Bengals projected to have the most cap space

[Be Weary of Query]

Stop me if you've heard this before...

.........................................................

First, the salary cap in 2011 was $120,375,000 soft, with teams having the flexibility to borrow $3 million from future years. That means the real cap was $123,375,000.

The salary cap for 2012 has not been set, but it is projected to be between $121-125 million, with teams being able to borrow another $2 million from future caps. Therefore, we’ll safely project the salary cap to be at $124 million in ’12. But please understand this is an estimation.

Second, keep in mind that teams must preserve at least $5 million to sign their rookie class. The more picks, the more cap space needed.

Third, understand that players and their salaries can be purged, or restructured to create salary cap space. However, guessing who that player might be is always risky, and complicated.

Finally, any player given the franchise tag receivers a guarantee of his annual salary, which is an average of the NFL’s top five players at his position.


Teams that have the cap space to make big moves in free agency.

Cincinnati Bengals $80,641,237

Tennessee Titans $92,739,765

Washington Redskins $94,351,284

Kansas City Chiefs $95,844,195

Tampa Bay Buccaneers $98,899,458

Atlanta Falcons $100,227,174

Denver Broncos $101,389,121

New England Patriots $101,827,381

Chicago Bears $101,887,741

San Francisco 49ers $102,938,980

Cleveland Browns $103,789,162

WORKING ON A BUDGET

Teams that aren’t up against the cap, but need to make smart moves to avoid trimming a ton of players and salaries.

Jacksonville Jaguars $107,270,274

Buffalo Bills $108,426,522

Seattle Seahawks $111,742,430

San Diego Chargers $111,960,165

New Orleans Saints $113,358,069

Philadelphia Eagles $113,964,694

Baltimore Ravens $115,670,281

Minnesota Vikings $116,078,422

Houston Texans $116,306,676

Miami Dolphins $116,636,173

Indianapolis Colts $116,773,288

Green Bay Packers $118,001,169

Arizona Cardinals $118,787,639

TIGHTENING THE BELT

Teams that will be at, or over the projected salary cap once they’ve signed the rookie class. These teams must purge their roster moving forward. The higher the cap number, the more drastic the cut backs need to be.

St. Louis Rams $120,982,904

Detroit Lions $122,760,121

New York Giants $124,735,807

New York Jets $128,092,733

Dallas Cowboys $128,910,735

Carolina Panthers $129,962,768

Oakland Raiders $140,861,316

Pittsburgh Steelers $149,885,537

NFL salary cap projections for 2012 season – Miami Dolphins – Sun-Sentinel

Pittsburgh is going to have to clean house...

 

[Gypsumstack]

Is this the year where the new CBA salary rules kick in and Mike Brown has to spend money, or is that next year?

 

[Be Weary of Query]

Next year.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I think they have to spend 90% this year and then it's 99% in 2013, but I could be wrong.

I also know that losing Palmer and Ocho off the books cleared up a lot of space heading into 2012. Remember that up front, for 2011, the Bengals had to hold onto enough money to ensure that if Palmer returned to the team, he couldn't force a move due to salary reasons.

Also, teams want to spare a few million towards the cap for settlements, injuries, and P.S. call-ups.

 

[Gypsumstack]

I got a salary cap question. When a player has incentives built into their contract, does the team have to keep that money open in the cap as if expecting them to hit all their incentives?

 

[cincygrad]

I got a salary cap question. When a player has incentives built into their contract, does the team have to keep that money open in the cap as if expecting them to hit all their incentives?

I don't think they have to keep all that money in the cap..... But I do know that Hobson always counts 'all possible incentives' and potential injury settlements into the cap. He tries to creatively make it look like we are spending close to the cap, even though we never do.

 

[cincygrad]

BTW -- How in the hell is St. Louis against the cap? That team has about 2 or 3 legit NFL players and a bunch of scrubs. I suppose they are a prime example of how broken the rookie system used to be. They drafted in the top 10 a bunch of years in a row and had to ink untested guys to huge contracts.

 

[futballiscool]

BTW -- How in the hell is St. Louis against the cap? That team has about 2 or 3 legit NFL players and a bunch of scrubs. I suppose they are a prime example of how broken the rookie system used to be. They drafted in the top 10 a bunch of years in a row and had to ink untested guys to huge contracts.

Yeah, I think Bradford was basically the highest paid QB at one time. he probably kills their cap. Jason Smith too

 

[Cincyfan78]

I got a salary cap question. When a player has incentives built into their contract, does the team have to keep that money open in the cap as if expecting them to hit all their incentives?

I'm pretty sure the answer is "yes". You always have to have money saved back in case a player reaches their incentive for the year. That money goes against the cap for that year if it is acheived. This is another part of the buffer that must be accounted for.

 

[kramer1]

We need a 40 million buffer for incentives. Hahahaha.

