2022 Salary Cap News

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

The salary cap might be rebounding a bit faster than originally projected. The numbers are still subject to change based on final revenue totals from TV deals, radio contracts, and gambling partnerships.


https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/sta...17126458855425

The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to a $208.2 million salary cap ceiling for 2022, per source.

There is no cap floor as of now. The sides agreed last August to spread the COVID-related revenue shortfall from 2020 over several years, and the cap dropped to $182.5M this year.

https://twitter.com/DanGrazianoESPN/...16823672229892

The 2019 cap (pre-COVID) was $198.2M per team, and at the time the cap was growing by about $10M per year. At that pace, the 2022 cap would have been about $218M. So $208.2M still isn't "caught up." But it would exceed the expectations of many who feared cap might stay flat.

https://twitter.com/FieldYates/statu...17895354642443

All teams are looking for as much cap space as possible, including those already heavy on the books. 6 teams already have cap commitments north of $200M for 2022, per OvertheCap:

1. Packers: $237M
2. Cowboys: $228M
3. Rams: $212M
4. Saints: $208M
5. Giants: $202M
6. Bills: $201M

[Chromeburn]

I read projections we will have about 100 million in cap space again next year.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

I read projections we will have about 100 million in cap space again next year.

Before Nelson, Leonard, and Braden extensions, so expect that number to be significantly lower.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

Before Nelson, Leonard, and Braden extensions, so expect that number to be significantly lower.

Agreed just to be safe cut it in half, it will be less depending on how they structure, but so far they see to avoid backloading contracts.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

Before Nelson, Leonard, and Braden extensions, so expect that number to be significantly lower.

Agreed just to be safe think 40% less, it will be probably be less depending on how they structure, but so far they see to avoid backloading contracts.

[ukcolt]

I would say each of them is likely to be getting almost $20m as an average, Nelson probably slightly above at $23m, Smith and Leonard in the $17-20m range. Often the first year is a little smaller, but i would be very surprised if they don't count approximately $50m against our cap next year.

That still leaves a fairly healthy chunk of money left.

[TheMugwump]

I am probably the least informed on cap issues on this board (which still probably puts me in the top 5% of Colts fans, judging by comments on other Colts pages), but I know one of you will know this...

Is it likely that they'll front load the contracts with extra large signing bonuses? Since they are projected to have such a huge amount of money next year, wouldn't that lower the cap hit on future years of the contract? For example, if Nelson signed for six years/$50 million, but $20 million was a signing bonus (I am just making up numbers to understand the principle), then wouldn't the remaining $30 million be divided by the six years for a future cap hit of only $5 million a year?

I ask because I truly don't know, and trying to look up info on how the cap works just leads me to things that put me to sleep.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by TheMugwump

I am probably the least informed on cap issues on this board (which still probably puts me in the top 5% of Colts fans, judging by comments on other Colts pages), but I know one of you will know this...

Is it likely that they'll front load the contracts with extra large signing bonuses? Since they are projected to have such a huge amount of money next year, wouldn't that lower the cap hit on future years of the contract? For example, if Nelson signed for six years/$50 million, but $20 million was a signing bonus (I am just making up numbers to understand the principle), then wouldn't the remaining $30 million be divided by the six years for a future cap hit of only $5 million a year?

I ask because I truly don't know, and trying to look up info on how the cap works just leads me to things that put me to sleep.

It's actually kinda the other way around. The up front bonus is prorated over all the years of the contract, and then if the player is cut before the contract ends, the remaining balance of the bonus telescopes into the year he was cut. It's a way to give the player a bunch of money without it counting against the current cap year.

The yearly salaries can be manipulated as well - so the money isn't always distributed equally over the course of the contract. In fact, lots of times the largest salaries are placed in the last few years of the contract, and then voided when the player gets cut before then. In this way, the media, team and player get to report that the player got the largest dollar figure contract in history, but everyone involved knows as a practical matter that it won't be paid and the player will never see the giant last salaries. Adding inflated, meaningless extra years to the back of the contract also serves the duel purpose of allowing the team to spread the up front bonus money over more years, thereby lowering the cap impact on the earlier years.

It's all financial engineering, and is pretty fascinating and can be very creative. Analyzing the structure of a contract can tell you a lot about how the team thinks of the player, and whether the team is going to have any flexibility in future years. All of this manipulation will eventually catch up with the team, leading sometimes to years when a team can be WAY over the cap like the Saints were this year if I recall ($100M plus over).

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

Originally Posted by ukcolt

Smith and Leonard in the $17-20m range.

Based on Fred Warner's deal today, it looks like Leonard will be at the upper end of that range.

Warner signed a 5 year - $95MM extension with the 49'ers with $40.5MM guaranteed.


Schefter reports that the Colts and Leonard are currently discussing a 4 year extension that will likely be higher than the $19MM AAV of Warner's deal.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/sta...87941234417675

Next linebacker up for a new deal is Indianapolis’ Darius Leonard, a contract that is expected to be a four-year deal for north of $19 million per year, per sources.

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSunnyinIndy

Based on Fred Warner's deal today, it looks like Leonard will be at the upper end of that range.

Warner signed a 5 year - $95MM extension with the 49'ers with $40.5MM guaranteed.


Schefter reports that the Colts and Leonard are currently discussing a 4 year extension that will likely be higher than the $19MM AAV of Warner's deal.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/sta...87941234417675

I would give him more than Warner provided he would get vaccinated.