One of the more perplexing features of the NFL is the salary cap. On the one hand, it seems straight forward. On the other hand, it can get dicey and confusing. All general managers have a salary cap that all teams must fit under. Simple, right?
It gets more complicated in a hurry. After all, teams with very little cap space frequently sign marquee players to high dollar contracts. This is accomplished through bonuses, incentive-laden contract clauses, and back-loading a deal where the bulk of the contract’s value is paid in years the team expects to have more cap space.