2012 NFL Salary Cap: Kamerion Wimbley Reportedly Listening to Oakland Raiders Contract Offer

John Doublin – Mar 6, 2012

Just a week after reporting that the Oakland Raiders gave outside linebacker and sack-specialist Kamerion Wimbley a contract ultimatum, NFL.com's Jason LaCanfora is now reporting that Wimbley has decided to, at the very least, listen to what the Raiders are offering him with respect to a re-negotiated contract.

Wimbley's name has been associated with the "out-of-whack" contracts spoken of by Raiders' new general manager Reggie McKenzie. The mere fact that Wimbely is even considering a new, more cap-friendly deal with the Raiders marks a significant shift in the linebacker's stance of recent weeks.

Wimbley was scheduled to make $11 million in 2012. That number is not conducive to the Raiders getting under the salary cap, or signing free agents and rookies at positions of need.

If Wimbley and the Raiders weren't able to work out a deal, the six-year veteran would have most likely been released and paid $6.5 million in guaranteed money, (saving the Raiders $4.5 million in cap space). The possibility for this scenario remains, but it's not an iron-clad outcome any longer as Wimbley has stepped to the bargaining table and is listening.

Perhaps the reason for this change of heart from the Wimbley camp was the realization that he wasn't going to get anywhere close to $11 million in free agency. The average cap number for a starting outside linebacker with seven sacks or more is just $3.9 million. Wimbley could expect a number closer to this, rather than $11 million.

When you consider that DeMarcus Ware will make $10.3 million in 2012 and Clay Matthews' cap number is just $1.89 million, $11 million for Wimbley is the epitome of "out-of-whack." Both Ware and Matthews out-performed Wimbley in nearly every statistical category in 2011 and made less money.

It is likely that the Raiders will be willing to pay Wimbley more than any other team, but Oakland simply cannot afford $11 million. With this knowledge, it makes sense for Wimbley to sit at the table and listen.

Whatever the outcome, Kamerion Wimbley is making Raider Nation very happy with his new-found willingness to "wheel-and-deal" with the Raiders. Ultimately, not even listening means the Raiders need to replace a starter and Wimbley would be making significantly less money. Being stubborn simply wouldn't work for either side.

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