Reports keep coming in about what the NFL salary cap could look like in 2021, which continues to shift the outlook for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Initial guesses pinned the salary cap at a reduced $175 million in 2021 to accommodate revenue losses. That number shifted to a reported $185 million.
Now a new report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter it should sit at $180-$181 million.
No matter where the number lands, the Bengals have roughly $45 million after accounting for rollover cap space from last year.
Obvious cuts like Geno Atkins ($9.6 million) and B.J. Finney ($3.25) would bring it to roughly $57 million. The team could also stand to cut loose Bobby Hart ($5.8 million) and others to create even more room.
While the Bengals don’t figure to use the franchise tag this offseason, the numbers based on the new estimated salary cap are interesting:
On a $180.5M cap the franchise tag numbers should be
QB- $24.828M
WR- $15.808M
CB- $14.895M
LB- $14.630M
DE- $14.530M
DT- $13.736M
OL- $13.602M
S- $10.496M
TE- $8.496M
RB- $8.074M
P/K- $4.433M— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) February 7, 2021
That’s a $14.895 million bill if the Bengals hit William Jackson with the tag or $14.53 million if they do the same for Carl Lawson.
As always, any Bengals cap talk centers on whether the team will use its free space to retain one of — or both — of those guys, before suggesting the team could use the leftover cap to pay a free-agent offensive lineman.
The NFL will reveal the final cap number at the start of the new league year on March 17.
