Though the salary cap won’t be spiking this year (and, despite the looming impact of the new TV deals, in any year), this year’s smoothing will be a little less smooth that previously believed.
A source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that the team-by-team spending limit will exceed $122 million in 2013.
While a move to $122 million represents an increase of only $1.4 million per team, every dollar helps, given the number of teams in cap trouble.
An increase in the unadjusted cap also increases the per-team minimum spending requirement, which commences this year. On a four-year rolling average, teams must spend in cash 89 percent of the annual unadjusted cap.
Last year, the teams and the league had to borrow against future years’ cap space to ensure that the spending limit would not decrease. It’s unknown whether any similar robbing-Peter-to-pay-Paul will occur in 2013.