Everything Free Agency 2021 - Rumors, news and notes

[Forge]

1 minute ago, squire12 said:

what benefit is it to the current players to have less total money league wide available for them if they are a FA, or about to become a FA if they are cut as a need for a team to get below a salary cap of $180M?

 

Right, but that doesn't mean that they are going to fight to get it bumped up. The NFLPA knows just as well as we do that in order to fix this year, they are going to have to give up something big and they may not want to do that, so they may prefer to take it on the chin for a year. 

[squire12]

This is from Spotrac and based off the $175M salary cap projection.

Total league wide cap space available is $464,859,711 or an average of $14,526,866

Rookie picks $251,287,305

I don't see how the current veterans would want to have a market of around $210M for FA market

 

rank	team	signed players	avg age	active contracts	dead cap	top 51	cap space
1	Jacksonville Jaguars	57	25.57	$125,703,331	$249,764	$128,862,887	$79,618,517	$132,822,887	$75,658,517
2	Indianapolis Colts	64	25.41	$123,498,215	$255,139	$114,813,354	$78,497,543	$123,753,354	$69,557,543
3	New York Jets	55	25.64	$123,116,697	$15,677,075	$136,153,772	$75,532,774	$138,793,772	$72,892,774
4	New England Patriots	57	26.7	$139,119,621	$863,689	$135,903,310	$68,667,937	$139,983,310	$64,587,937
5	Cincinnati Bengals	48	25.81	$147,805,422	$2,363,183	$150,168,605	$45,623,670	$150,168,605	$45,623,670
6	Washington Football Team	65	25.94	$163,196,917	$4,864,096	$157,741,013	$43,089,160	$168,061,013	$32,769,160
7	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	30	26.5	$150,110,842	$827,102	$150,937,944	$38,644,114	$150,937,944	$38,644,114
8	Miami Dolphins	57	25.75	$168,070,545	$489,908	$164,600,453	$35,628,922	$168,560,453	$31,668,922
9	Los Angeles Chargers	45	25.71	$159,047,893	$58,008	$159,105,901	$33,966,398	$159,105,901	$33,966,398
10	Cleveland Browns	61	25.92	$192,866,511	$506,935	$185,693,446	$29,673,158	$193,373,446	$21,993,158
11	Baltimore Ravens	54	26.22	$146,842,293	$11,798,771	$156,541,064	$29,045,758	$158,641,064	$26,945,758
12	Denver Broncos	54	26.17	$175,716,460	$601,609	$174,098,069	$28,690,052	$176,318,069	$26,470,052
13	Dallas Cowboys	62	25.87	$181,219,660	$9,078,018	$182,677,678	$27,765,761	$190,297,678	$20,145,761
14	San Francisco 49ers	53	27.02	$155,620,632	$9,933,307	$165,553,939	$21,368,360	$165,553,939	$21,368,360
15	Arizona Cardinals	55	26.09	$167,197,827	$4,638,222	$170,512,007	$19,523,541	$171,836,049	$18,199,499
16	Carolina Panthers	54	25.83	$164,231,441	$9,155,807	$171,407,248	$17,863,434	$173,387,248	$15,883,434
17	Seattle Seahawks	49	26.02	$171,048,875	$1,308,598	$172,357,473	$13,599,004	$172,357,473	$13,599,004
18	New York Giants	68	26.46	$190,412,356	$3,222,623	$181,874,979	$7,926,396	$193,634,979	-$3,833,604
19	Buffalo Bills	54	26.81	$184,369,068	$2,873,544	$184,902,612	$3,869,343	$187,242,612	$1,529,343
20	Tennessee Titans	52	26.35	$185,057,356	$1,641,809	$186,039,165	$1,309,657	$186,699,165	$649,657
21	Chicago Bears	47	26.72	$190,685,085	$1,868,658	$192,553,743	-$510,748	$192,553,743	-$510,748
22	Detroit Lions	51	26.22	$179,378,157	$19,360,352	$198,738,509	-$919,041	$198,738,509	-$919,041
23	Minnesota Vikings	56	26.07	$197,041,630	$518,978	$194,140,608	-$4,614,284	$197,560,608	-$8,034,284
24	Houston Texans	53	26.96	$191,463,263	$360,773	$200,757,712	-$6,567,867	$202,077,712	-$7,887,867
25	Las Vegas Raiders	57	26.32	$199,232,860	$1,220,768	$197,811,607	-$9,237,636	$200,453,628	-$11,879,657
26	Kansas City Chiefs	45	26.34	$201,354,626	$693,525	$202,048,151	-$11,950,898	$202,048,151	-$11,950,898
27	Pittsburgh Steelers	54	26.28	$203,871,140	$6,837,962	$208,729,102	-$18,778,547	$210,709,102	-$20,758,547
28	Green Bay Packers	61	26.07	$217,567,369	$353,141	$210,600,510	-$21,851,617	$217,920,510	-$29,171,617
29	Atlanta Falcons	42	26.64	$202,223,007	$7,774,444	$209,997,451	-$23,216,845	$209,997,451	-$23,216,845
30	Los Angeles Rams	63	25.84	$194,472,671	$30,792,097	$215,904,768	-$25,230,627	$225,264,768	-$34,590,627
31	Philadelphia Eagles	64	26.36	$258,457,828	$538,858	$249,216,686	-$41,459,911	$258,996,686	-$51,239,911
32	New Orleans Saints	61	27.57	$267,152,283	$235,673	$259,827,956	-$70,705,767	$267,387,956	-$78,265,767
						total	$464,859,711
						avg per team	$14,526,866

