In anticipation of a potential new collective agreement, the NFL and the NFL Players Association predict that the league’s salary cap will reach $ 200 million in 2020, marking the seventh consecutive year that the cap has been increased by at least $ 10 million. dollars.
This is according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, who reported on Friday that the estimated increase is expected to take effect whether or not the proposed new CBA is ratified. Negotiations are underway regarding both the cap and the CBA, Pelissero added, so depending on whether players are voting to adopt the new CBA and, therefore, extend the NFL playoffs in 2020, what This figure could increase even more if additional income is recorded for the salary cap.
Ultimately, the 32 NFL teams should have at least $ 11.8 million more to spend than in 2019, when the cap was set at $ 188.2 million.
An annual, league-wide limit on player spending for NFL teams, the cap has increased since the implementation of the current CBA in 2011, which followed a rare uncapped season in 2010 The largest increase occurred between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, when the ceiling jumped by almost $ 12 million. Launched for the first time at $ 34.6 million in 1994, it is expected to be the highest ever recorded in 2020.
With the start of the 2020 league year on March 18, teams will be officially eligible to start using their cap space in free agency.
Here is an overview of the growth of the cap over the past 10 years:
2020 |
$ 200 million (projected) |
2019 |
$ 188.2 million |
2018 |
$ 177.2 million |
2017 |
$ 167M |
2016 |
$ 155.27 million |
2015 |
$ 143.28 M |
2014 |
$ 133M |
2013 |
$ 123 million |
2012 |
$ 120.6 million |
2011 |
$ 120 million |