In case you haven’t noticed, the start of the 2021 NFL league season is now exactly six weeks away. In short, on March 17 is when all 32 NFL teams must comply with the salary cap and then the free agent subscription period will officially begin at the same time. One of the great mysteries, while we are sitting here six weeks later, revolves around what the salary limit for the entire league will be. On Wednesday night, however, a respectable report surfaced, stating that the 2021 salary limit for the entire league will, in the end, be well above the possible $ 175 million floor.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network on Wednesday night, the NFL and NFLPA have already started preliminary negotiations on the 2021 salary cap, which some believe will be higher than expected. Specifically, Pelissero reports that some team leaders believe and expect the maximum number of 2021 to come close to $ 185 million per club – if not a little more.
As many of you know that you frequent this bull quite often, I have long believed that the 2021 wage cap number will be greater than the agreed minimum of $ 175 million and, in fact, perhaps even closer to the value of $ 198.2 to 2020.2 million. The fact that Pelissero reported on Wednesday night that $ 185 million may be the possible low watermark is reason to be very optimistic, especially if you are a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Even if the final number turns out to be $ 185 million for 2021, this is a big boost when it comes to Steelers, which currently have about $ 31 million in an amount of $ 175 million. The entire league number reaching $ 185 million would be effectively like the Steelers receiving a $ 10 million credit limit, in all honesty. Should the number exceed $ 185 million, that news may be worthy of Steelers fans making a parade in Pittsburgh. Okay, this is a little bit strong, but I think you see the seriousness of these possible news.
so, when will we know for sure what the wage cap agreed for 2021 is? This is a great question to which I would like to have an answer. According to Pelissero on Wednesday night, teams can find out the actual number for 2021 just days before the free agent negotiation period begins on March 15, with the NFL and NFLPA taking as long as possible to assess the climate and budget for the impact of at least one new media deal, which is supposed to be finalized before the league makes the switch to a regular 17-game season in 2021
Personally, I find it hard to believe that the teams will not have at least some sort of general idea about what the actual salary cap for 2021 will be, a week before the new league year begins. Why? Because multiple teams like Steelers can have a lot of work to do when it comes to possible restructuring and extension of multiplayer contracts, depending on how much limit space needs to be created. Teams need at least a week in advance, one might think.
In a few more days, we should hear from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, as he usually gives his annual state state press conference a few days before the Super Bowl. Hopefully, when he meets the media in the next few days, he will be hammered with questions about the league’s salary cap and revenue lost in 2020 due to the pandemic.
At the close, this Wednesday’s report by Pelissero is well worth reading, as it is certainly big and positive news when it comes to the off-season prospects for Steelers.
Steelers 2021 Salary Cap Primer Series: Part 1 – Current snapshot with future costs
Steelers 2021 Salary Cap Primer Series: Part 2 – Plausible path to good compliance by March 17