 

 

Rookie pool 

Team	Total Rookie Pool
Jaguars	$14,534,481
Jets	$11,926,274
Texans	$5,867,986
Falcons	$11,111,858
Bengals	$9,418,003
Eagles	$8,929,631
Lions	$7,349,144
Panthers	$8,969,828
Broncos	$8,911,889
Cowboys	$9,603,333
Giants	$6,573,743
49ers	$9,104,447
Chargers	$8,400,000
Vikings	$9,514,126
Patriots	$8,967,991
Cardinals	$5,187,136
Raiders	$5,269,376
Dolphins	$11,962,766
Washington	$7,321,312
Bears	$7,060,981
Colts	$6,425,988
Titans	$6,552,240
Seahawks	$3,085,093
Steelers	$7,705,266
Rams	$4,610,399
Browns	$7,845,228
Ravens	$6,269,143
Saints	$4,943,112
Packers	$8,253,136
Bills	$5,373,328
Buccaneers	$6,756,486
Chiefs	$7,483,581
total	$251,287,305

 

[SkippyX]

35 minutes ago, ACO said:

 

Dak won't play on another tag. So if they can't work it out I would assume they will tag and trade him.

If he plays on this tag (37.7?) then he is free next year or they have to tag him at about 54 million.

He's almost out of the Kirk Cousins tunnel, don't turn back now.

Get an insurance policy.

[SkippyX]

FYI - Spotrac is a good reference but Overthecap is usually more accurate/up to date.

It also has that handy calculator for trades and cuts before and after June 1st.

[ACO]

4 minutes ago, SkippyX said:

If he plays on this tag (37.7?) then he is free next year or they have to tag him at about 54 million.

He's almost out of the Kirk Cousins tunnel, don't turn back now.

Get an insurance policy.

I get that logic but won't risk getting hurt again. He played that game last year. I don't see him doing it again. But either way Dak will be getting PAAAAAID. 

[Forge]

Just now, squire12 said:

This is from Spotrac and based off the $175M salary cap projection.

Total league wide cap space available is $464,859,711 or an average of $14,526,866

Rookie picks $251,287,305

I don't see how the current veterans would want to have a market of around $210M for FA market

 

 

 

