THURSDAY, 4:44pm: The 2014 cap could be set as soon as tomorrow, and barring an unexpected development, it figures to be in the $132-133MM range, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 12:56pm: The projected 2014 cap continues to rise, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hearing from a source that the final number will likely exceed $132MM. According to the source, the cap could end up being a “few million” higher than $132MM.
SATURDAY, 12:43pm: ESPN’s John Clayton says the 2014 cap projection is now up to $132MM (via Twitter).
FEBRUARY 20, 7:57am: Heading into the NFL offseason, we’ve been assuming that the salary cap for the 2014 league year will fall somewhere between the $126.3MM figure initially projected by the league and $128MM, the amount multiple reporters have suggested is more likely. However, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, teams may have even more cap flexibility in 2014. Schefter hears from league sources that the cap is now projected to be in the neighborhood of $130MM, up more than 5% from last season’s $123MM figure.
That higher projection is a win-win for teams, who will have a little more wiggle room than they anticipated, and players, some of whom should reap the benefits of that added flexibility. It’s particularly good news for clubs whose salary commitments for 2014 had already approached or surpassed the initial cap projections, such as the Cowboys, Steelers, Seahawks, and Saints.
The official cap figure, which is determined based on the NFL’s revenues, will be established in March when the new league year begins.