Title change: PFT: The NFL salary cap has been set at $177.2 million

[Deus Irae]

...
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the cap will at least be $178 million. It also could exceed $179 million.

The specific number, generally driven by revenues in the prior years, ultimately becomes the product of negotiation between the NFL and NFLPA. Last year, the parties set the cap at $168 million.

The cap has been experiencing significant growth in recent years, even with a decline in TV ratings. With the Thursday night broadcast package spiking from $450 million to at least $550 million annually as of 2018, the increases likely will continue.

Salary cap is expected to be at least $178 million, could exceed $179 million

 

[supafly]

Give the extra million or two to Gronk!

 

[signbabybrady]

Give the extra million or two to Gronk!

This prevailing idea that the Patriots should or will give more money to a player with multiple years left on a deal who has already mulled retirement needs to stop.

Gronk has many of millions of dollars left on the table and he is at least playing one more year. Unless he's committing long term I don't see why his contract would be a priority.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Last December, Rapoport had reported projections around $174M-$178M, so looks like he had a good source, and looks like the numbers ended up in the best-case scenario.

2018 NFL Salary Cap Reportedly Projected to Be Between $174.2-178.1M

 

[maust]

The cynical part of me can't help but wonder if the final amount isn't influenced by the league creating another fuzzy unallocated funds account.

 

[supafly]

This prevailing idea that the Patriots should or will give more money to a player with multiple years left on a deal who has already mulled retirement needs to stop.

Gronk has many of millions of dollars left on the table and he is at least playing one more year. Unless he's committing long term I don't see why his contract would be a priority.

I know that you keep saying that your inside sources claim that he’s playing one more year and I have no reason to doubt you, but money is obviously a motivating factor for him based on the fact that he believes that he’s underpaid and has now openly complained about it 3 straight years.

He’s the biggest talent on the team who isn’t named Tom Brady. I think we’d all like to see the situation resolved, and if they need to spend an extra 1-2 million out of that 178-179, so be it. I realize that Belichick isn’t going to give in that easily, but I’m sure that he also realizes the fact that Gronk is a generational talent that doesn’t come around too often.

 

[mgteich]

I don't think that giving Gronk a couple of million will influence his decision. IMHO, there are better uses of funds than giving Gronk a couple of million. However, if this was the correct move, then the it would be done wither without the increase.

Gronk will retire when he feels like retiring. He's have lots of advertising and promotion offers out of football, along with any association with wrestling.

IMHO, if wanting to play with Brady, Amendola, and Edelman isn't enough to motivate him, then a couple of million won't do it.

I know that you keep saying that your inside sources claim that he’s playing one more year and I have no reason to doubt you, but money is obviously a motivating factor for him based on the fact that he believes that he’s underpaid and has now openly complained about it 3 straight years.

He’s the biggest talent on the team who isn’t named Tom Brady. I think we’d all like to see the situation resolved, and if they need to spend an extra 1-2 million out of that 178-179, so be it. I realize that Belichick isn’t going to give in that easily, but I’m sure that he also realizes the fact that Gronk is a generational talent that doesn’t come around too often.

 

[signbabybrady]

I know that you keep saying that your inside sources claim that he’s playing one more year and I have no reason to doubt you, but money is obviously a motivating factor for him based on the fact that he believes that he’s underpaid and has now openly complained about it 3 straight years.

He’s the biggest talent on the team who isn’t named Tom Brady. I think we’d all like to see the situation resolved, and if they need to spend an extra 1-2 million out of that 178-179, so be it. I realize that Belichick isn’t going to give in that easily, but I’m sure that he also realizes the fact that Gronk is a generational talent that doesn’t come around too often.

I don't believe he's complained about it this year. People have just speculated that retirement talk is somehow a money play.
And last year the team did something to move some money for his benefit I forget the exact details and he hit all his incentives so I don't think he has much to complain about.
He might be underpaid based on current market but he got his deal early which was beneficial to a guy as injured as him. He will get every dime if he wants it.
So again unless he's committing long term I don't see why he would be a priority for a new deal.

If he's truly angry and we have no reason to think he is maybe they would sweeten it a little but that's not really the Patriots m.o.

 

[supafly]

I don't believe he's complained about it this year. People have just speculated that retirement talk is somehow a money play.
And last year the team did something to move some money for his benefit I forget the exact details and he hit all his incentives so I don't think he has much to complain about.
He might be underpaid based on current market but he got his deal early which was beneficial to a guy as injured as him. He will get every dime if he wants it.
So again unless he's committing long term I don't see why he would be a priority for a new deal.

If he's truly angry and we have no reason to think he is maybe they would sweeten it a little but that's not really the Patriots m.o.

Yeah, I don’t know the specifics of how they restructured it last spring, but it was certainly enough to make him happy. In my opinion, there’s enough smoke there that suggests that money is most certainly a factor.

Pats restructure Gronk deal with big incentives

 

[supafly]

IMHO, if wanting to play with Brady, Amendola, and Edelman isn't enough to motivate him, then a couple of million won't do it.

That sounds like it should be something that’s important and hopefully it is, but when a good portion of your life is dealing with surgeries, pain, recovery time, etc then I suppose I can appreciate it on some level.

With his production and importance to our offense, one can argue that he could push for top WR money, let alone top TE money. From our perspective, he should be satisfied with playing out the last two years of a front loaded deal. From his perspective (and his agent + family), they may strongly disagree and wish to reassess with current market value.

 

[Nehalem]

I don't believe he's complained about it this year. People have just speculated that retirement talk is somehow a money play.
And last year the team did something to move some money for his benefit I forget the exact details and he hit all his incentives so I don't think he has much to complain about.
He might be underpaid based on current market but he got his deal early which was beneficial to a guy as injured as him. He will get every dime if he wants it.
So again unless he's committing long term I don't see why he would be a priority for a new deal.

