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The NFL officially set the 2017 salary cap at $167 million, and with benefits, the total allocation per club for players is over $200 million for the first time in history. This is the fourth straight year in which the cap has gone up by at least $10 million from the previous year. Once accounting for rollover, the Seattle Seahawks will have $169,065,865, per the NFLPA:
The salary cap is set at $167M per team. This is the 4th consecutive year it's ⬆️ $10M+, which means more for players. #securethebag pic.twitter.com/SbPXhJRhwW
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) March 1, 2017
Only four teams will have a lower salary cap: The New York Giants, LA Rams, Minnesota Vikings, and LA Chargers. (Unless my eyes are failing me and I’m reading those small numbers incorrectly.) The Cleveland Browns will have a salary cap over $217 million and absolutely must convince free agents to come to Cleveland, or suffer the consequences of not spending the cap minimum. The Browns will likely be giving out some contracts that really make you scratch your head, but it’s the only logical way they can get free agents to come there. Think of the Jacksonville Jaguars in recent years with Julius Thomas, Dan Skuta, and Jermey Parnell.
The Seahawks are looking at about $25 million in cap space, give or take.