The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to a salary cap ceiling of $208.2 million for the 2022 season, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. That’d be a 14% increase from the 2021 cap set at $182.5 million as revenue fell due to COVID-19.
There’s no guarantee that the salary cap will reach $208 million, as that’s the ceiling. Graziano added that the cap was growing by around ten million per season, which would have meant the 2022 salary cap would have been roughly $218 million.
For now, there’s no cap floor. The final cap won’t be set until February of next year. Revenue will determine where the cap lands. With new media and TV deals and the expectation that gambling will play a bigger role in the NFL as it becomes legal in more states, the cap should continue to spike in 2023 and beyond.
NFL owners also approved a 90-man roster to start training camp this year. Rosters will be cut down to 85 on August 17, 80 on August 24, and 53 on August 31. Roster cut downs were typically on Labor Day weekend before.
With only three preseason games, final cuts are four days earlier than normal. Also, going back to 90-man rosters — they were 80 last year due to COIVD — allows more than 300 players on rosters around the NFL.