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As the NFL news cycle narrows to an enlarged prostate drip, those of us who cover the NFL to make a living will be fighting for everything we can. Regardless of admitting it is OK (and I definitely admit it), there is a specific type of news that should not be considered alarming, at least not in isolation.
In the coming days, there will certainly be reports that a particular team has not yet engaged in serious negotiations with a particular player who is moving to the free agency. This does not mean that the team is giving the player the cold shoulder and / or the arrow. This means that it is very difficult, if not impossible, for teams to finalize their budgets for 2021 when it comes to hiring players, unless and until they know what the salary cap will be.
It cannot be less than $ 175 million, thanks to the agreement reached last year between the NFL and the NFL Players Association. Some think it will drop by $ 180 million. The new TV deals could increase even more. More information about early attendance, as a source recently noted, remains the biggest factor that can drive final numbers.
In any case, until the teams know what the limit will be, they will not know how much they will have to spend – on the players they have under contract (some of whom may be cut or may have their contracts renegotiated), the players they deserve to become free agents, and players from other teams that will be available, either because they are becoming free agents or because they have been cut. Until teams know how much they need to spend, it will be very difficult to engage in meaningful discussions with anyone.