A Look at Every Team’s Cap Situation Heading into Start of NFL Free Agency – Bleacher Report

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The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone. Next up on the league calendar is an event that fans look forward to annually: the free-agent feeding frenzy, where dozens of players switch teams and hundreds of millions of dollars change hands.

Of course, free agency isn't created equal for all 32 teams. The biggest reason for that is simplesome franchises have a lot more to spend than others.

That's as true in 2020 as in any other year. With the salary cap projected to come in around $200 million, five NFL teams have over $75 million with which to keep their own free agents and add new faces to the roster.

Conversely, three teams presently have less than $5 million to work withless than it costs the average team to sign its own draft class, let alone anyone else. For those clubs, tough decisions loom.

With the March 12 deadline to apply the franchise tag to players getting closer by the day and the "legal tampering" period opening just a few days after, here's a look at the current salary-cap situation of all 32 teamsfrom the brokest of the broke to the flushest of the flush.

Looking for a complete 2020 free agency preview? TheStick to Footballcrew has you covered in their latest episode. Check it outhere.

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The good news for the Minnesota Vikings is that when veteran defensive end Everson Griffen opted out of his contract, it got the team into the black relative to the projected 2020 salary cap of $200 million.

The bad news iseverything else.

It's not just that with less than $1.5 million in wiggle room, the Vikings are in no position to be a player when free agency opens. They are also going to be hard-pressed to find the cash to bring back their own free agents. In addition to Griffen, cornerback Trae Waynes and safety Anthony Harris are about to hit the open market. Harris is likely going to command a pretty penny after piling up six interceptions in a breakout 2019 campaign.

The Vikings can create additional cap space by cutting/trading/restructuring a high-priced veteran (cornerback Xavier Rhodes' name has come up more than once) and/or extending quarterback Kirk Cousins.

But if Minnesota is going to improve the roster in the hopes of another playoff run, it's likely going to come through the 2020 NFL draft.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers will be getting at least one major addition that won't cost the team anything against the salary capprovided that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's elbow is 100 percent when Week 1 rolls around.

That's about the extent of the good news in the Steel City.

With only about $1.6 million in cap space, the Steelers are going to need to clear some salary just to have enough cash to sign the draft classand that's after sending their first-round pick to Miami in the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade.

Even then, the Steelers are going to have a difficult time keeping in-house free agents like defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and edge-rusher Bud Dupree in the fold. Both are coming off career years and play positions that can command fat paydays on the open market.

ESPN's Jenna Laine reported from the combine that Dupree is a candidate for the franchise tag. But that's going to mean clearing cap space. Quite a bit of it, in fact.

A number of veterans in Pittsburgh could find themselves cap casualties in the next couple of weeks, including guard Ramon Foster, inside linebacker Mark Barron and tight end Vance McDonald.

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The Atlanta Falcons are a franchise on the edge. After an atrocious first half of the 2019 season, a 6-2 second half was enough to save head coach Dan Quinn's job. But just a few years removed from a berth in the Super Bowl, the seat under Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff is pretty warm.

Atlanta doesn't have an easy go of it this year relative to the salary cap with under $5 million in space. The team could clear more room by releasing a veteran like tailback Devonta Freeman. Owner Arthur Blank allowed to ESPN's Vaughn McClure that some tough decisions loom:

"The salary cap is not unlimited. It seems like it's unlimited, but it's not. And the investments we have made -- which have been very, very substantial with a wide variety of players on both sides of the ball -- have been significant. So personnel, and coach, and [team president] Rich McKay, they'll be looking at everything and making sure we're making investments in the right areas based on what the roster has to look like going forward."

The Falcons have already said they will not bring back edge-rusher Vic Beasley Jr., but decisions still need to be made regarding the likes of tight end Austin Hooper and linebacker De'Vondre Campbell.

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The New Orleans Saints have work to do.

As things stand right now, the Saints have $9 million and change in cap space. That wouldn't be too bad, were it not for a few small problems.

First, there's the matter of Drew Brees' free agency. From all indications, the greatest player in franchise history will be back in 2020. But the odds that he's going to play the season for $9 million arenot good.

Then there are the other free agents the Saints have to make a decision ona list that isn't short. Safety Vonn Bell. Cornerback Eli Apple. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. There's just not enough cash to go aroundespecially with the Saints virtually certain to tender restricted free agent Taysom Hill as well.

And then there's tailback Alvin Kamara, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. The possibility that Kamara will hold out if he doesn't get a huge raise is a real oneand the Saints don't have the wiggle room to give him that raise.