rank	team	signed players	avg age	active contracts	dead cap	top 51	cap space
1	Jacksonville Jaguars	57	25.57	$125,703,331	$249,764	$128,862,887	$79,618,517	$132,822,887	$75,658,517
2	Indianapolis Colts	64	25.41	$123,498,215	$255,139	$114,813,354	$78,497,543	$123,753,354	$69,557,543
3	New York Jets	55	25.64	$123,116,697	$15,677,075	$136,153,772	$75,532,774	$138,793,772	$72,892,774
4	New England Patriots	57	26.7	$139,119,621	$863,689	$135,903,310	$68,667,937	$139,983,310	$64,587,937
5	Cincinnati Bengals	48	25.81	$147,805,422	$2,363,183	$150,168,605	$45,623,670	$150,168,605	$45,623,670
6	Washington Football Team	65	25.94	$163,196,917	$4,864,096	$157,741,013	$43,089,160	$168,061,013	$32,769,160
7	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	30	26.5	$150,110,842	$827,102	$150,937,944	$38,644,114	$150,937,944	$38,644,114
8	Miami Dolphins	57	25.75	$168,070,545	$489,908	$164,600,453	$35,628,922	$168,560,453	$31,668,922
9	Los Angeles Chargers	45	25.71	$159,047,893	$58,008	$159,105,901	$33,966,398	$159,105,901	$33,966,398
10	Cleveland Browns	61	25.92	$192,866,511	$506,935	$185,693,446	$29,673,158	$193,373,446	$21,993,158
11	Baltimore Ravens	54	26.22	$146,842,293	$11,798,771	$156,541,064	$29,045,758	$158,641,064	$26,945,758
12	Denver Broncos	54	26.17	$175,716,460	$601,609	$174,098,069	$28,690,052	$176,318,069	$26,470,052
13	Dallas Cowboys	62	25.87	$181,219,660	$9,078,018	$182,677,678	$27,765,761	$190,297,678	$20,145,761
14	San Francisco 49ers	53	27.02	$155,620,632	$9,933,307	$165,553,939	$21,368,360	$165,553,939	$21,368,360
15	Arizona Cardinals	55	26.09	$167,197,827	$4,638,222	$170,512,007	$19,523,541	$171,836,049	$18,199,499
16	Carolina Panthers	54	25.83	$164,231,441	$9,155,807	$171,407,248	$17,863,434	$173,387,248	$15,883,434
17	Seattle Seahawks	49	26.02	$171,048,875	$1,308,598	$172,357,473	$13,599,004	$172,357,473	$13,599,004
18	New York Giants	68	26.46	$190,412,356	$3,222,623	$181,874,979	$7,926,396	$193,634,979	-$3,833,604
19	Buffalo Bills	54	26.81	$184,369,068	$2,873,544	$184,902,612	$3,869,343	$187,242,612	$1,529,343
20	Tennessee Titans	52	26.35	$185,057,356	$1,641,809	$186,039,165	$1,309,657	$186,699,165	$649,657
21	Chicago Bears	47	26.72	$190,685,085	$1,868,658	$192,553,743	-$510,748	$192,553,743	-$510,748
22	Detroit Lions	51	26.22	$179,378,157	$19,360,352	$198,738,509	-$919,041	$198,738,509	-$919,041
23	Minnesota Vikings	56	26.07	$197,041,630	$518,978	$194,140,608	-$4,614,284	$197,560,608	-$8,034,284
24	Houston Texans	53	26.96	$191,463,263	$360,773	$200,757,712	-$6,567,867	$202,077,712	-$7,887,867
25	Las Vegas Raiders	57	26.32	$199,232,860	$1,220,768	$197,811,607	-$9,237,636	$200,453,628	-$11,879,657
26	Kansas City Chiefs	45	26.34	$201,354,626	$693,525	$202,048,151	-$11,950,898	$202,048,151	-$11,950,898
27	Pittsburgh Steelers	54	26.28	$203,871,140	$6,837,962	$208,729,102	-$18,778,547	$210,709,102	-$20,758,547
28	Green Bay Packers	61	26.07	$217,567,369	$353,141	$210,600,510	-$21,851,617	$217,920,510	-$29,171,617
29	Atlanta Falcons	42	26.64	$202,223,007	$7,774,444	$209,997,451	-$23,216,845	$209,997,451	-$23,216,845
30	Los Angeles Rams	63	25.84	$194,472,671	$30,792,097	$215,904,768	-$25,230,627	$225,264,768	-$34,590,627
31	Philadelphia Eagles	64	26.36	$258,457,828	$538,858	$249,216,686	-$41,459,911	$258,996,686	-$51,239,911
32	New Orleans Saints	61	27.57	$267,152,283	$235,673	$259,827,956	-$70,705,767	$267,387,956	-$78,265,767
						total	$464,859,711
						avg per team	$14,526,866

 

 

Rookie pool 

 

