I'll be the first to admit that I'm still learning the ins-and-outs of the NFL Salary Cap. I stumbled across this breakdown of the Steelers' 2006 cap situation. Let's take a closer look at some of the numbers.
Several things stick out to me, the first being that it's impressive to see the Steelers are estimated to be under the 2006 Salary Cap of $100,227,206 by a few thousand. I was also surprised to learn that the Steelers only paid out $1,772,794 in incentives in 2005, despite winning the Super Bowl. Just another microcosm of how the Steelers' front office finds a way to make both sound football and business decisions.
The 2006 salaries of Marvel Smith and Aaron Smith also stood out to me. Marvel is set to make $4.4 million in '06; $4.5 million for Aaron. Oh yeah, Charlie Batch ($710,000) is also due more than Big Ben this year ($655,500). Casey Hampton and Alan Faneca, the true anchors of the DL and OL, will make $3.25 and $3.7 million respectively. These salaries, as they relate to the salary cap, don't account for prior signing bonuses, so they're slightly misleading.
Thoughts on the Steelers' cap, their outlook for the next several years, or on the NFL Salary Cap in general? As I continue to learn more about the structure, we'll revisit the topic throughout the rest of the summer and season.