With Free Agency 2018 set to start one week from today, and the "legal" tampering period two days before that, the NFL released some important money numbers on Monday. The salary cap for 2018 has been set at $177.2 million. That's a $10.2 million increase over the 2017 cap, nearly $22.over the 2016 cap, and about $142.6 million over the first salary cap number of $34.608 million in 1994. Despite idiotic reports of it's demise the NFL is doing just fine. Pizza Hut and FOX sports will confirm.
With the 2018 salary cap set the franchise tag numbers were revealed:
Quarterbacks: $23,189,000
Running backs: $11,866,000
Receivers: $15,982,000
Tight ends: $9,846,000
Offensive linemen: $14,077,000
Defensive ends: $17,143,000
Defensive tackles: $13,939,000
Linebackers: $14,961,000
Cornerbacks: $14,975,000
Safeties: $11,287,000
Punters/Kickers: $4, 939,000
It's a mystery as to why the offensive line and linebacker positions are grouped together and the defensive line positions are separated.
Yesterday was the deadline for teams to slap a franchise or transition tag on one of their impending free agents. The following teams have done some slapping:
Franchise tag:
Miami Dolphins: WR Jarvis Landry
Dallas Cowboys: DE DeMarcus Lawrence
Detroit Lions: DE Ezekiel Ansah
Los Angeles Rams: S Lamarcus Joyner
Pittsburgh Steelers: RB Le'Veon Bell
Transition tag:
Chicago Bears: CB Kyle Fuller
With an excess of $60 million to spend in free agency the Bears chose to save $2 million by using the transition tag rather than the franchise tag. They retain the right to match, and easily afford, any offer Fuller might get on the open market. If they choose not to match an offer, they receive no compensation under the transition tag. They want to keep Fuller but they're kinda okay if he leaves. The Seattle Seahawks took a similar thrifty route in 2005 and lost guard Steve Hutchinson.
Less splashy was the release of the 2018 Restricted Free Agent Tenders:
Low: $1,907,000
2nd round: $2,914, 000
1st round: $4,149,000
The 2018 free agency spending spree spending begins next Wednesday.
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