NFL Salary Cap number for 2014 and how it affects the Dolphins

The NFL sent memo's to all NFL clubs informing them that the 2014 salary cap has been set at 133 million, an increase of 10 million over last years cap of 123 million. 2014's cap number also marks a record salary cap number for the NFL, topping 2009's $127.997 million. Team's each have until March 11th, the beginning of the NFL free agency period, to be at or below the salary cap. At this point the Cowboys ($17,444,943 over) and Steelers ($5,673,066 over) are both over the cap with 7 other teams having less then 10 million a piece to spend. With rookies costing NFL teams on the average of $5.4 million in cap space there are going to be several teams still needing to dump salary.

So where does this leave the Dolphins at present?

Total for players currently under contract for 2014 $106,939,831

Dead money charged to cap in 2014 $4,942,896

Total owed against cap in 2014 $111,882,727 (list of players as they count against the cap HERE)

2014 Salary Cap $133,000,000

Roll over money from 2013 $18,064,000

Total cap space left $39,181,273

This puts the Dolphins in fairly solid footing it would seem but with an offensive line that needs to be rebuilt from scratch (sans the center) and some key free agents that need to be signed the team needs all the cap space it can muster. There is still the oft tossed around idea that Dimitri Patterson and Matt Moore will be cut freeing up an additional $9.4 million dollars. These two moves, assuming they happen would place the Dolphins $48,581,272 under the cap. It is also important to remember that these numbers will start to jump around as we enter the time of year where players will be re-signed, tendered and of course cut.