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After some big spending in free agency and eyeballing extensions for players like Jessie Bates, the Cincinnati Bengals could use as much salary cap wiggle room as possible.
And the NFL might be able to lend a hand in that regard.
After reducing the salary cap to $182.5 million for the 2021 season due to the loss of revenue courtesy of COVID-19, the NFL has assigned a $208.2 million salary cap ceiling for 2022.
As of right now, the Bengals have roughly $25 million in free cap space. But an extension for someone like Bates will largely hit the team’s future years of cap space, so this is pretty noteworthy.
With the NFL planning to get back to normal attendance hopefully this season, an expected uptick in salary cap space for future years starting in 2022 could help the Bengals keep core pieces of the team in town for the long term.
Keep in mind this is especially important when viewed through a long-term lens because Joe Burrow isn’t going to be on a rookie contract forever.
The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to a $208.2 million salary cap ceiling for 2022, per source.
There is no cap floor as of now. The sides agreed last August to spread the COVID-related revenue shortfall from 2020 over several years, and the cap dropped to $182.5M this year.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 26, 2021
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