Joemailman
01-26-2021, 10:13 PM
https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/nfl-salary-cap-might-not-crash-after-all
Multiple agents told Packer Central that they expect the owners and players union to agree to borrow against future caps to “smooth over” the difference between the potential for a dramatically decreased cap in 2021 and dramatically increased caps in the future.
Nothing is official and nothing is guaranteed, they cautioned, but their belief wasn't mere wishing and hoping.
This year, the league added two playoff teams, meaning two extra playoff games. Next year, the league schedule is expected to go from 16 games to 17 games. The Monday Night Football contract with ESPN expires after the 2021 season and contracts with CBS (for the AFC), Fox (for the NFC) and NBC (Sunday night) will expire after the 2022 season. Because the NFL is a ratings juggernaut, rights fees are expected to soar. According to Forbes, for instance, Fox’s $1.2 billion deal could almost double to $2 billion annually.
With boatloads of new money to become available, agents are cautiously optimistic there won’t be mass casualties with the average team being just $1.44 million beneath the $176 million projection.
“If I’m Jerry Jones, there’s no way I’m going to cut a number of veterans to get below the cap, knowing it’s going to go up once all the new money shows up,” one agent said.
Added another agent: “Look at you guys. You got to the championship game and now you’ve got to get rid of a bunch of players. You’re going to be right in the middle of this. Same with the Chiefs,” who are $26.2 million over the projected cap.
One agent said the expectation is the cap for 2020 will at least remain steady. Another agent said he expected it to touch $200 million. Another was planning for $195 million.
“Why go from $175 million for 2021 and then raise it to $220 million in 2022? That just doesn’t make any sense,” he said.
Nothing is official. but this is a hopeful sign. The salary cap for 2020 was 198 million. Obviously, this would be huge for teams like the Packers.
Multiple agents told Packer Central that they expect the owners and players union to agree to borrow against future caps to “smooth over” the difference between the potential for a dramatically decreased cap in 2021 and dramatically increased caps in the future.
Nothing is official and nothing is guaranteed, they cautioned, but their belief wasn't mere wishing and hoping.
This year, the league added two playoff teams, meaning two extra playoff games. Next year, the league schedule is expected to go from 16 games to 17 games. The Monday Night Football contract with ESPN expires after the 2021 season and contracts with CBS (for the AFC), Fox (for the NFC) and NBC (Sunday night) will expire after the 2022 season. Because the NFL is a ratings juggernaut, rights fees are expected to soar. According to Forbes, for instance, Fox’s $1.2 billion deal could almost double to $2 billion annually.
With boatloads of new money to become available, agents are cautiously optimistic there won’t be mass casualties with the average team being just $1.44 million beneath the $176 million projection.
“If I’m Jerry Jones, there’s no way I’m going to cut a number of veterans to get below the cap, knowing it’s going to go up once all the new money shows up,” one agent said.
Added another agent: “Look at you guys. You got to the championship game and now you’ve got to get rid of a bunch of players. You’re going to be right in the middle of this. Same with the Chiefs,” who are $26.2 million over the projected cap.
One agent said the expectation is the cap for 2020 will at least remain steady. Another agent said he expected it to touch $200 million. Another was planning for $195 million.
“Why go from $175 million for 2021 and then raise it to $220 million in 2022? That just doesn’t make any sense,” he said.
Nothing is official. but this is a hopeful sign. The salary cap for 2020 was 198 million. Obviously, this would be huge for teams like the Packers.