If an agreement is completed, the current cap rules would stay in place and would be extended through the 2013 season.
That would greatly benefit the Dolphins. Like many teams, the Dolphins were expected to have problems getting under the projected salary cap of between $92 million and $95 million. The rules that would have taken effect without an extension would make restructuring contracts difficult.
An extension of the agreement would ease that. For example, the Dolphins could create approximately $6 million in cap space by guaranteeing and extending the contract of Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Taylor, whose salary is scheduled to count for $11 million against the cap in 2006.
The cap for all teams also is expected to be much higher. Last week, Upshaw said the cap could be as high as $104 million with the extension.
That means the Dolphins can retain more veteran players, at least temporarily. For example: Without a CBA extension, left tackle Damion McIntosh and quarterback Gus Frerotte might have been released for salary cap reasons. But now they can remain on the roster, at least until the team gets other players to supplant them or reworks their contracts.
