Calculating 2013 Cap Space for Every NFL Team

[jobberone]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...l-tCalculating 2013 Cap Space for Every NFL Team



Speculating about free agency is a pastime for fans of teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs—or in today's case, have already been eliminated.

But, with free agency now on the horizon, it's time to curb the wild speculation and separate the contenders from the pretenders. In other words, it's time to establish which NFL teams actually have the cap space to compete in free agency and which teams will sit by the sidelines.

ESPN's John Clayton provided a great breakdown of each team's projected cap space headed into 2013, and these figures are used in this article—along with analysis, of course.

These projected cap numbers are subject to change as teams cut and restructure contracts over the next two months. Anyway, here's an idea of how each NFL team shapes up financially heading into a free-agency period that figures to feature plenty of talent.

[Cajuncowboy]

I'm sorry....Did that say we are 18 Mil over the cap?

[jterrell]

Originally Posted by Cajuncowboy

I'm sorry....Did that say we are 18 Mil over the cap?

Yes. It is the black and white cap space situation.

Of course we extend Romo and hand Carr a check and we're back under the cap.

But we do have far too much money tied up in guys who didnt produce enough last year: Free, Miles, OS, Ratliff. Injury caused the last 3 to under-produce.

We can make cuts but we end up eating salary to do so. Each cut costs us about 480k because anyone removed roster member promotes another charge for the next guy in line.

Once we declare our tags and restricted guys we'll still be under the cap. But it's mot likely we'll be very far under. UNLESS we just let Spencer walk with no compensation except a late r4 guy next year.

[Hoofbite]

Nobody should be shocked and anyone who is has no one to blame but themselves for being willfully ignorant to the the number of articles spanning back to at least November that have come out.

There's been a number of reports with similar values but a vast majority simply write it off because Adam hasn't come out and put the actual numbers out there.

That said, Dallas will do the annual salary cap dance and push the money off into the future. I think they really need to be mindful of what could happen if they continue this approach and players like Murray, Lee, Carter, Dez, Tyron and others continue to develop.

If you constantly have to manipulate the numbers in order to operate in a year where you don't have a ton of young talent looking at Free Agency, making decisions on who to keep isn't out of the question.

[jnday]

Every year the cap is a problem for Dallas. I don't think Stephen is the guru that some claims he is.

[wileedog]

Originally Posted by jnday

Every year the cap is a problem for Dallas. I don't think Stephen is the guru that some claims he is.

I think his dad's penchant for extending guys with large contracts when he shouldn't is a bigger problem.

[Hoofbite]

Originally Posted by jnday

Every year the cap is a problem for Dallas. I don't think Stephen is the guru that some claims he is.

I'm not a fan of the route the team has taken and continues to be on.

Write contracts to be re-worked the following year in order to operate. I'd rather they be in a position to re-work them in order to be able to go all out but can still operate without having to push money down the line.

The team's ability to manipulate the cap to comply looks to be top notch.....although given there are few teams that have to do it as often perhaps it's just a perception thing. The fact that I can't recall many teams (if any) who have suffered serious consequences from an inability to comply with the cap doesn't really do much to help his perceived are of "expertise".

On the flip-side, the teams ability to manage the cap in terms of writing contracts that don't become burdensome and avoiding the annual shuffle of cap space looks to be lacking.

[Manwiththeplan]

As long as that includes the $5 million dollar cap penalty, I'm not too worried. Add $2-3 million from unused cap space, plus extending Romo, restructuring Carr and we are under. Any money we need for free agents can be created by restructuring a few others as well as releasing a few.

[mmillman]

just shocked that St. Jones the GM and Owner has allowed the team to become so mediocre in most respects. Shocked I say.

[burmafrd]

probably not good but I would not use the bleacher report to wipe a rabid dogs butt

[Bluefin]

Originally Posted by burmafrd

probably not good but I would not use the bleacher report to wipe a rabid dogs butt

I share your feelings for that site, but they are using John Clayton's numbers in this instance, not anything they came up with on their own.

Clayton saying Dallas is currently $18.2M over the estimated 2013 salary cap ceiling of $120.9M, which would put the team at $139.1M.

Clayton is counting the 2012 cap carry over, which he has at $2.3M, in this number. He makes no mention of the $5M Mara cap penalty, so I don't know if he took it into account.

I have Dallas at $142.053M if Doug Free's contract remains at the original 4 seasons or $141.413M if the team added two additional seasons when they restructured it last off-season.

That's including the $5M Mara penalty and Clayton's $2.3 cap rollover from 2012.

That puts us either $21.153M or $20.513M over the cap.