Is the NFL salary cap a myth? Fans are beginning to wonder, mostly because the Rams never seem to run out of money.
Still riding high from their recent Super Bowl victory, their first since returning to Los Angeles in 2016, the Rams find themselves in the midst of another offseason spending spree, signing future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Donald and reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp to a pair of mammoth contract extensions, all within a span of 24 hours. Months earlier, the Rams backed up the Brink’s truck for Matthew Stafford (recipient of a four-year, $160-million extension), while splurging on free agents Allen Robinson (three years, $46.5 million) and Bobby Wagner (five years, $65 million).
The Rams, who haven’t had a first-round pick in six years, are an embarrassment of riches, pulling from an unlimited well of resources. But how do they afford it all?
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network did his best to answer that question on Good Morning Football, explaining how the Rams have been able to circumvent the NFL’s $208.2-million hard cap. “Every dollar you spend hits the cap eventually,” said Pelissero. “What teams can do is use signing bonuses, which are prorated. They are counted over the lifetime of the contract, at least up to five years, to push some of those dollars into future years’ salary caps.”
That’s precisely what the Rams have done, freeing up space by backloading contracts and converting salaries into signing bonuses. By kicking the can down the road, the Rams have more to spend now, allowing them to maximize their title window while worrying about the rest later. That may seem shortsighted, but if the salary cap keeps rising—and there’s no reason to think that it won’t—contracts that seem risky now may not be as daunting in a few years.
Unlike MLB and the NBA, where teams that spend over their allotted amount are penalized with a “luxury tax,” the NFL’s salary cap is set in stone. But not really. If you’re clever like the Rams, you can find ways around it, softening the blow by spreading contracts over several years. Credit the Rams for going all in, manipulating the cap to stockpile as many assets as possible.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram