After months of wondering what COVID-19’s impact on the NFL’s salary cap would be, we finally have an answer. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the 2021 NFL salary cap has officially been set at $182.5 million. That’s a reduction of $15.7 million from 2020, the first time in over a decade the salary cap has decreased.
While the reduction will certainly have a major impact on this offseason, including the deals handed out when free agency begins next week, this was expected. With the coronavirus pandemic limiting or outright keeping fans from the stands last season, the NFL’s revenue was expected to drop, making a massive dent in the salary cap. While the NFL and NFLPA worked to set a cap floor of $180 million this upcoming season, it was widely expected the cap wouldn’t be much above the floor.
With the salary cap finally set, we now have a better idea of what the Baltimore Ravens have available to them this season. According to Over The Cap and the NFLPA’s public salary cap tracker, the Ravens will have roughly $19.9 million available. That ranks as the 13th most in the NFL, thanks largely to several teams being well over the cap currently. Teams have until the league year begins on March 17 to get under the $182.5 million limit.
Baltimore could still create more cap space by either cutting certain players or restructuring some contracts to push more money into future years. With some major needs at a few positions this offseason and a potentially down market, the Ravens might be able to find some real value pickups given their cap situation.
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