At least not yet.

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The San Francisco 49ers are paying the price for success in 2020.

The Niners came up just short of winning Super Bowl LIV, but now the bill has come due. With around $13 million in cap space, the team is running low on available cash. It also has a few prominent in-house free agents to contend with.

Defensive lineman Arik Armstead will likely command well over $10 million a season after finally living up to his first-round draft status last season. Defensive back Jimmie Ward's versatility should make him a valuable commodity on the open market. Veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk are also set to hit free agency.

There's a lot more money in total contracts sitting on that list than San Francisco has to spendand that's without considering outside signings. Even if the team cuts underperforming veterans like running back Jerick McKinnon to free up more room, the resources aren't there for the reigning NFC champions to be a tone-setting team in free agency.

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Free agency hasn't even started yet, and Kansas City's salary-cap space is already gone.

The Super Bowl champions reportedly intend to franchise-tag defensive lineman Chris Jones, a move that will cost them more than the $13.7 million they have under the cap. The move doesn't sit especially well with the 25-year-old, who told Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd he has "mixed emotions" (h/t Arrowhead Pride).

"There's no hard feelings. It's the business," Jones said before adding: "It's a little hard. It's like, 'Damn, what else y'all want me to do? I gotta go out and get 30 sacks, 35 sacks to show y'all I can...you know?'"

The Chiefs need to make some difficult decisions just to clear enough room to tag Jones and sign their rookie class. Any free agents that join the team in 2020 will likely come from the bargain bin.

Especially as a historic extension for MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes looms over the franchise.

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The Los Angeles Rams have spent the past couple of seasons firmly entrenched in "win now" mode. In 2018, that paid off with a berth in Super Bowl LIII. In 2019, however, the Rams missed the postseason altogether.

The massive contracts the Rams handed out to the likes of quarterback Jared Goff and tailback Todd Gurley II have also put the team in a tight spot relative to the salary cap. Los Angeles has less than $15 million available with several major contributors set to hit free agency.

Left tackle Andrew Whitworth may not be the player he once was, but the Rams don't have much of a plan of succession behind him. Edge-rusher Dante Fowler Jr. is coming off a career year with 11.5 sacks. Inside linebacker Cory Littleton led the team with 134 total tackles in 2019.

Oh, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey is entering a contract year. And the trade that brought Ramsey to L.A. cost the Rams their first-round pick in 2020.

Other than that, though, everything's fine.

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After going 12-4 and winning the NFC North two years ago, the Chicago Bears suffered through a miserable 2019 campaign.

It now appears the Bears are at a crossroads with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, they are expected to pursue a veteran signal-caller to "push" Trubisky.

That's going to put them in quite the financial crunch.

The Bears are already on a fairly tight budget with less than $17 million under the cap. Even a middling backup quarterback would eat up half that cash. One with starter's experience would cost most (if not all) of it.

That puts the team in a real bind. Chicago has at least three defensive starters set to hit free agency in safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, cornerback Prince Amukamara and inside linebacker Danny Trevathan.

It's not going to be easy for the Bears to keep from taking a step backward talent-wise on that side of the ballespecially if Chicago really is serious about adding competition for Trubisky.

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Not that many years ago, it didn't matter how much wiggle room the Green Bay Packers had under the cap. With a few exceptions, Ted Thompson was notorious for being frugal when it came to bringing in big-name outsiders.

However, Brian Gutekunst has shown no such reluctance to spend money. He dished out a ton last year to overhaul the team's pass rush.

A repeat spending spree won't be as easy. Green Bay's $20.5 million in cap space isn't the biggest free-agent bankroll, and the team has players of its own to consider, like leading tackler Blake Martinez and offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga.

If the Packers re-sign those players, that cap space will be goneand then some. If they don't, a substantial portion of it will have to be spent acquiring replacements.

Adding a wide receiver to complement Davante Adams may have to wait for the 2020 draft.

Free agency is going to be more about treading water in Titletown.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars will ship veteran cornerback A.J. Bouye to the Denver Broncos after the 2020 league year opens, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The move will net Jacksonville over $11 million in cap relief and a fourth-round pick.

But that money won't come off the books for a few weeks.

In 2019, the Jaguars dished out one of free agency's biggest contracts to Nick Foles, whom they hoped would be their quarterback of the future.

They can only hope 2020 treats them better than that boondoggle has.

The Jaguars face a similarly expensive call this spring. They are reportedly set to slap the franchise tag on edge-rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who amassed 37.5 sacks in four seasons. That didn't go over well with the 24-year-old.

