League/NFLPA scrambling to increase Salary cap

A source with knowledge of the situation tells Profootballtalk.com the league and NFLPA are "scrambling" to increase the 2012 salary cap.Mar 3 - 11:25 AM

Provisions in the new CBA have apparently left teams with less cap space than they were anticipating. As a result, the NFLPA has reportedly been trying to "re-do the numbers." The league has apparently shown a "certain amount of willingness" to cooperate with the effort because it "doesn’t want the players to think they got a bad deal." A resolution is expected within the next 10 days.

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Hmm, did the Steelers complain?

Mike Wallace - Pittsburgh Steelers - 2012 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

No way they up the cap at the last minute, that'd result in a lockout. Owners would file a grievance.

hovis said:

that'd result in a lockout.

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God, no.... that better not happen or else....:bricks: Then again, it would be pointless sending us into another lockout and I doubt the NFL wants to go down that road again anytime soon.

hovis said:

No way they up the cap at the last minute, that'd result in a lockout. Owners would file a grievance.

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From the sounds of it, I think the teams, or at least some of the teams, and NFLPA both want it.

How much can they really get in cap space? For every million of cap space they increase the cap by, they need to free up $32 million in benefits cost. I can't see the cap going up by more than a million, maybe two million.

hovis said:

No way they up the cap at the last minute, that'd result in a lockout. Owners would file a grievance.

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League = Owners

This essentially punishes the teams that managed their money better and shouldn't be allowed.

Ivan said:

This essentially punishes the teams that managed their money better and shouldn't be allowed.

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Yet there was special language in the new cap that let the Jets off the hook for millions of dead cap money. It will be allowed again.

A pure play to aid the Jets and Steelers

You can just hear the sigh of relief from Pittsburg and the Jersey Guidos

mr3putt said:

A pure play to aid the Jets and Steelers

You can just hear the sigh of relief from Pittsburg and the Jersey Guidos

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That doesnt sound like what is going on in this case.
It sounds like the calculation is coming out that the cap will be lower than expected. The NFLPA is upset because that will cost their members money, leverage and possibly jobs (to UDFAs) that was unexpected, and the league is trying to accomodate them as a show of good faith that they weren't trying to dupe the players into an unexpected cut.

mr3putt said:

A pure play to aid the Jets and Steelers

You can just hear the sigh of relief from Pittsburg and the Jersey Guidos

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If the cap isn't going up because costs have outpaced income increases in the pre-2014 era of the new CBA, players get less money because of the way benefits costs were allocated. Trying to find a way to ameliorate the issue of costs v. increase is something that will help 32 teams worth of players, not just one or two teams.

AndyJohnson said:

That doesnt sound like what is going on in this case.
It sounds like the calculation is coming out that the cap will be lower than expected. The NFLPA is upset because that will cost their members money, leverage and possibly jobs (to UDFAs) that was unexpected, and the league is trying to accomodate them as a show of good faith that they weren't trying to dupe the players into an unexpected cut.

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If that is so then I'm all for the league finding a way to avoid unexpected reduction in player income consequences the 1st year of a new CBA where the NFLPA made concessions in good faith. "Surprise" windfall gains for the ownership would not be the way to start the new CBA.

Makes sense. When the Jets and Steelers are in trouble, the league will always find a way to bail them out.

Naturally, it will "help" everyone, but it will help the teams that are up against the cap far more. $2 is worth more to a broke man than it is to a man with $10 in his pocket.

Ivan said:

This essentially punishes the teams that managed their money better and shouldn't be allowed.

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Sounds like Goodell is taking marching orders from a certain person who lives between Maryland and Virginia...

PatsWickedPissah said:

If that is so then I'm all for the league finding a way to avoid unexpected reduction in player income consequences the 1st year of a new CBA where the NFLPA made concessions in good faith. "Surprise" windfall gains for the ownership would not be the way to start the new CBA.

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That is what I understand it is all about.

isnt that the whole point of the cap?? why should it be raised and benefit teams like the Steelers/Jets who Knew what they were doing when they spent all that money??(foregoing the future for today)..now those teams should pay the price for their reckless spending.

it basically sends a message to teams like the Patriots who have made an effort not to overspend and preserve capspace.."hey just complain enough and we'll raise the cap for ya"

RIpats88 said:

isnt that the whole point of the cap?? why should it be raised and benefit teams like the Steelers/Jets who Knew what they were doing when they spent all that money??(foregoing the future for today)..now those teams should pay the price for their reckless spending.

it basically sends a message to teams like the Patriots who have made an effort not to overspend and preserve capspace.."hey just complain enough and we'll raise the cap for ya"

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Only problem with your opinion is that it is being reported that the reason is something totally different than what you are guessing it is.

It has long been expected and predicted that the cap would be flat for the next couple of years until the new TV money kicked in. I think they expected it might go up a million or two, but the calculation hasn't resulted in that. Mara said at the Super Bowl that he didn't expect it to go up at all. And he is on the management committee so he'd have access to the preliminary figures. Last week word leaked out that the calculation was actually resulting in a lower cap than the $120M from last year, which was to some extent massaged to get the deal done.

If the cap were to come out at say $116-118M, NE wouldn't be too happy, either... Probably the only teams who would be would be the half dozen or so formerly projected to be sitting on $30M+ in cap space. They will figure out a way to massage it so it at least remains at $120M, or there are going to be a lot of angry veteran FA among the 600+ about to hit the market.

BradyFTW! said:

Makes sense. When the Jets and Steelers are in trouble, the league will always find a way to bail them out.

Naturally, it will "help" everyone, but it will help the teams that are up against the cap far more. $2 is worth more to a broke man than it is to a man with $10 in his pocket.

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True. But let's say they increase the salary cap by $20 million (I'm throwing a number out there). The Pats would then have plenty of money (around $50 million) to re-sign Welker, add Lloyd, and then sign Mario Williams.

If all they are doing is bumping back to the 120 million ceiling then fine

Forgive my paranoia
How could I possibly think that Goddell would tilt the table in favor of a certain franchise

Somehow this will work against the Pats.......
Nurse....NURSE.....Give me my Meds NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!