NFL Terms, Definitions, & FAQs

Player's Salary Cap Figure

NFL Salary cap figures are determined by the sum of:

• Base Salary +
• Signing Bonus / Contract Length +
• Likely to be Earned Incentives / Contract Length

For example, if John Smith signs a contract for 4 years with a signing bonus of $1 million, and an incentive of $200,000 if he plays in the first 3 games of the season, his salary cap figure can be calculated as such:

$320,000 (base salary), + $250,000 (signing bonus / 4) + $50,000 (incentives / 4) = $620,000 Cap