The NFL salary cap took a big dip in 2021 thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions on attendance. But it’s clear the drop is just a hiccup and not a long-term trend.
The NFL and NFLPA have now agreed to bump the 2022 salary cap to $208.2 million, which represents the highest season-to-season increase in league history. In 2020 the cap is just $182.5 million, down from over $198 million in 2019. There is not a spending floor for any of the 32 teams established yet.
The Lions are poised to benefit from the raised cap. Detroit currently ranks in the top eight teams in terms of available cap room for 2021, and that money can carry over into 2022. It’s a boon for free agent spending for both the teams and the players who will hit the market after 2021. Adding over $25 million per team to the cap is proof that the NFL business remains quite healthy, too.
