DENVER – Teams searching for an antidote to the high-octane offenses and mobile quarterbacks that dominate the modern NFL won't have to wait around for the draft.
Free agency this year promises a deeper pool of possibilities than usual because the league's lost revenues during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 resulted in the first decrease in the salary cap in a decade. “You’re going to see more veteran guys released for cap purposes than you would otherwise,” ex-NFL GM and Hall of Famer Bill Polian said after the league announced a salary cap of $182.5 million in 2021, an 8% reduction from last year.
COVID-19 also produced an irregular college season complete with opt-outs and cancellations, including the East-West Shrine Game.