Even though the Las Vegas Raiders have spent plenty of money recently, they currently have an enviable salary cap situation. Furthermore, things figure to be the same next year.
After deciding to keep guard Gabe Jackson, it’s unlikely the Raiders ship any players ahead of the 2020 season. Likewise, it’s not probable they commit big amount of money to any big-time signings. They have already spend plenty of money the last two years after all. One would assume they are working with a tight budget, but that’s not the case. According to Over the Cap, the Raiders currently have $8,418,049 in cap space. In the same manner, they will enter the 2021 season with $34,575,885 in money available to spend.
Raiders: There Aren’t Many Difficult Financial Decisions Ahead
It sounds like a lot, and it is for you and me, but $34 million in cap space is as much as it used to be a decade ago. With the cap rising and salaries steadily increasing every year, that amount is equivalent to more or less 17% of a team’s total cap. It’s even less money when we take into account organizations have to re-sign their own players.
Fortunately, the Raiders won’t have many tough choices to make next year. They can’t even start contract extension talks with Maxx Crosby and Josh Jacobs, until the end of their third year in the NFL. On the other hand, they can trim their expenses by cutting some veteran players.
If they desired so, the Raiders could cut Jackson, quarterback Marcus Mariota, and/or wide receiver Tyrell Williams. Las Vegas could part ways with any of them without incurring on a cap hit. Likewise, they could release Lamarcus Joyner and carry a manageable $1.25 million in dead money. However, the Raiders will have a healthy cap situation next season. They would only need to release any of the aforementioned veterans if they failed to underperform.
Another possibility would be offering Derek Carr an extension. It may seem unlikely at this moment. Nevertheless, if the quarterback performs excellently this year, the Raiders could get ahead and offer him a new deal before his current one expires.
In the end, it’s a bit too early to start wondering about the Raiders moves next offseason, but they have managed their salary cap so well that they should definitely start planning ahead.
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