Report: NFL Salary Cap projected to be at least $155 million for 2016
Per NFL Insider Rand Getlin, the NFL salary cap is climbing year over year.
According to Getlin, the figure is projected to be at least $155 million for 2016, which is almost a $12 million increase over last season.
I'm told the NFL's salary cap is expected to jump to at least $155M this year. Nearly $12M more than last year's ($143.28M).
— Rand Getlin (@RandGetlin) February 15, 2016
The original projection back in December estimated the league’s salary cap to come in between $150-154 million, so any increase bodes well for the New Orleans Saints. After some recent transactions by the team, it is estimated that the team was right under the mark for the cap. The latest Top 51 by Over the Cap puts the team at $153.4 million, while Spotrac has the Saints at $153.6 million.
When the NFL salary cap debuted in 1994, the league put the figure at $34.608 million. In each subsequent year, the cap number has progressively increased, some more than others. There’s only been one true decrease in NFL history, when the league came from a $123 million figure in 2009 to uncapped in 2010, and then back down to $120 million in 2011.
Entering the offseason, here were the biggest culprits:
2016 – Top 11 Cap Numbers
- Drew Brees ($30 million)
- Cam Jordan ($12.8 million)
- Jairus Byrd ($10.9 million)
Jahri Evans ($8.2 million)Released- Keenan Lewis ($6.35 million)
- Brandon Browner ($6.3 million) Pending release, no official transaction made
- Max Unger ($6 million)
Dannell Ellerbe ($5.9 million)Restructured- Marques Colston ($5.9 million)
- Zach Strief ($4.6 million)
David Hawthorne ($4.51 million)Released
Through some extensions, bonus conversions, more restructures, and ultimately releases, the Saints can easily free up more money to spend in free agency in 2016.