COVID and how it effects the Bengals off-season

[*ochocincos*]

COVID is going to affect the NFL differently than MLB because MLB does not have a cap.
When it comes to NFL, the entire league will have a reduced payroll for 2021, and it will be the same.
It's currently estimated that the cap will drop to about $175 mill, which is a reduction of about $23 mill from 2020.
So basically, while people think the Bengals will have a lot of cap space by not having guys like AJ Green on the books, the cap reduction essentially removes that gain.

So we should see either cheaper contracts signed or contracts that are more backloaded such that a cheaper cap hit in 2021 but increasing in the year(s) after.