The National Football League has finally announced the salary cap for 2021 and it’s significantly lower than it was last season. This year’s cap of $182.5 million is over $15 million less than last year’s due to the COVID-19 outbreak, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
NFL salary cap this season will be $182.5 million.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2021
Last year’s cap: $198.2 million.
This year’s cap: $182.5 million.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2021
Stadiums were limited in capacity last year to prevent the spread of the virus and it hurt the league’s bottom line. Since the NFL paid its athletes their full 2020 salaries, this is the league’s way of recouping some of that money. Teams were hoping for the drop off to be less noticeable, though.
DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA executive director, sent the following letter to players emphasizing that this will be a one-year setback and that the cap will go back to increasing in 2022 and beyond.
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith sent this letter to players tonight in advance of the 2021 salary cap being set, emphasizing an expectation that cap growth will resume in coming years after this season’s COVID-related reduction. pic.twitter.com/hgNJbEhDe7
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 10, 2021
The Falcons did not place their franchise tag on free-agent safety Keanu Neal at Tuesday’s deadline, meaning he’s likely to play for a new team next season. To create space, the team released veteran guard James Carpenter.
Atlanta is currently $16 million over the cap and therefore, you can expect to see more cap casualties as the team prepares for the start of the new league year on March 17.
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