NFL issues adjustments, we estimate the Cleveland Browns now have $114.39 million in available cap space

Last week, the NFL confirmed that the salary cap for the 2018 season has been set at $177.2 million. Last year, the cap was $167 million, meaning this year sees an increase of $10.2 million. Two weeks ago, we projected a salary cap of $178 million, so let’s revise all of the Cleveland Browns’ cap-related figures as of today.

First, let’s take a look at this graphic released by the NFLPA, which confirms each team’s individual salary cap for 2018:

Back in mid-January, we projected the Browns’ adjusted cap space to be around $218 million, so not much has changed in terms of dollars and cents.

Here are the updated cap figures in a more formalized manner.

CONFIRMED BY NFLPA

NFL 2018 Salary Cap (Projected): $177.2 million
Browns’ Rollover from 2017: $58.91 million
Browns’ 2018 Adjusted Salary Cap: $177.2 million + $58.91 million = $236.11 million

ESTIMATED BY OVER THE CAP / NFLPA ESTIMATE

Browns’ Top 51 Cap Total: $116.52 million
Browns’ Dead Money for 2018: $10.27 million
Browns’ Total Cap Spent for 2018: $116.52 million + $10.27 million = $126.79 million

Despite our estimates, the NFLPA public salary cap report indicates that Cleveland’s number is actually $126.87 million, so we will stick with that number.

BROWNS’ ADJUSTMENTS / CREDITS FROM 2017

The NFL does not formally announce salary cap adjustments/credits to the public, but they kick in every year around early March and can be derived from the NFLPA public salary cap report. The Browns received a credit of $5.15 million. These factor in things like “likely to be earned” escalators that were unearned, grievances, and other miscellaneous things that are pretty hard to track down.

FINAL SALARY CAP SPACE

When you subtract the two subtotals above ($236.11 million - $126.87 million), you get $109.24. Add in the lovely adjustments/credits of $5.15 million, and then you can see how the “$114.39 million in cap space” figure was derived.