Salary Cap now $132 million

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

NFL projected to raise salary cap to about $130 million - ESPN



Its like finding a $50 in the back of your sock drawer...

 

[stevedogc]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

NFL projected to raise salary cap to about $130 million - ESPN



Its like finding a $50 in the back of your sock drawer...

Except that every other team found that $50 as well. But, that does help. I think most cap experts on this was expecting somewhere between a 126-128 cap.

 

[varjao]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

I'm calling Fitzgerald agent right now

 

[mgteich]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

This will make it less likely that we retain Edelman and Talib.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

Except that every other team found that $50 as well. But, that does help. I think most cap experts on this was expecting somewhere between a 126-128 cap.

The $126.3M figure was the one given to NFL teams as a preliminary estimate in December, and was conservative. A lot of people predicted that the cap would come in a couple of $M higher, probably around $128M. $130M definitely gives a bit more room, though, as you note, other teams get that room as well. But it helps the teams that are "tight" more than the teams that already have tons of cap room.

Miguel's cap space estimated that the Pats had $126.5M in salary, bonuses and dead space. With the $126.3M cap plus rollover form 2013 and adjustments, Miguel estimated the Pats' adjusted cap space at $133.7M; the higher league-wide cap would bump that to around $137.5M, giving them around $11M in cap space. Leaving a buffer for rookie signings, PS and some contingency funds would give the Pats around $5-6M to spend on FA prior to cuts/extensions/restructurings.

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

This will make it less likely that we retain Edelman and Talib.

To me, it was always an either/or scenario between those two, with Talib likely winning out. The team already gave a nice chunk of change to Amendola and he and Edelman do not particularly compliment one another very well. Edelman is likely gone to a team that will drastically overpay him thinking that he's the next Welker.

 

[mayoclinic]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

This will make it less likely that we retain Edelman and Talib.

Why does it change anything? We will have more money to retain both Edelman and Talib, but other teams have more money to try and lure one of them away. Doesn't it pretty much equal out?

 

[SalemPats]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

This is really helps. After restructuring Wilfork I think we can re-sign both and possibly add a veteran WR. I'm not sure if it's worth it to keep DA along because of his weak play

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

Except that every other team found that $50 as well. But, that does help. I think most cap experts on this was expecting somewhere between a 126-128 cap.

Right. I've viewed cap increases as the equivalent of inflation -- the cost of each individual unsigned player goes up accordingly because there are still a limited number of free agents out there. Where it helps teams is that they may not be forced to cut as many players simply to remain under the cap; that said, taking advantage of other teams' cap casualties has helped the Pats in the past so this may not be a good thing for us.

 

[Brady6]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

This will make it less likely that we retain Edelman and Talib.

The thing about the cap is we have a clean cap in 2015, with 45 players under contract for $95,146,587 per over the cap. We also have no dead money right now set to hit it. Sopoaga and A Wilson will shave another $5,000,000 off that. Which means with 43 players under contract we would around $40M under the salary cap, we also could receive cap credit for Hernandez and we have flexibility to release players like Mankins, Amendola and Arrington if they do not perform up to par. With that in consideration, we can get creative with the contracts and stager the hits to increase in 2015 and beyond if, we sign players this offseason.

 

[50-yard-line]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

A cap increase might also decrease a team's leverage with existing players, making them less likely to restructure (Wilfork?).

The news seems neutral to me in terms of who we can get or keep, although I'm happy that more money is going to the players!

 

[PATSNUTme]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

NFL salary cap projected to be $130 million, per report - SBNation.com
Here is another link with a chart that list all the teams current cap position. They have the Patriots currently $7.3 million under the cap but many more teams with greater cap space.

All of the AFCE teams have much more cap space than we do. So much for the "cheap" lable that has been awarded the Patriots by the media and some "fans".

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

Why does it change anything? We will have more money to retain both Edelman and Talib, but other teams have more money to try and lure one of them away. Doesn't it pretty much equal out?

I think the logic there would be that it is only an extra 2 mil or so for us but it adds more than 60 mil league wide.

IMO I dont think the added money means much for Talib but I think each team having a little more cash makes it more likely some team will give Edelman more than we would match.

