I Was Wrong (Cap Room)

[Frank Hollywood]

The salary cap never accounts for more than 53 players. From the first day of the league year until the 53 man roster limit goes into effect Sunday before the regular season starts only the top 51 cap charges are counted. Following that and until the end of the season the cap counts the 53 players on the roster. You never need to account for more than 53 salaries.

Ah, I see now. The math adds up, but I've still never heard of it broken down like that before. That would mKe the 4.6 mil draft pool irrelevant and I'm not sure why it's talked about on popular salary cap sited if that's the case. Spotrac doesn't even factor in the draft pool money even though it looks at first glance that they do. I dunno....

[ThPantherFan]

Most fans who do not follow the cap religiously hear the media throw out the 11 million dollar number and assume that is how much we have to spend because why say that and not take out money for drafted players already. I think that David Newton article will calm a lot of mad fans down like myself. I do know we have a good amount of cap next year and the year after even after including 30 to 40 million for Newton/Luke deals.

That picture is ugly.  Sorry if that's you.  Well, I just looked in the mirror so never mind my comment.  I just saw an uglier one.

[jdpanther5]

Our 51st contract is for $585,000; every one of our picks from rounds 3-7 will make less so they will not count in the top 51. Our top two picks are for $1,449,364 and $684,396 - unless we trade up or down - for a total of $2,133,760.

These two contracts will then bump two of the $585,000 deals out of the top 51. So...

$2,133,760 - (585,000 × 2) = $963,760 to sign the rooks.

[Moorgan]

I like this thread but what was the final answer...because I was told there'd be no math.

[PandaPancake]

What happened to all our cash?

[Bartin]

Ah, I see now. The math adds up, but I've still never heard of it broken down like that before. That would mKe the 4.6 mil draft pool irrelevant and I'm not sure why it's talked about on popular salary cap sited if that's the case. Spotrac doesn't even factor in the draft pool money even though it looks at first glance that they do. I dunno....

The reason you never see it broken down like that is because it's pretty damn complicated unless you are good at/like math/accounting and it's much easier to just spout numbers that no one is really going to bother to question you on. someone like Newton can basically say whatever the hell he wants regarding the cap and as long as it looks right not many are going to bother to question him on it.

Even Bill Barnwell who is regarded as a numbers NFL guy made a major mistake when discussing Brees's trade cap ramifications and then reposted the same blunder this week on Twitter and to my knowledge no one has called him on it. Because 99.9% don't understand and the rest don't bother to correct someone when you know how much explanation will be required to make someone else understand.