Dumb question about league minimum cap

[KC kid]

Is it possible the Chiefs would want to trade someone in order to avoid being under the league minimum? Wouldn't trading someone with years left on their contract accelerate and go against this year?

There is no minimum. Trading somebody with years left on their contract would cause their signing bonus money only to accelerate and be spread over the next two years. If they're cut or traded prior to June 1, their bonus goes against current year cap. So if you have a veteran with a minimal signing bonus it makes very little difference because salaries and roster bonuses are not guaranteed and will not count against the cap.

[KC kid]

I thought there was a minimum that every NFL franchise had to get to salary wise?

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by KC kid

I thought there was a minimum that every NFL franchise had to get to salary wise?

there is a minimum salary cap floor for each team. The minimum is like 88% of the total Salary Cap.

I believe the floor % goes up like 1% each year but can't exceed 90%.


Trading a player who has already been paid a signing bonus would accelerate the cap hit. The number is prorated so whatever hasn't been counted against the cap would hit.


ie

Player A gets a 10 million dollar signing bonus on a 5 yr contract. Each year 2 million dollars of the signing bonus would be counted against the team's cap. If the player is traded in year 3 of his contract then 2X2 = 4 million dollars would be hit against the cap if he was traded.

i also believe each team has a 1 player exemption where they can defer a traded players cap hit 50% to the following year.

[WhitiE]

Originally Posted by Laz

there is a minimum salary cap floor for each team. The minimum is like 88% of the total Salary Cap.

I believe the floor % goes up like 1% each year but can't exceed 90%.


Trading a player who has already been paid a signing bonus would accelerate the cap hit. The number is prorated so whatever hasn't been counted against the cap would hit.


ie

Player A gets a 10 million dollar signing bonus on a 5 yr contract. Each year 2 million dollars of the signing bonus would be counted against the team's cap. If the player is traded in year 3 of his contract then 2X2 = 4 million dollars would be hit against the cap if he was traded.

i also believe each team has a 1 player exemption where they can defer a traded players cap hit 50% to the following year.

that last part true laz? or i guess anyone could answer that....

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by WhitiE

that last part true laz? or i guess anyone could answer that....

It's something new that was added in the last CBA negotiations. I don't know that exact details so i can't really tell you much.

It's allows the team to spend the salary cap hit over 2 years instead of one.

I believe it's only 1 player per year, per team and it applies to players cut before june 15th and also applies to trades.

Does that trade have to happen before june 15th? i dunno
Is there a deadline or can the trade happen during the season? i dunno

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Phobia

There is no minimum. Trading somebody with years left on their contract would cause their signing bonus money only to accelerate and be spread over the next two years. If they're cut or traded prior to June 1, their bonus goes against current year cap. So if you have a veteran with a minimal signing bonus it makes very little difference because salaries and roster bonuses are not guaranteed and will not count against the cap.

wow good answer

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

wow good answer

except for the part about how it's incorrect.

Yes, the minimum is new. We'll call it the Bengals rule.

The Feb 28th cut for the exemption is new as well. For some reason I was thinking it was two players who can be cut at the end of February but still spreading bonuses over 2 years - which makes the June 1 date even more irrelevant than ever.