The Houston Texans were already salary cap-strapped heading into the 2021 offseason, and the loss of revenues from the lockdowns over 2020 didn’t help their cap situation in new general manager Nick Caserio’s first offseason.
The Texans had to let go of defensive end J.J. Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and face of the franchise. Houston also had to get creative and restructure some contracts to provide additional cap space. The veterans signed in free agency were “singles and doubles” as the Texans just didn’t have the cap space to hit home runs.
That may change in 2022.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the NFL and the NFLPA have agreed to a salary cap ceiling of $208.2 million for the 2022 season.
The final salary cap won't be set until February, and it could land below $208.2M in 2022 depending on revenue projections. But this is a step back in the right direction, with major cash from new media deals, gambling, etc., expected to spike the cap in 2023 and beyond. https://t.co/8h8cYjjf1d
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 26, 2021
The salary cap won’t be officially set until February. However, with the ceiling at $208.2 million, it is possible the Texans could get an additional $25.7 million on top of any salary cap carryover from the 2021 books, which would be just what the doctored ordered as Houston will have its first- and second-round picks for the 2022 NFL draft.
Rebounding from the poor mistakes of the previous regime may take at least two offseasons, but it is on the horizon.
