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When analyzing the Cincinnati Bengals offseason so far, we’ve worked from the basis of a projected $175 million salary cap.
It could end up being higher, providing a boon for the Bengals.
Most projections set the $175 million cap as a safe estimate to account for the league spreading the revenue shortfall of the strange 2020 season across multiple years.
But according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, there’s a chance the cap is $185 million:
“Some team officials believe (and surely hope) the cap will ultimately land closer to $185 million per club — if not a little higher — than the $175 million minimum the sides agreed to last summer as they braced for empty and mostly empty stadiums.”
That might not sound like much in the grand scheme of things. But pair it with Cincinnati’s usual rollover cap space from last year and the team could maybe have in the $45 million range. That’s before a potential cut like Geno Atkins, which could save roughly $9.6 million more.
Some extra wiggle room could be the difference between keeping one of Carl Lawson and William Jackson or keeping them both. It could be the difference in having enough cash to lure a top offensive lineman to town or the nudge the team needs to extend a player like Jessie Bates.
As the league looks at several years with a reduced cap, a little extra money than expected is nothing to scoff at. We’ll know the final salary cap by the start of the new league year on March 17.
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