Team	Total Rookie Pool
Jaguars	$14,534,481
Jets	$11,926,274
Texans	$5,867,986
Falcons	$11,111,858
Bengals	$9,418,003
Eagles	$8,929,631
Lions	$7,349,144
Panthers	$8,969,828
Broncos	$8,911,889
Cowboys	$9,603,333
Giants	$6,573,743
49ers	$9,104,447
Chargers	$8,400,000
Vikings	$9,514,126
Patriots	$8,967,991
Cardinals	$5,187,136
Raiders	$5,269,376
Dolphins	$11,962,766
Washington	$7,321,312
Bears	$7,060,981
Colts	$6,425,988
Titans	$6,552,240
Seahawks	$3,085,093
Steelers	$7,705,266
Rams	$4,610,399
Browns	$7,845,228
Ravens	$6,269,143
Saints	$4,943,112
Packers	$8,253,136
Bills	$5,373,328
Buccaneers	$6,756,486
Chiefs	$7,483,581
total	$251,287,305

 

But what do you have to give up and which is more important? I don't know that this one year is worth giving up whatever it is going to require to borrower against future years....and here's the thing, it's a one year bandaid. You're borrowing against future years. You're likely not getting this as a grant. It's an interest free loan. So sure, you get a bump of 30 this year, but they're probably going to reduce the cap 10 million for each of the next three from where it was. 

I just don't know if one single year is enough for the entirety of the NFLPA to fight for. There's going to be a decent contingent of players (likely the guys on the bottom of the pole) that may not want to do it. 

I haven't heard of the PA wanting to fight for a higher cap at this point and as we both acknowledged, that's going to take an entire CBA addendum...it's a big deal. So are we even sure that's something that is really going to happen. I get why the players want more money. That's not in question. What's in question is whether or not its worth it to them

 

[Forge]

6 minutes ago, SkippyX said:

If he plays on this tag (37.7?) then he is free next year or they have to tag him at about 54 million.

He's almost out of the Kirk Cousins tunnel, don't turn back now.

Get an insurance policy.

Yeah, if I'm Dak, I kind of take the tag and run unless he knows something is wrong with the ankle (which doesn't appear to be the case) 

[SkippyX]

1 minute ago, Forge said:

Yeah, if I'm Dak, I kind of take the tag and run unless he knows something is wrong with the ankle (which doesn't appear to be the case) 

2 years 69 million before getting your huge deal is not the worst case scenario.

Spend 500k on the insurance. (I have no idea what this kind of policy costs)

[squire12]

1 minute ago, Forge said:

But what do you have to give up and which is more important? I don't know that this one year is worth giving up whatever it is going to require to borrower against future years....and here's the thing, it's a one year bandaid. You're borrowing against future years. You're likely not getting this as a grant. It's an interest free loan. So sure, you get a bump of 30 this year, but they're probably going to reduce the cap 10 million for each of the next three from where it was. 

I just don't know if one single year is enough for the entirety of the NFLPA to fight for. There's going to be a decent contingent of players (likely the guys on the bottom of the pole) that may not want to do it. 

I haven't heard of the PA wanting to fight for a higher cap at this point and as we both acknowledged, that's going to take an entire CBA addendum...it's a big deal. So are we even sure that's something that is really going to happen. I get why the players want more money. That's not in question. What's in question is whether or not its worth it to them

 

I'm not sure what the current players would be willing to give up for $$ now for them vs what future players may have to deal with.  Players like $$. 

Agree that a decision to adjust the cap now affects things down stream.   So does a bunch of players signing 1 year cheap deals and flooding the FA market again next season.  

It will be an interesting next 4-5 weeks as this gets finalized before the new league year opens

[squire12]

4 minutes ago, Forge said:

Yeah, if I'm Dak, I kind of take the tag and run unless he knows something is wrong with the ankle (which doesn't appear to be the case) 

I would as well.   2020 salary was $31.4M on the first tag.   It goes up to 120% of that to $37.68M

Dallas would be hard pressed to be able to afford a 3rd tag at 144% (assuming that is the rule still on the consecutive year franchise tag).

 

[Jakuvious]

IMO, if there was going to be a big push by either side on raising this year's cap, we would've heard more about it already. That's an opinion either side would want out there, to try to rally fans and public support around the idea. They would've been working on that end for months already.

