Q: How does salary cap for draft picks work?

[VCDefectors]

I've never quite understood the formula for how cap numbers for draft picks work. Clearly the team with a top 5 pick gets more cap money, but how is that determined? What happens if a team suddenly that acquired the #1. Do they get more money? How does that work?

 

[AdamJT13]

Each draft slot has a particular monetary value attached to it (the values are a secret -- not even the teams are told). When you use a draft pick, that value is added to your rookie pool. The total values for all of the picks you use is what your rookie pool is.

That's basically how it works.

Also, you don't need to have cap room equal to your rookie pool in order to sign all of your rookies. Because of the Rule of 51, the amount of cap room you need actually is much less.

 

[VCDefectors]

Thanks Adam. You are the best!

 

[gollum]

Each draft slot has a particular monetary value attached to it (the values are a secret -- not even the teams are told). When you use a draft pick, that value is added to your rookie pool. The total values for all of the picks you use is what your rookie pool is.

That's basically how it works.

Also, you don't need to have cap room equal to your rookie pool in order to sign all of your rookies. Because of the Rule of 51, the amount of cap room you need actually is much less.

What would happen if a team drafted a player then subsequently traded that player for some compensation, be it draft picks, players, etc. An example would be when San Diego pick Eli then traded him to the Giants for Phillip Rivers who had already been picked( I believe) by the Giants, plus other picks. Did the Giants get that extra cap room or did it stay with San Diego?