Where teams stand in relation to Cap Spending Floor

[32EBoozer]

Only the Raiders and Jaguars are not currently at the spending threshold mandated as a new stipulation in the current collective bargaining agreement requiring all teams to spend at least 89 percent to the cap, according to NFL Management Council numbers, and even those two teams are close to meeting the minimum. As per the CBA, all NFL teams must spend up to 89 percent of the cap in actual cash to players from 2013-16 or face financial penalties payable to the NFLPA. With one free-agency period remaining between now and that deadline, all NFL teams are well positioned to meet it with ease, and, based on early projections for the 2016 salary cap, even the Jaguars and Raiders would not have to spend that much more drastically next year to meet the requirement.

They are the only teams not already at the 89-percent mark, with Oakland spending to 84.9 percent of the cap since the start of 2013, and the Jags spending to 87.6 percent. Should the cap go up another $10 million next season -- as it has been recently -- then teams would have to spend to at least $491.5 million over the four year period (2013-2016). So the Raiders, who currently have $133.6 million in cash devoted to the 2015 payroll, would need to spend $152.8 million next season to meet that projected threshold, while the Jags would have to go from $136.5 million this season up to $144 million next year to hit it.

Both of those clubs have already begun to increase spending much more in recent years and both were major players in free agency last March, aiming for big-money targets and landing a few. That's very likely to remain the case for them this offseason, via trades or free agency, with neither team having too many young stars eligible for contract extensions yet (players must wait three years before renegotiating rookie deals). The NFLPA is obviously keeping close tabs on the spending metrics, with this new spending floor something they maintain was a critical element of the new CBA, and it appears as if it won't have to sanction any teams given the current spending trends.

Here are the top spending teams, in actual cash dollars, since the start of 2013, in terms of spending as a percentage of the cap:

Seattle Seahawks: 108.6% 
Green Bay Packers: 106.6% 
Miami Dolphins: 104.6% 
Cincinnati Bengals: 104% 
Atlanta Falcons: 104% 
Denver Broncos: 103.9% 
Buffalo Bills: 103.5% 
Chicago Bears: 102.3% 
Kansas City Chiefs: 102.3% 
Philadelphia Eagles: 101.3%

It's worth noting that New England has spent barely above the 89-percent threshold to this point (90.6%), with Tom Brady -- making just $9 million per season -- and others on team-friendly contracts keeping that club positioned to greatly boost its payroll in years to come. And, with virtually the entire roster signed through at least 2016, the Patriots remain poised to be major players in free agency should they opt to go in that direction.

[32EBoozer]

Sounds as if the Jags and Raiders will be spending BIG COIN this yr.

 

$152m for Raiders and $144m for Jags.... if I am understanding this correctly.