Young May be Willing to Reduce Salary

I believe base salary is $7.5 in '10 and $8.5 in '11. His cap hit is just over $14m in '10.

 

His base salary would be $7.5 million, but he would also be due a roster bonus of $4.25 million, which wouldn't be paid, and therefore wouldn't count against the cap if he were cut. His prorated signing bonus would be $2.9 million. Over two years, that accelerates to $4.8 million, so there's potential to save over $7 million in cap space by cutting him after this season. Right now, they would actually lose over $3 million against the cap (and another $3 million in dead money next season, assuming there will be a salary cap next season) if they cut him. I don't think the club would pay him that type of money to remain the backup. That's $11.75 million Adams would have to come out of pocket, not just against the cap, to keep Young on the bench. If he somehow proves to be a star this year, I'm sure the club would have no problem paying him that, but they are not going to pay him that to be a backup.

 

I agree. That may be part of it.

But, I'm willing to say that most of this comes from him maturing even more as, not only a quarterback (we hope), but as a person.