If he's truly angry and we have no reason to think he is maybe they would sweeten it a little but that's not really the Patriots m.o.

I think the Pats ended up giving up an extra $4m. If he retires after that its basically a giant slap in the face to the Pats.

Really if they were smart the Patriots should have made recieving the bonus contingent on playing in the 2018 season too.

 

[mgteich]

That sounds like it should be something that’s important and hopefully it is, but when a good portion of your life is dealing with surgeries, pain, recovery time, etc then I suppose I can appreciate it on some level.

With his production and importance to our offense, one can argue that he could push for top WR money, let alone top TE money. From our perspective, he should be satisfied with playing out the last two years of a front loaded deal. From his perspective (and his agent + family), they may strongly disagree and wish to reassess with current market value.

I agree that Brady and Gronk could choose to refuse to play absent the patriots paying them top dollar.

This won't happen. If Gronk wants to be part of Brady's last years, then fine. Otherwise, he can retire to parades from our fans.

 

[BTTA]

If Gronk is primarily focused on money, he'll leave football immediately and become an actor.

 

[Deus Irae]

If Gronk is primarily focused on money, he'll leave football immediately and become an actor.

Why?

 

[supafly]

I agree that Brady and Gronk could choose to refuse to play absent the patriots paying them top dollar.

This won't happen. If Gronk wants to be part of Brady's last years, then fine. Otherwise, he can retire to parades from our fans.

Well, Brady’s situation and Gronk’s situation are much different. Brady has not had to endure numerous surgical procedures that made finishing his college career a question. Since then, Gronk has had 2 more back surgeries, an ACL surgery, a broken arm that forces him to continue to wear a protective brace years later with a metal plate that was inserted, taken out, and reinserted with a major infection, to boot. Brady also has played much longer at a much higher rate of pay and is married to the highest grossing supermodel of all time.

The “tough guy” approach sounds good and certainly falls in line with what we’d expect from Belichick, however it most certainly weakens the team in dramatic fashion and is the exact opposite of what they chose to do last year in regards to his finances; hence the waiting game and concern.

 

[supafly]

Why?

Yeah, it’s not like Rob Gronkowski is Mark Wahlberg, making 25m dollars a film. At best, he’d get some small bit roles in Seth Rogan stoner films with the eventual hope of somehow being showcased down the road in an action movie, which may or may not ever happen.

I’m not sure when Sly Stallone or Dwayne Johnson became financial advisors or predictors of future talent, but I don’t know if I buy into the idea of Gronkowski ever being a real movie star, and we most certainly don’t know if his earnings would rival the 10-12 million dollar average that is consistent with current top tier TE market value.

 

[HailHydra]

I know that you keep saying that your inside sources claim that he’s playing one more year and I have no reason to doubt you, but money is obviously a motivating factor for him based on the fact that he believes that he’s underpaid and has now openly complained about it 3 straight years.

He’s the biggest talent on the team who isn’t named Tom Brady. I think we’d all like to see the situation resolved, and if they need to spend an extra 1-2 million out of that 178-179, so be it. I realize that Belichick isn’t going to give in that easily, but I’m sure that he also realizes the fact that Gronk is a generational talent that doesn’t come around too often.

Its not as if he didn't sign his contract

 

[supafly]

Its not as if he didn't sign his contract

Much like NFL front offices deep into multi year deals, this doesn’t mean as much as people think it does. Sometimes the market and circumstances shift and one party wants things to be reassessed.

He had a signed contract last year, too, but that didn’t prevent him from being upset or the team from adding some incentives to the deal.

 

[BTTA]

Yeah, it’s not like Rob Gronkowski is Mark Wahlberg, making 25m dollars a film. At best, he’d get some small bit roles in Seth Rogan stoner films with the eventual hope of somehow being showcased down the road in an action movie, which may or may not ever happen.

I’m not sure when Sly Stallone or Dwayne Johnson became financial advisors or predictors of future talent, but I don’t know if I buy into the idea of Gronkowski ever being a real movie star, and we most certainly don’t know if his earnings would rival the 10-12 million dollar average that is consistent with current top tier TE market value.

He's a cultural icon now, and would only need to have a few parts in movies and TV series to easily make what he'll make in another year of football. The injury probability and uncertainty of being in the spotlight (through winning) of football puts that icon status at risk. If it is about money, there's more to be made cashing in now while he's at peak sex symbol/celebrity status.

A "Gronk Family" reality show would potentially create millions in royalties over time, for him and other family members. And he'd be more free to do more commercials, 365 days a year. All without the medical risks (including more risk of CTE, which he's already created).

 

[supafly]

A "Gronk Family" reality show would potentially create millions in royalties over time, for him and other family members. And he'd be more free to do more commercials, 365 days a year. All without the medical risks (including more risk of CTE, which he's already created).

I get what you’re saying. I just don’t think any movie or tv shows would rival 10-12m dollars a year, that’s all. Just as an example, one of the country’s most recently watched reality shows was (sadly) Honey Boo Boo, and they weren’t making more than 5-10k per episode. Unless you’re the Kardashians, a lot of these reality shows like Snoop Dogg’s etc just don’t make as much as people think.

His best bet is to continue playing football for another couple of years while attempting to make the transition over into some type of tv show or even doing a movie. Aside from some weekend commitments in the spring for OTAs and his obvious daily training routine, he’s got from the beginning of February to the end of July (almost half the year) to make as many commercials or do whatever he wishes.

Here’s How Much You Get Paid to Be a Reality TV Star These Days