NFL Aiming For Salary Cap Solution By Training Camp
For weeks, the NFL and NFLPA have discussed how to manage the 2021 salary cap ahead of a COVID-19-altered season …
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The uncertainty regarding the 2021 cap number has caused extension talks to stall around the league. It is expected a full-on fanless season would result in at least $3 billion in losses, putting a cap freefall of beyond $50MM in play. The NFL is not prepared to implement a universal attendance policy, however, creating a muddled setup in which some teams may be able to play in front of spectators while others do not. This stands to complicate cap talks.
Given the severe ramifications of a steep salary cap drop — and the fact the cap has only fallen once (by barely $3MM, in 2011) in its 27-year history — it should be expected the sides will avoid this scenario.
Borrowing from projected future earnings remains in play to address this, Fowler adds. This has been a presumed solution for weeks now. The new CBA, which includes two new playoff games beginning this year and a 17-game season potentially starting in 2021, was rumored to be set to produce cap spikes that could push the NFL’s salary ceiling (currently at $188MM) beyond $260MM by 2023. If the NFL borrows against some of that expected revenue, the recently anticipated cap growth will be slowed. A June report indicated both the NFL and NFLPA expect a 2021 cap decrease or cap plateau to be a one-year blip. It will be interesting to see how the sides manage that.
