NFLPA Mulling Possible Use Of $2 Million Cap Option

The NFL Players Association is reportedly deciding on whether or not to use a $2 million per team cap option that would increase the salary cap to roughly $128.3 million in 2014. The Pittsburgh Steelers could greatly benefit from an additional 2 million in 2014 salary cap space. Jason Cole of the National Football Post reports that the NFLPA is considering the option in hopes to end the string of 4 straight years of having the salary cap fall below the pre-2009 CBA high. The current projection of the 2014 salary cap is roughly $126.3 Mil.

The NFLPA has an incentive to do this, as tough negotiations in recent salary cap years have caused a strain on player relations. The option was born in 2012, when NFL owners reached an agreement with the union to deffer payments of certain benefits to future years of the CBA, and move that money to the compensation of salary. At that time, the NFLPA also agreed not to bring collusion charges against the NFL for events prior to the new CBA’s signing.

Cole also reports that NFLPA spokesman George Atallah declined to say whether the union would use it this year. In an email Atallah told Cole, “The new economic model places an emphasis on cash spending to players not on cap, which is the highest it has ever been. Any report on what the salary cap will be next season is speculative because we will not know until mid-March. No decisions can be considered until then. Any reporting on the salary cap without the context or understanding of how the new system works is incomplete.”

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello acknowledged the existence of the option, but reportedly declined to speak for the union.