I think Talib having hit Free agency before will have a better feel for what his value on the open market might be and I think there is mutual interest to get something done prior to free agency. I think this is just a matter of finding the middle ground.

I think Edelman kind of has to test the market to see what his value. And I think there is a decent chance that one team will offer more than we would. I think there is a similar good chance with Talib but I dont think he ever gets to free agency.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

A cap increase might also decrease a team's leverage with existing players, making them less likely to restructure (Wilfork?).

The news seems neutral to me in terms of who we can get or keep, although I'm happy that more money is going to the players!

The leverage in Wilfork's case is not a flat cap.

It's the fact that he's coming back from a major injury, with no guarantees that he would ever see that $8M.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

I think Edelman kind of has to test the market to see what his value. And I think there is a decent chance that one team will offer more than we would. I think there is a similar good chance with Talib but I dont think he ever gets to free agency.

The question is if the combination of contract + opportunity is enough to sway Edelman. It wasn't when the Titans offered more than the Patriots did for Welker.

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

The thing about the cap is we have a clean cap in 2015, with 45 players under contract for $95,146,587 per over the cap. We also have no dead money right now set to hit it. Sopoaga and A Wilson will shave another $5,000,000 off that. Which means with 43 players under contract we would around $40M under the salary cap, we also could receive cap credit for Hernandez and we have flexibility to release players like Mankins, Amendola and Arrington if they do not perform up to par. With that in consideration, we can get creative with the contracts and stager the hits to increase in 2015 and beyond if, we sign players this offseason.

Wow, interesting it seems as though we are in amazing shape next year. I think you can add a few numbers to 43 as well as we will be adding a draft class that will be under contract next year too. This wont eat a lot of cap and will bring that number almost to 53.

I think one important context here is how much dead money will be added to next year, what restructures/extensions will be done, how much 2015 money does the 2014 free agent class cost. Basically it looks like an amazing number for next year but there is still a lot of work to be done this year that will eat some of that space and how does that compare to future years space prior to free agency in other years?

Bottom line though between the added 2 mil or so to the cap this year, the potential to free up money on this years cap (resturcutures/cuts/and the like), and what looks like great flexability in future years we are in 1,000 times better position for free agency this year than our current available cap space would indicate.

 

[50-yard-line]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

NFL salary cap projected to be $130 million, per report - SBNation.com
Here is another link with a chart that list all the teams current cap position. They have the Patriots currently $7.3 million under the cap but many more teams with greater cap space.

All of the AFCE teams have much more cap space than we do. So much for the "cheap" lable that has been awarded the Patriots by the media and some "fans".

Yeah, but that doesn't tell you how many players they have under contract. The Raiders, for example, have 17 free agents, including many of their front-line starters - Sims, McFadden, Houston, their left tackle... And since it's the Raiders, they're going to have to overpay to keep these guys. Houston is a prime example - Oakland will probably offer him BIG bucks to get him to stay.

If the Pats cut Sopoaga alone, as seems likely, they jump up a few spots. If they restructure Wilfork, they jump up a few more. And their team is pretty much built, with just a few pieces to add.

The "cheap" argument is the silliest one of all - teams have to be within a certain % of the cap, right? They HAVE to spend the money. That argument is usually made about teams that won't overpay a player, preferring depth.

Those teams generally finish near the top, year after year.

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

The question is if the combination of contract + opportunity is enough to sway Edelman. It wasn't when the Titans offered more than the Patriots did for Welker.

That is a very interesting point. IMO there are no teams in the NFL that can offer a better opportunity for him. The combo of the QB throwing the ball and the usage of the slot receiver in this offense (I suppose we need to subtract the potential redunancy of him and DA) far exceeds any opportunity another team may offer.

But does that outweigh what might be a far better $ amount? Obviously cant know this answer until free agency begins but your point makes me a little hopefully that he could still be back where I have pretty much assumed he was gone.

 

[resdubwhite]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

. Edelman is likely gone to a team that will drastically overpay him thinking that he's the next Welker.

Teams overpay for sucker punching Judas's?

 

[Froob]

Re: Salary Cap upped to 130M..per ESPN

Why is the cap number a surprise? Why don't they know definitely years ahead of time what the cap number is? Curious to know how this process works must be based on revenue or something.