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. As a Seahawks fan, one can only hope that the Madden curse can slow down Fitzgerald; opposing defenses around the league haven’t had much success lately.

FORECAST FOR SEATTLE: As usual, the Seattle Seahawks didn’t get much love as far as the game ratings go. Even after the Seahawks made an appearance in Super Bowl XL, several players were rated quite low and didn’t match my own (homer) expectations.

Recently, T.J. Houshmandzadeh told the media that he was boycotting Madden 10 because his rating was too low. I think that Housh was rated appropriately compared with the rest of the league, but he apparently thinks otherwise – his speed is only 81, sub-par for a good Madden receiver. From Houshmandzadeh:

I understand I averaged 10 yards a catch, but it’s the offense, not me. I’m not playing Madden anymore until they get my rating right. … I used to be the best in the world at Madden. I’m going to miss not playing it, but until they do me right, I’m not playing it anymore.

On another note, Seattle is rated 77 overall as a team, which puts them second in the NFC West behind the Cardinals (86). The 49ers and Rams were rated lower, and rightfully so, at 73 and 66, respectively.

In a simulation of Madden 10 done by IGN.com before the official release, Seattle finished the season 8-8 and tied for second place in the NFC West. The Arizona Cardinals finished on top with a record of 12-4. To my surprise, Seattle gave up the most points in the division, and almost 100 more than the Cardinals. Besides the Rams and Lions, the Cardinals gave up more points per game than any other team in the NFC last season.

Of course, IGN.com’s simulation left Seattle out of the playoffs. This wasn’t a complete shock, however, since the Seahawks limped through 2008 and finished the season 4-12. The simulation’s Super Bowl featured the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots, with the Patriots winning 21-14.

SEAHAWKS RATINGS:

Although Paul Allen’s dedication hasn’t translated into a Super Bowl win just yet, folks in Seattle have enjoyed successful years that were not so prevalent under previous ownership. Last year aside, Seattle has been one of the more successful teams since 2004. Fans have come to anticipate annual playoff appearances, and the possibility of competing for a Super Bowl has become a reality.

Any Seahawks fan will agree: that type of success wasn’t a possibility under previous owner Ken Behring. It seemed as if the Seahawks were more likely to move to California than make an appearance in the playoffs.

Even if Paul Allen has yet to bring a Super Bowl trophy back to Seattle, no one can say he isn’t trying. According to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com, the Seattle Seahawks have spent more money than any other NFL team from 2004-08, besides the Dallas Cowboys. And although team expenditures are somewhat restricted by the salary cap, these numbers include gross totals spent on player salaries and bonuses.

During that period (2004-08), the Seahawks spent $552.42 million, which equates to about $12.27 million per win (45 wins, 15th in league from 2004-08). It is obvious the additional spending hasn’t translated into the type of return on investment that was probably envisioned, but you can’t say ownership isn’t trying.

And remember, Paul Allen’s willingness to spend has not only brought success through high-priced athletes; Allen helped fund the construction of Qwest Field, lured former head coach Mike Holmgren from Green Bay, and developed the Virginia Mason Athletic Center – a beautiful practice facility and team complex on the shores of Lake Washington.

Seattle fans should appreciate great ownership. We’ve had to endure Ken Behring, and, more recently, the Howard Schultz/Clay Bennett duet that left us without a basketball franchise. We haven’t exactly been spoiled with the most dedicated owners over the years.

Enter Paul Allen, whose spending and commitment has brought us our only Super Bowl appearance and continues to keep the Seahawks competitive. The franchise has 45 wins between 2004 and 2008 (ranked ninth in the league), so Allen’s dedication hasn’t been squandered, even if his cost per win isn’t spectacular.

The only team to spend more than the Seahawks was the Dallas Cowboys ($566.89 million); Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has never shied away from spending money. Fortunately for Seattle (and unlike Dallas), Allen hires people to manage the front office, and understands that personnel decisions should be made by football people who can proficiently evaluate talent. Owners who take control of personnel without advice are like politicians who determine war strategies.

Hopefully, Mr. Allen’s perseverance will someday result in a championship for the city of Seattle. Commitment and competence from the top is the first ingredient for success, but everything is ultimately dependent on player performance. Thank you Paul Allen – your dedication is not going unnoticed.

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The Seahawks made the official announcement earlier this week, but I wasn’t able to immediately track down the financial specifics. Ken Lucas signed a one-year deal worth $2.3 million, and Justin Griffith’s contract is a one-year deal as well, worth less than $700,000. Both bargain prices for proven veteran players who will be able to contribute immediately.

Conventional wisdom will tell you that Ken Lucas will find a starting spot opposite Marcus Trufant, and I can’t disagree. Lucas brings size (6-0, 205 pounds) to a position that has been lacking, and experience to a group of relatively young players. Last season with Carolina, the 30-year old cornerback had 60 tackles, 10 passes defensed, and 2 interceptions. Lucas is showing no signs of slowing down and is durable enough to play through an entire NFL season.

After watching bigger receivers dominate our undersized defenders last season, the 12th Man will collectively welcome Ken Lucas back to Seattle. I expect him to start and contribute immediately, but at the very least he’ll provide necessary depth and veteran leadership.

Justin Griffith is an experienced fullback who is familiar with the offense that Greg Knapp is bringing to Seattle. He has played in Knapp’s offense in both Oakland and Atlanta, and offers more skills than your traditional, smash mouth fullback. His skills may not be as vibrant as former starter Leonard Weaver, but his production is very similar. He is a capable veteran with excellent hands and good blocking skills. If Owen Schmitt isn’t ready (or able) to capture the starting fullback position, Griffith offers an excellent alternative. Leonard who?

A great set of additions by the Seattle Seahawks. As I have noted previously, removing Hill’s franchise tag was a brilliant decision, and we’re starting to reap the benefits from the added cap flexibility. I like the way that commenter Ed M. referred to the signings, which quickly sums up the importance of both:

The signings of Ken Lucas and Justin Griffith might seem small now, but these can make a HUGE impact next season. A lot of people argue against Griffith’s skills, but take a look at his numbers against Leonard Weaver. Griffith’s “production” skills are on par with Weaver AND he is a skilled blocker in both running and passing situations.

Lucas, well… we know what he can do. He was the stud corner when Trufant was still learning the ropes.

After reading through several other blogs and forums regarding the Seattle Seahawks, it seems that there is a large misconception about the Seahawk’s actual salary cap situation. As pointed out by Aaron over at Next Season Sports, Mike Sando of ESPN.com did a great job of illustrating the current cap situation in one of his recent blogs:

Like the 49ers, Seattle pushed unused 2008 cap space into the 2009 cap. The Seahawks did this by writing incentives into linebacker Lance Laury’s deal, to cite one example. Seattle lost 2009 space through salary escalators, and the team’s high-draft position will produce a fatter rookie allotment than usual. The Seahawks should have enough cap room left to operate in free agency, but Hill’s situation will affect the bottom line. Naming Hill a franchise player would consume about half of the team’s projected cap space. Seattle has recently structured contracts to defer salary-cap pressures into the second year, but the looming uncapped season will not allow for the same flexibility.

According to Sando, the Seahawk’s current cap room is roughly $20.3 million, but is “functionally” closer to $15.5 million. As already mentioned, the fourth overall pick will be costly, but the Seahawks will still have some flexibility to be players in the upcoming free agency period.

Mike Sando just recently posted a new update analyzing Seattle’s cap situation and how they can potentially save money this offseason. Check out the analysis at his NFC West Blog.