KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Chiefs general manager John Dorsey didn’t want to speculate at the NFL Scouting Combine on the early reports of the salary cap increase when it came to planning for the offseason.
“It’s a speculative number out there now,” Dorsey said last Friday. “I can’t put any validity into that until I hear that the league tells me exactly what the cap number is.”
Seven days later, the Chiefs and the entire league know the exact number.
The 2014 NFL salary cap sits at $133 million per team, representing a $10 million increase from the past year, according to a statement released on Friday by the NFLPA.
With the increase, the Chiefs now have an estimated $9.79 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, a website that monitors the salary cap.
Prior to the adjusted cap, the Chiefs had a reported $6.8 million in cap space.
Of course, the Chiefs gaining extra relief in spending money also applies to other teams around the league.
The salary cap is based on a percentage calculation “of all projected NFL revenues, subtracting projected benefits for the upcoming season, and dividing by 32 teams,” according to the NFLPA.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs are currently set to enter free agency with 11 unrestricted free agents when the league’s calendar year starts on March 11.
The Chiefs scheduled to test the free agent market are free safety Husain Abdullah, left tackle Branden Albert, guard Jon Asamoah, free safety Quintin Demps, defensive end Tyson Jackson, inside linebacker Akeem Jordan, free safety Kendrick Lewis, wide receiver Dexter McCluster, guard Geoff Schwartz, wide receiver Kyle Williams and outside linebacker Frank Zombo.
The Chiefs have the weekend to decide if utilizing the franchise designation remains an option before the 4 p.m. league deadline on March 3.
However, Dorsey said in Indianapolis the Chiefs are unlikely to go that route.
“We probably won’t use it,” Dorsey said of the franchise tag.
