NFL salary cap increases

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL salary cap for the 2013 season will rise to $123 million from $120.6 million in 2012, an NFL Players Association official familiar with negotiations over the figure told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The increase, which is larger than some in the NFL had anticipated, is a result of greater-than-expected revenues last season — primarily from NFL Properties — and a jump in projected league revenues, according to the official.

The league and the union work together to establish a cap number, based on parameters established under their collective bargaining agreement. The current 10-year CBA was signed in August 2011, ending the owners’ lockout of the players.

One of the main areas of contention during that labor dispute was how to divide the more than $9 billion in annual league revenues, a figure that will keep rising, particularly once the NFL’s new television contracts kick in for the 2014 season. Those additional revenues will be reflected in the salary cap for 2015, which is expected to see a more significant increase than the roughly 2 percent uptick from 2012 to 2013.

In 2011, the first year under the present deal, the figure was $120.375 million.

Over the next four seasons, from 2013-16, each of the NFL’s 32 clubs will be required to spend an average of at least 89 percent of the salary cap in contract dollars, while overall league spending must average 95 percent in that span. That sort of minimum cash spending did not exist under the old CBA.

Another significant change under this agreement: owners and players divide types of revenues at different rates. Players receive 55 percent of revenue from the league’s national TV and other media deals; 45 percent of licensing and national sponsorship deals, including NFL Properties; and 40 percent of local club revenues.

Cowboys redo five contracts, save cap space

IRVING, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys have reworked the contracts of five starters, including DeMarcus Ware, Jason Witten and Miles Austin, to save salary cap space.

Dallas, which was penalized $5 million off its cap in both 2012 and 2013, needed to scramble to free up space. By restructuring the deals of star linebacker Ware, tight end Witten, wide receiver Austin, cornerback Brandon Carr and center Ryan Cook, the Cowboys wiped out the $20 million they were projected to be over the cap this year.

The biggest savings will come in the Carr deal. Dallas signed Carr as a free agent last year, and Thursday’s moves turn nearly all of the $14.3 million he was due in salary into a signing bonus. Carr will count $3.5 million against this year’s cap.

Ware’s salary is going down to $1 million for this season, and a $5 million bonus is being spread over the rest of the contract, saving $4 million. Austin’s deal also will save $4 million, and Witten’s will take another $3.6 million off the cap.

The Cowboys could get further under the cap with a new contract for Tony Romo, who is entering the final year of his deal and counts $16.8 million against the cap this season. Right tackle Doug Free, who struggled most of last season, could save $7 million on the cap if he is cut by June 1.

Dallas is interested in re-signing linebacker Anthony Spencer, an unrestricted free agent, but owner Jerry Jones said at the NFL combine last week he wasn’t sure the Cowboys could afford to keep their sacks leader from 2012.

The Cowboys also re-signed long snapper L.P. Ladouceur to a five-year contract. He’s been with Dallas since the middle of the 2005 season. He’s handled snaps on 562 punts, 245 field goals and 341 extra points.

Tags: sports, nfl, football