Category Archives: CBA Basics

Players approve new NFL CBA

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By a relatively close vote of 1,109 to 959, NFL players approved the new collective bargaining agreement, which will cover the next 11 seasons, including the 2020 season, which would have been the last season covered by the 2011 CBA. Here is the statement from the NFLPA. Our statement on the CBA vote: pic.twitter.com/3pXydLLQ9c — NFLPA (@NFLPA) March 15, 2020 Stay tuned to salarycapinfo.com for more info regarding the new CBA and how agreement impacts all those involved in the Continue ReadingPlayers approve new NFL CBA→

Creative contracts: signing bonuses and void years

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The NFL’s salary cap is a hard cap. However, accounting and contract maneuvers can help teams create salary cap room in a current season, though not without impacting the salary cap in a future season. In this post we will discuss the basics of signing bonuses. We will also discuss a contract mechanism which teams have used to have portions of a signing bonus allocated against the salary cap in a specific future season. Signing bonus basics Signing bonuses are Continue ReadingCreative contracts: signing bonuses and void years→

Start of the NFL League Year

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One of the great things about team sports is that no matter how poorly your team performs during one season, the next season is right around the corner. Every team is undefeated again. It’s out with the old, in with the new! While football is a team sport, on and off the field, the teams that best manage the cap and team construction during the offseason help to set the tone for the coaching staff during the season. Out with Continue ReadingStart of the NFL League Year→

Franchise and Transition Tags

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Free agency in the NFL begins on Wednesday, March 14th, at 4:00 p.m. For top NFL players, being an unrestricted free agent is the first time in their careers that they will be able to sign a market rate contract after having been previously subjected to the rookie contract and possibly the restricted free agency rules contained within the CBA. This is a great time to be an upper echelon NFL player, right? Not so fast! NFL players that have Continue ReadingFranchise and Transition Tags→

Salary Cap Rollover Amounts

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The salary cap number that gets released by the NFL is likely not the salary cap number applicable to your favorite team. While the final salary cap number will be determined in advance of the start of the 2019 league year, the NFL announced in December that the salary cap for the 2019 season will be around $190 million. This information will help teams prepare for the moves that they will make during the offseason to prep for the 2019 Continue ReadingSalary Cap Rollover Amounts→

Split Contracts

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This is the second post in our CBA Basics series. Today we will discuss split contracts. How can an NFL player actually earn less than a minimum salary? When a split salary is included within his contract. Star NFL players and high draft picks do not need to be concerned with this CBA nuance. However, for mid to late round draft picks, rookie free agents, end of the roster veterans, and players coming back from injury, a split salary provision Continue ReadingSplit Contracts→

Rookie Contract Structures

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This is the first post in our CBA Basics Series. Each CBA Basics Series post will introduce a topic from the CBA and distill it down to its essential elements. Today we will discuss Rookie Contract Structures. Under the old CBA (prior to the current CBA which took effect for the 2011 league year), highly drafted rookies were signing contracts for tremendous amounts of money as agents and executives learned to exploit the loopholes of the CBA. In the last Continue ReadingRookie Contract Structures→