Monday 4 March 2019 10:17, UK
The NFL has confirmed next season's salary cap will be set at $188.2m, an increase of $11m on 2018.
Continuing increases in NFL revenues, which now stand at $14bn, mean the cap was able to rise for the ninth successive season under the current labour agreement, which expires after the 2020 season.
Teams must reach 89 per cent in cash spending again next season, with the NFL Players' Association stating on Friday that four teams - Dallas, Buffalo, Indianapolis and Houston - are under that threshold and expected to be active in the free agent market.
The cap has increased by at least $10m every year since 2014 and this season's improvement should mean plenty of money available to free agents when the NFL business year opens on March 13.
Teams have an average of $35m in cap space available, although the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars still have to make moves to get under the cap.
Players are able to start negotiating deals on March 11, but there are still three days for teams to place franchise tags on impending free agents.
So far, only one team has used their tag - the San Francisco 49ers placing it on kicker Robbie Gould, who will be paid just under $5m next season.
The Colts, according to analysis site Over The Cap, will have the most room to add players in free agency at just over $100m in space.
Leading names who could be available as free agents, if not signed by their teams by the time the market opens, include Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, safety Earl Thomas and edge rushers Frank Clark and Jadeveon Clowney.
Running back Le'Veon Bell will also hit the open market later this month after spending last season out of the NFL following his decision not to sign the Pittsburgh Steelers' franchise tender.