"The Jaguars are aware I no longer have interest in signing a long term contract in Jacksonville," Ngakoue wrote on Twitter. "Duval, I love you and gave you guys everything I got. Im thankful for the journey and look forward to continuing my career elsewhere."

It appears that a tag-and-trade scenario is likely, and the Jaguars will be motivated to get a deal done soon. Ngakoue's franchise tag will decimate the team's cap space...even after the Bouye trade.

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Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh is proud of what the franchise has accomplished in this era of roster turnover, as he told reporters in January:

"We have had some things that we have had to work against, salary cap-wise and roster-wise and things like that. Guys have left in free agency, those kinds of things. I think we have done a remarkable job of building this team to where it is right now. I am really proud of what we have been able to do, on the personnel side and the coaching-scheme side. What we have been able to build with the guys that we have had and get the most out of our players [is impressive]."

It's going to take some more savvy roster management to keep the momentum going from last year's 14-2 season. The team isn't without resourcesover $30 million in cap space. But there are also potential holes to fill if edge-rusher Matthew Judon (who led the team in sacks) and inside linebacker Patrick Onwuasor depart.

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There are a lot of changes with the Carolina Panthers in 2020. There's a new head coach in Matt Rhule. The team has to find a new defensive leader after linebacker Luke Kuechly retired. But Rhule indicated to reporters at the scouting combine that there will not be a sea change coming at quarterback:

"I absolutely want Cam [Newton] here. There's no doubt about that. At the end of the day, it's all about what's next for us. We have to make sure we continue to get him healthy and he's doing a great job of that. I want to make sure I say that. He's going above and beyond in that regard so, when healthy, I think there's no doubt about who he is and what he can do. We just have to get him there."

That's for the best, more likely than not. Trading or releasing Newton would add to Carolina's $34.5 million in cap space, but it also would leave a cavernous hole on the roster.

With Kuechly and tight end Greg Olsen gone and the likes of edge-rushers Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and cornerback James Bradberry about to hit free agency, there are already enough gaps in need of patching.

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The Arizona Cardinals barely rank inside the top 20 in available salary-cap space, with a hair under $40 million to spend on free agents and this year's draft class.

But it can be argued that the Redbirds are in better shape than quite a few teams with more wiggle room.

For starters, the Cardinals don't have to worry about the quarterback position, either in free agency or the 2020 draft. The team has its man in 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray, whose rookie deal won't expire until 2024.

Also, the Cardinals don't have any in-house free agents who are no-doubt, whatever-it-takes re-ups. Sure, bringing back tailback Kenyan Drake after his second-half surge last year would be nice. But it's not a must if the money gets wonky.

What is a must for the Cardinals this year is improving the protection in front of Murray. It won't be at all surprising if Arizona is aggressive in going after some of this season's bigger names on the offensive front.

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If the Arizona Cardinals are in better shape against the cap than the numbers indicate, it's the opposite story for the New England Patriots.

The team's $41.7 million in wiggle room is a mirage.

Whether Tom Brady returns to New England or the team is forced to turn the page at quarterback, a significant portion of that cap space is going to that positionwell over half if the Golden Boy is back in 2020.

Brady isn't the only starter the Patriots have to consider re-signing this spring. Longtime safety Devin McCourty, linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins, and guard Joe Thuney are also hitting the open market.

For many years, the Patriots have been willing to allow veteran free agents to depart. The team's ability to reload year after year is one of the most impressive things about the New England dynasty of the last 20 years.

That resilience is about to be tested again. Only this time, there might be one player leaving that the Pats cannot afford to lose.

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The Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC East in 2019, but a nine-win season and quick playoff exit (not to mention approximately all the injuries ever) exposed the flaws in Philly's roster.

The issue is going to be filling those holes without creating too many morewhile doing it with an average amount of cap space.

It's not going to be easy. The Eagles already made one difficult decision, releasing the team's best linebacker in Nigel Bradham. Longtime left tackle Jason Peters is a free agent. So is swing tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai. And veteran defensive backs Rodney McLeod and Ronald Darby. As Jeff McLane reported for the Philadelphia Inquirer, prevailing wisdom at the combine was that veteran wideout Alshon Jeffery has played his last game for the Eagles.

Veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins has also made it abundantly clear that he wants a new contract this spring. This could easily be a team that has to rebuild the back end on defense and the receiving corps on the fly.

That's not going to be an easy feat for general manager Howie Roseman to pull off.

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A Look at Every Team's Cap Situation Heading into Start of NFL Free Agency - Bleacher Report