What’s up with the cap?

[Rygar64]

There's something about that guy that we don't know about, even now.

We might now know, but apparently the execs in NFL front offices know. Something ain't right though. Unless Earl just doesn't want to play anymore or his personal life is taking precedence right now.

[Ravenswintitle]

The salary cap is a myth

[Paintballguy]

The salary cap is a myth

This. The salary cap is just an accounting exercise. It doesn't keep teams from signing players they really want.

[QtR Nevermore]

We might now know, but apparently the execs in NFL front offices know. Something ain't right though. Unless Earl just doesn't want to play anymore or his personal life is taking precedence right now.

It's the first. The Texans players revolted when they were thinking of bringing him in, so the whole league knows something we don't. I can't believe it hasn't leaked out given that players in Houston know about it.

[WNCRavensFan]

This. The salary cap is just an accounting exercise. It doesn't keep teams from signing players they really want.

Eh, sort of. It does keep one or two teams from signing everybody.

Teams that know what they're doing don't run into many problems. They know how much to invest in free agents and who to cut loose at the right time.

[Rygar64]

Eh, sort of. It does keep one or two teams from signing everybody.

Teams that know what they're doing don't run into many problems. They know how much to invest in free agents and who to cut loose at the right time.

Yeah, the true purpose is to keep richer owners from outright buying the best talent every year...although Washington and Dallas have certainly tried over the years. It's also to keep poorer owners or ones that don't really care from stripping the team to bare bones and simply pocketing their share of the TV revenues...although the Bengals have tried that approach over the years. That's why there is a salary floor as well.

But the cap certainly is not going to keep a well run team from acquiring a player they really want. Chances are, if your team didn't sign that big name FA, it's because they either don't like him as a player, or they don't think he's worth the asking price.

[HotInHere]

Eh, sort of. It does keep one or two teams from signing everybody.

Teams that know what they're doing don't run into many problems. They know how much to invest in free agents and who to cut loose at the right time.

Agreed. I get what people are saying when they say the salary cap is a 'myth.' It's a hard number that there are a million ways to get around. But it does exist, and it does impact football teams. It's the reason we got rid of Ben Grubbs, Art Jones, Pernell McPhee, Anquan Boldin, etc. It forces you to make choices. If you're a good team, it forces you to get rid of good players that you would otherwise happily pay to keep.

If you have a player you want, you can get/keep him. But you can't get/keep ALL the players you want. Everyone here has bitched about how Flacco's contract impacted the team in the post-SB years. That's 100% because of the cap.

Ask the 2022 Rams about the salary cap being a myth. If you're looking for them, you'll find them at the bottom of the NFC West standings, next to the numbers "3" and "13."

(FWIW, the 2022 Rams have committed a total of $157MM to 11 players. And the average age of those players will be 31. If they cut those 11 players, they would be on the hook for $80MM in dead money -- or roughly 40% of what the current total cap is right now.)

[Rygar64]

Agreed. I get what people are saying when they say the salary cap is a 'myth.' It's a hard number that there are a million ways to get around. But it does exist, and it does impact football teams. It's the reason we got rid of Ben Grubbs, Art Jones, Pernell McPhee, Anquan Boldin, etc. It forces you to make choices. If you're a good team, it forces you to get rid of good players that you would otherwise happily pay to keep.

If you have a player you want, you can get/keep him. But you can't get/keep ALL the players you want. Everyone here has bitched about how Flacco's contract impacted the team in the post-SB years. That's 100% because of the cap.

Ask the 2022 Rams about the salary cap being a myth. If you're looking for them, you'll find them at the bottom of the NFC West standings, next to the numbers "3" and "13."

(FWIW, the 2022 Rams have committed a total of $157MM to 11 players. And the average age of those players will be 31. If they cut those 11 players, they would be on the hook for $80MM in dead money -- or roughly 40% of what the current total cap is right now.)

That sounds like a nice and succinct way to sum it up...but it's simply not that simple. More often than not, a team falls off because of injuries, poor drafting and WHO they spend their FA money on. The Reaper has been coming for the Rams for like 5 years now and yet they keep operating and keep being relatively competitive. The Jags went to the AFCCG and then followed that up with a stinker the following year with essentially the same team. The Ravens spent the 1st 2 years of Flacco's contract trying unsuccessfully to rebuild the roster through the draft and some terrible FAs. They traded Boldin, not because they COULDN'T afford him, but because Ozzie didn't think he was worth the contract and could spend the money elsewhere. I'd be willing to make a bet right now that the Rams will not be 3-13 in 2022 - even with "cap hell" hovering over their heads.

Some of those players you mentioned that the Ravens lost is by design. It was a major part of their formula, especially when they had 3 or 4 HOFers roaming the defense. Draft a guy, develop him, get a few years of good production from him, let another team pay him huge money, get a comp pick, rinse, wash, repeat.

[Paintballguy]

Agreed. I get what people are saying when they say the salary cap is a 'myth.' It's a hard number that there are a million ways to get around. But it does exist, and it does impact football teams. It's the reason we got rid of Ben Grubbs, Art Jones, Pernell McPhee, Anquan Boldin, etc. It forces you to make choices. If you're a good team, it forces you to get rid of good players that you would otherwise happily pay to keep.

If you have a player you want, you can get/keep him. But you can't get/keep ALL the players you want. Everyone here has bitched about how Flacco's contract impacted the team in the post-SB years. That's 100% because of the cap.

Ask the 2022 Rams about the salary cap being a myth. If you're looking for them, you'll find them at the bottom of the NFC West standings, next to the numbers "3" and "13."

(FWIW, the 2022 Rams have committed a total of $157MM to 11 players. And the average age of those players will be 31. If they cut those 11 players, they would be on the hook for $80MM in dead money -- or roughly 40% of what the current total cap is right now.)

Technically it’s not a hard number. A lot of teams spend over the cap every year in real cash spending. It’s why it’s technically a soft cap. The money is spread over future years.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/06/25/nf...-franchise-tag


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[HotInHere]

...They traded Boldin, not because they COULDN'T afford him, but because Ozzie didn't think he was worth the contract and could spend the money elsewhere. I'd be willing to make a bet right now that the Rams will not be 3-13 in 2022 - even with "cap hell" hovering over their heads.

...

I'm just responding to the bolded part here, because that's the only point I was trying to make. He only didn't think he was worth the contract as a percentage of the salary cap. He could spend the money elsewhere because it would allow him room under the salary cap.

If there was no cap, do you have any doubts at all about whether they would have just paid Boldin the $6MM and been done with it?