Ultimately though, assuming any cap increase this year would involve borrowing from future years (which it would basically have to, as the owners aren't going to yield on the CBA's allocation of how much money goes to the players), the only people incentivized by raising the cap in 2021 would be this year's pending free agent class, and whatever select few teams would really want that. The players as a whole wouldn't care when the money falls. If you're already on a contract, it's pretty irrelevant to you. If you're on a contract that expires in 2022 or 2023, you're incentivized to not want to shift cap money from those years into this one. It's really just anyone looking to get paid in 2021 that is going to want it raised, and ultimately that's going to be a small minority in the grand scheme of things. And even for those players, their agents will be able to get them their money, it likely just changes the structure in which it comes. They'll still get paid, just maybe in more signing bonus or future year's of guaranteed salary, as opposed to much money up front.

And then I imagine the owners don't care much either way. You probably have a few teams that would really like to push for help this year, if they were counting on this year being a salary dump year or something, akin to last year's Patriots. But those will be few and far between. Every team should have been planning for months for this. I know the Chiefs FO was quoted a little bit ago saying they'd be comfortable with anything in the $180M - $185M. Even the worst off teams have had multiple fanmade roadmaps for getting under the cap for months now.

And someone said the league doesn't want quality of play to decrease because they have to cut a bunch of guys. Those guys will circulate around. The vast majority of cap casualty guys, or FAs who would normally go for $5M+, would still rather have $1M or $2M on a one year deal, than sit at home all offseason. There will be bargain bin deals aplenty, as guys want to stay in the league, even if it means a lower value deal. A ton of guys are going to have the 2020 Bashaud Breeland free agency experience. Where they think they earned themselves a market, find out they didn't, and then settle, because $2M is better than what they're getting doing anything else.

[squire12]

11 minutes ago, Jakuvious said:

IMO, if there was going to be a big push by either side on raising this year's cap, we would've heard more about it already. That's an opinion either side would want out there, to try to rally fans and public support around the idea. They would've been working on that end for months already.

Ultimately though, assuming any cap increase this year would involve borrowing from future years (which it would basically have to, as the owners aren't going to yield on the CBA's allocation of how much money goes to the players), the only people incentivized by raising the cap in 2021 would be this year's pending free agent class, and whatever select few teams would really want that. The players as a whole wouldn't care when the money falls. If you're already on a contract, it's pretty irrelevant to you. If you're on a contract that expires in 2022 or 2023, you're incentivized to not want to shift cap money from those years into this one. It's really just anyone looking to get paid in 2021 that is going to want it raised, and ultimately that's going to be a small minority in the grand scheme of things. And even for those players, their agents will be able to get them their money, it likely just changes the structure in which it comes. They'll still get paid, just maybe in more signing bonus or future year's of guaranteed salary, as opposed to much money up front.

And then I imagine the owners don't care much either way. You probably have a few teams that would really like to push for help this year, if they were counting on this year being a salary dump year or something, akin to last year's Patriots. But those will be few and far between. Every team should have been planning for months for this. I know the Chiefs FO was quoted a little bit ago saying they'd be comfortable with anything in the $180M - $185M. Even the worst off teams have had multiple fanmade roadmaps for getting under the cap for months now.

And someone said the league doesn't want quality of play to decrease because they have to cut a bunch of guys. Those guys will circulate around. The vast majority of cap casualty guys, or FAs who would normally go for $5M+, would still rather have $1M or $2M on a one year deal, than sit at home all offseason. There will be bargain bin deals aplenty, as guys want to stay in the league, even if it means a lower value deal. A ton of guys are going to have the 2020 Bashaud Breeland free agency experience. Where they think they earned themselves a market, find out they didn't, and then settle, because $2M is better than what they're getting doing anything else.

Can't disagree with this.

But for every cheap 1 year deal players sign this year means that many more FA in 2022.  To imply that has no effect on future potential earnings is foolish.

[SteelKing728]

I live in Pittsburgh, and rumorville has it that the Steelers want Aaron Jones.

[RaidersAreOne]

 

[ravishingone]

1 minute ago, RaidersAreOne said:

 

Never going to complain about a player wanting to get paid.  It will be interesting to see what his market will be at age 31.  On a yearly avg, I don t think the Bucs will make him the highest paid LB in the league.