CBA passes and what it means for the Seahawks
By Geoff Shull
The new Collection Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has passed between players and NFL Owners. There are a few very real implications for the Seahawks with this deal being passed.
While the peace has finally come between both parties with the passing of the latest NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), absolute mayhem is right around the corner. With the new collective bargaining agreement, the salary cap has been finalized at $198.2 million, roughly $10 million higher than last season. What does this mean for the Seahawks?
You can expect teams to be aggressive today and tomorrow morning trying to re-sign their players before free agency begins. Players like Jarran Reed, Jadeveon Clowney, George Fant, Joey Hunt, Quinton Jefferson and Josh Gordon are all potential extension candidates.
Yes, you read that right, Josh Gordon. See under the new CBA the NFL can no longer suspend players who test positive for marijuana. Expect players like Josh Gordon to be reinstated in the next couple of weeks. With Gordon voicing how happy he was in Seattle and how different the organization is run compared to the other teams he has played for. I expect there to be a great amount of mutual interest. Russell Wilson will get an immensely talented number 3 wide receiver once again.
The NFL also got its wish with an additional game added to the slate (at the cost of a preseason game). At earliest, this will go into effect in the 2021 season. The new schedule will look like 3 preseason games and 17 regular-season games.
The only change in schedule that will go into effect this year, will be in the playoff formatting. There will be one additional wild card playoff team in each division. That would be 7 teams from both the AFC and NFC (compared to 6 in the previous seasons).
If this was enacted last season, both the Rams and Steelers would have made it to the playoffs. The Rams would have faced off against the Packers and the Steelers against the Chiefs. It could have been a completely different post-season as we know it. This brings some very real excitement with additional upset potential to the slate. This is a move I can get behind.
Reverting back to the monies; while this year’s salary cap came out a little lower than expected ($200-203 million expected at 47% of the revenue). Expect the salary cap to increase dramatically as the players’ revenue share increases in 2021 (48%) and 2022 (48.5% or more). This will undoubtedly affect how teams format contracts this off-season.
An example: The Seahawks re-sign Jadeveon Clowney to the contract he is asking for, a 4-year, $84 million deal.
His cap hits by year:
2020 – $7 million
2021 – $23.5 million
2022 – $26 million
2023 – $27.5 million
What the teams will bank on, is that with the salary cap is sure to increase dramatically, the average player salary will also take massive jumps. In Clowney’s proposed deal, the salary cap implications for years 2-4 are daunting. However, the teams will be banking on the fact that by year 3, this could look like a very modest deal for a great player with the increased revenue share/ salary cap.
4 free agents Seahawks should target. dark. Next
So, as for the Seahawks, expect them to be aggressive in the next 36 hours trying to re-sign key players. Expect Seattle to make a strong push for re-upping with Josh Gordon once his suspension is officially lifted. Finally, expect some very large contracts to come out with the majority of the money ballooned toward the back of the deals.