With cap space but a lot of FAs, we wonder what BB has planned for 2021.
Here's an article by PFF that details which teams should fare well and which teams are looking a steep slide.
I believe this next year we'll see some expensive veteran leadership leave the team. DMac and Thuney head the list. I've also heard High and Cannon are considering retirement.
First things first, let’s see which teams will be best suited to retain their impending free agents (if they want to). We’re operating under the assumption that the 2021 salary cap will be the $175 million floor set by the NFLPA and NFL. While the two sides have discussed salary cap smoothing mechanisms to spread the cost over the next several seasons, the odds are that the final number will still be a much larger constraint on spending than it has been in at least a decade. The below chart will not exactly inspire confidence in free agents and their representatives, but hey, there’s no state income tax in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are the only team in the NFL that currently projects to have more cap space than the sum of their pending free agent values. Jacksonville conducted a fire sale before the season that saw A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue all get moved to new teams, which had the effect of both clearing cap space and reducing the value of their pending free agents.
The New York Jets followed a similar path, acquiring multiple first-round picks from the Seattle Seahawks for safety Jamal Adams shortly before the season. The free safety they drafted in the second round in 2017 to play opposite Adams, Marcus Maye, could end up commanding a sizable extension from the Jets this offseason in his own right.
Both teams fully embraced the reality of the 2020 season and understood that in this year, even more so than others, scrapping and clawing to five wins was pointless. Their extreme frugality could provide an advantage for years to come.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the front offices of the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles have their work cut out for them this offseason.
The Baltimore Ravens, in particular, have two edge rushers playing on franchise tags in Matthew Judon and newly acquired Yannick Ngakouee. However, they’ve also received valuable contributions from players like Jimmy Smith, Derek Wolfe, Tyus Bowser and Jihad Ward, among others. Baltimore loaded up on defense — trading for Calais Campbell even before the aforementioned Ngakoue — but there will be significant turnover after the season.
With Lamar Jackson’s rookie contract window coming to a close after next season, Baltimore poured resources into their defense — in particular, a defensive front that blitzes at a higher rate than anyone in the league.
Teams like the Ravens, Tampa Bay and New Orleans are facing significant turnover both with higher-level players as well as rotational or depth pieces. With a potential drop in the salary cap, it may be tough to avoid a slow start on the defensive side of the ball in 2021.
www.pff.com
Here's an article by PFF that details which teams should fare well and which teams are looking a steep slide.
I believe this next year we'll see some expensive veteran leadership leave the team. DMac and Thuney head the list. I've also heard High and Cannon are considering retirement.
First things first, let’s see which teams will be best suited to retain their impending free agents (if they want to). We’re operating under the assumption that the 2021 salary cap will be the $175 million floor set by the NFLPA and NFL. While the two sides have discussed salary cap smoothing mechanisms to spread the cost over the next several seasons, the odds are that the final number will still be a much larger constraint on spending than it has been in at least a decade. The below chart will not exactly inspire confidence in free agents and their representatives, but hey, there’s no state income tax in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are the only team in the NFL that currently projects to have more cap space than the sum of their pending free agent values. Jacksonville conducted a fire sale before the season that saw A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue all get moved to new teams, which had the effect of both clearing cap space and reducing the value of their pending free agents.
The New York Jets followed a similar path, acquiring multiple first-round picks from the Seattle Seahawks for safety Jamal Adams shortly before the season. The free safety they drafted in the second round in 2017 to play opposite Adams, Marcus Maye, could end up commanding a sizable extension from the Jets this offseason in his own right.
Both teams fully embraced the reality of the 2020 season and understood that in this year, even more so than others, scrapping and clawing to five wins was pointless. Their extreme frugality could provide an advantage for years to come.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the front offices of the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles have their work cut out for them this offseason.
The Baltimore Ravens, in particular, have two edge rushers playing on franchise tags in Matthew Judon and newly acquired Yannick Ngakouee. However, they’ve also received valuable contributions from players like Jimmy Smith, Derek Wolfe, Tyus Bowser and Jihad Ward, among others. Baltimore loaded up on defense — trading for Calais Campbell even before the aforementioned Ngakoue — but there will be significant turnover after the season.
With Lamar Jackson’s rookie contract window coming to a close after next season, Baltimore poured resources into their defense — in particular, a defensive front that blitzes at a higher rate than anyone in the league.
Teams like the Ravens, Tampa Bay and New Orleans are facing significant turnover both with higher-level players as well as rotational or depth pieces. With a potential drop in the salary cap, it may be tough to avoid a slow start on the defensive side of the ball in 2021.
Free Agency 2021: NFL teams set to lose most, least value to free agency | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF
With the upcoming offseason shaping up to be one of the more unique free agency periods on record, roster turnover will be under a microscope. Brad Spielberger takes a look around the NFL to investigate how each team stands ahead of the 2021 free agency period.
www.pff.com
Last edited:
