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Agent's Take: The five teams with the worst salary cap situations

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Agent's Take: The five teams with the worst salary cap situations
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NFL teams were informed at an NFL meeting on December 9 that the 2015 salary cap is preliminarily projected to be between $138.6 million and $141.8 million. The actual salary cap this year is 5.3 percent higher than the preliminary projections this time last year. When the 2015 salary cap is set in late February or early March, the expectation is for it to once again exceed initial projections.

The Saints, Cardinals, Steelers, Patriots and 49ers are the five teams with the worst salary cap situations entering 2015.

Below are some options for them to become compliant with the cap when the new league year begins on March 10, assuming it comes in at $142 million. Other potential key offseason developments have also been identified with the teams.

The St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs also have extremely tight cap situations. The Rams are approximately $500,000 over the cap while the Chiefs have slightly under $400,000 of cap room.

Surprisingly, the Dallas Cowboys, who have become synonymous with unsound salary cap management, are not among the five teams with the worst salary cap situations. The team currently has $5.478 million of 2015 cap space. More can easily be created by reducing Tony Romo's league high $27.773 million 2015 cap number in a contract restructure, which may be necessary in order to put a $12.708 million franchise tag (assumes $142 million salary cap) on Dez Bryant.

Included in each team's calculations in order to give a more complete cap picture:
• Fourth-year proven performance escalators earned by third- through seventh-round picks under the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement's rookie wage scale

• Tenders for restricted free agents and exclusive rights players with expiring contracts and voidable contract years

• Futures contracts for practice squad players

•Unused cap room carry-over from this year to 2015​

In the offseason, only the top 51 cap numbers count on the cap. These projections include 51 players unless noted otherwise.

1. New Orleans Saints -- Salary cap overage: $23.07 million
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2. Arizona Cardinals -- Salary cap overage: $6.44 million
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3. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Salary cap overage: $2.901 Million
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4. New England Patriots -- Salary cap overage: $1.945 Million
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5. San Francisco 49ers -- Salary cap overage: $928,000
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I keep wondering how in the hell have the Broncos managed their cap so well with all of those stars? Elway has done a hell of a job.
 
Several of the Broncos' contracts have been high dollar pay as you go last contracts or rehab contracts in an all in game with Manning.
 
Broncos have to deal with WR Demaryius Thomas, TE Julius Thomas, LG Orlando Franklin and S Rahim Moore as UFAs after the 2014 season. Plus LB Von Miller's four-year rookie contract also expires after the 2014 season, where they have a 5th year option as a 1st round pick.

There's some money to be paid in that group.
 
Broncos have to deal with WR Demaryius Thomas, TE Julius Thomas, LG Orlando Franklin and S Rahim Moore as UFAs after the 2014 season. Plus LB Von Miller's four-year rookie contract also expires after the 2014 season, where they have a 5th year option as a 1st round pick.

There's some money to be paid in that group.

A lot of money. I won't be surprised if Julius Thomas isn't on the team in 2015. They'll pony up for Von Miller though.

I remember one of my 49'er friends bragging about their salary cap situation the year they went to the Super Bowl. I told him to expect that to change in a couple of years. It's easy to keep the cap low when your best talent doesn't get the opportunity to shine.
 
Plus LB Von Miller's four-year rookie contract also expires after the 2014 season, where they have a 5th year option as a 1st round pick.

They'll pony up for Von Miller though.

The Broncos have already exercised the option on Miller, meaning a 5th year of his contract kicks in at about $9.75 Million guaranteed. That figure is already included in any figures you may see regarding their 2015 cap number.

Because it's guaranteed, they're committed to him for next season, but they could still potentially lower the cap hit by reaching a long term agreement with him before the season starts. Very similar to JJ's situation with the Texans except that Miller's guaranteed amount is much larger than JJ's was since he was a top 10 pick.
 
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