Why do people attend games at PBS? Mental retardation is my best guess.

 

[DanBengalfan]

letting Joseph go had to be part of our cap gap, and of course the Palmer situation.

look for Green and Dalton to get raises, we'll sign some mediocre free agents (or maybe some second tier if we're lucky) to fill holes and we'll sign our draft picks.

Brown is going to test the system, ain't no way he's going to spend jack shit. Hamilton county will end up paying players before he does.

 

[vancelot23]

We have $40 million but our own FAs are figured into that. From what I've read, after we resign our own FA (depending on who we bring back), we'd have somewhere around $20 million to spend.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Well, if the Bengals don't start winning, and brown's not making any money by saving it by not spending the cap allowance like years' past (starting in 2013) he'll lose a lot of money by not having fans in his seats.

In years' past, he could not spend, save money, pocket the tv deal money to off-set any differences in the attendance and still make a nice profit. Those days are going to be gone after he is required to spend 99% of the cap each year. If that money doesn't = wins, fans will continue to stay away, and those empty seats will eventually start to eat a hole in the profit margin, which is what Brown is all about.

 

[DanBengalfan]

He ain't losin' shit, he'll ask for another tax increase, or he'll get out of dodge.

 

[kramer1]

Brown just paid 200 million in cash to buy out that other owner....

He's making money hand over fist. The stadium could be empty and he'd still make money. It's impossible to not make money with the tv deal and the distribution of the profits from it.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Who are our free agents that are eating 24 million of that 44 million dollar cap space?

There are very few people on this team I am worried about losing to free agency, and the ones I would be are too young to worry about FA or locked up for several more years.

Who are our free agents this upcoming season?

 

[Be Weary of Query]

Who are our free agents that are eating 24 million of that 44 million dollar cap space?

There are very few people on this team I am worried about losing to free agency, and the ones I would be are too young to worry about FA or locked up for several more years.

Who are our free agents this upcoming season?

Unrestricted Free Agents (20)

RB Cedric Benson
WR Andre Caldwell
WR Jerome Simpson
TE Donald Lee
TE Bo Scaife
OT Anthony Collins
OL Nate Livings
OL Mike McGlynn
OT Dennis Roland
OG Bobbie Williams
DE Jonathan Fanene
DE Frostee Rucker
DT Pat Sims
LB Brandon Johnson
LB Manny Lawson
CB Kelly Jennings
CB Adam Jones
S Reggie Nelson
S Gibril Wilson
K Mike Nugent

Restricted Free Agents (3)

FB Chris Pressley
LB Dan Skuta
LS Clark Harris

Exclusive Rights Free Agents (4)

RB Cedric Peerman
DT Nick Hayden
LB Vincent Rey
S Jeromey Miles

 

[cincygrad]

Of those free agents, I would like to try to sign ---

Donald Lee
Anthony Collins (unlikely he'll re-sign)
Nate Livings (he's below average but knows the system and could provide depth)
Jonathan Fanene
Frostee Rucker
Pat Sims
Brandon Johnson
Manny Lawson
Reggie Nelson
Mike Nugent
Chris Presley
Dan Skuta
Clark Harris

Most of those guys will make an average salary at best. The highest price guys will likely be the d-linemen and perhaps Manny Lawson (though he won't be highly valued on the open market because he doesn't sack the quarterback).

 

[vancelot23]

Nugent will take a few million, Lawson, Fanene, and Rucker will likely get a few million apiece, with Lawson maybe 3 or 4. Nelson is also going to take a few million along with Sims. A few of the estimates I've read have the Bengals with less than $20 million left after their own FAs.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Unrestricted Free Agents (20)

RB Cedric Benson, waste of money
WR Andre Caldwell, should only be a backup, may have to let him go start somewhere else, but where?
WR Jerome Simpson, he's most likely out of the mix next year
TE Donald Lee, sign him.
TE Bo Scaife, ? who cares?
OT Anthony Collins, eh?
OL Nate Livings, no way! buh bye.
OL Mike McGlynn, who?
OT Dennis Roland, eh...
OG Bobbie Williams, twilight, maybe one more year.
DE Jonathan Fanene, I guess...
DE Frostee Rucker, sign him
DT Pat Sims, sign him
LB Brandon Johnson, eh...
LB Manny Lawson, sign him I guess
CB Kelly Jennings, eh...
CB Adam Jones, sign him
S Reggie Nelson, sign him
S Gibril Wilson, who?
K Mike Nugent, sign him

Restricted Free Agents (3)

FB Chris Pressley, sign him
LB Dan Skuta, dunno...
LS Clark Harris, sign him

Exclusive Rights Free Agents (4)

RB Cedric Peerman, if we need a special teamer that bad, but he can't run, i don't care.
DT Nick Hayden
LB Vincent Rey
S Jeromey Miles