NFL, NFLPA agree to $208.2m salary-cap ceiling in 2022

The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to set a salary-cap ceiling of $208.2m for 2022, according to multiple reports on Wednesday.

The NFL salary cap dropped to $182.5m for 2021 due to revenue shortfalls related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 2020 season.

If the 2022 cap were to reach the new limit, it would mark a 14-percent increase over the 2021 season and also represent a new high for the league. The cap for the 2020 season was $198.2m.

Currently, there is not an agreed upon cap floor and the final salary cap will not be set until February. That final figure could land below $208.2m depending on revenue projections, however, if it exceeds that number, any excess would go toward paying back the $17m in player benefits that were canceled last season.

NFL rule changes

A rule change that expands prohibition of blocking below the waist has meanwhile been approved by NFL owners, following several such rule tweaks over the past few years.

Previously, the NFL had banned blocks below the waist after a change of possession or during kicks, but the new rule would outlaw blocking below the waist on normal scrimmage downs beyond a certain point of the field (five yards away from the line of scrimmage or two yards outside of the offensive tackle).

Blocks below the waist will only be permitted within that tackle box, and only when a player isn't previously engaged.

Other changes to address player safety in recent years included the ban of chop blocks, crack-back blocks and peel-back blocks.

The owners also approved 90-player rosters to begin training camp, a change from 2020, when COVID-19 caused teams to carry slightly smaller rosters into camp (80).

Rosters will get cut down to 85 players by August 17, 80 by August 24 and 53 by August 31.

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