Every sports team is under force per unit area to win, peculiarly in the NFL. The regular season is a mere 16 games and teams have to figure out means to win chop-chop. A slow start can impale a season, unlike other sports where teams accept weeks, even months, to turn their season around. Coaches get about iii years, if they're lucky, to plough a struggling franchise into a winning i. General managers are constantly under the microscope besides, and when they offset feeling the pressure, they'll spend. Whether it's bringing in free agents, or overpaying their own players in fright of losing them, the abiding force per unit area leads to some serious financial decisions. Sometimes the money spent doesn't pay off, sometimes information technology does. The best approach is building through the draft, but not all organizations are patient plenty to wait for a five-year plan to come together.

The NFL's bacon cap for the 2013 flavour is $123 meg, only nether the league CBA, certain teams can spend more if they were under the cap in previous years. For case, if a team spent $20 million less than the 2012 salary cap of $120.half-dozen million, that extra $xx million tin can be spent in 2013, so that team'due south limit is $143 million for this season. All that extra coin can exist accrued in lodge to spend over the cap this season. Teams besides must spend a minimum of 88.eight% of the bacon cap to ensure all teams become competitive.

Last offseason we saw a few teams spend quite a chip on gratis agents in hopes of making the playoffs, as GMs were nether fire, including those of the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans and the Detroit Lions. Here are the current top 10 highest-spending teams in the league. Has the spending led to results?

10 Jacksonville Jaguars - $125.v million

Put aside the fact that the Jacksonville Jaguars accept shown improvement and some promising signs for their future. It's still some other season in which they're not going to the playoffs. Due to their conservative spending habits, they were afforded the right to become over the $123 million cap. They actually could've spent $20 million more, but even that probably wouldn't have propelled them to the postseason.

Either way, information technology doesn't appear their coin has been spent effectively. They have a good young receiving corps, with Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts, simply they don't accept a bona fide star. Maurice Jones-Drew is past his prime and they don't take a franchise quarterback, which is most the best investment a team can make. The bottom line is, if you spend more than than 22 other teams in the league, yous shouldn't exist having a losing season and finishing in your sectionalisation's basement.

9 Cincinnati Bengals - $126.2 million

The Cincinnati Bengals have approached building a franchise the right way. They certainly had their lean years, but now they arguably have the most counterbalanced roster in the league. While they still haven't become the dominant team they should be, whether it's due to coaching, inconsistency at quarterback or being in a tough division, the Bengals should exist giving more.

Their money is tied primarily in the stars they drafted, such as Michael Johnson ($eleven.5 million), Leon Hall ($8.5 million) and Geno Atkins at $seven.i million. They were forced to spend more than this season, due to the money accrued from paying just over the cap floor the by few seasons. The team has decided to invest that coin in their own players. They have made the playoffs the past two seasons, losing in the wild card round both times to the Houston Texans. Cincinnati is on the brink of an AFC North title this season, but the franchise has not won a playoff game since 1990.

The Bengals won't be on this list for long, as they volition undoubtedly revert to spending just above the cap flooring. Teams that have been handcuffed from spending this season due to incurring cap penalties volition spend a lot more next season than the Bengals will. If the team does what they're capable of this yr and contend for a Super Bowl, then we'll have to say they've spent their money more wisely than anyone else. For now, all we tin can say to them is, you become what you pay for.

8 Chicago Bears - $127.seven million

One of the league's most storied franchises, the Chicago Bears accept seen mixed results from their recent spending habits. They've made the playoffs simply three times in the final decade, although they take been to a Super Bowl, losing to the Colts, and went to the NFC Championship merely three seasons agone, where they lost to Green Bay. They finished 10-6 concluding twelvemonth, but missed out on a tiebreaker to the Vikings.

The Bears accept fielded a solid team this season and are in playoff contention, as Josh McCown filled in nicely while Jay Cutler was hurt. The Bears' problems partly stem from money being invested in older players. Julius Peppers is 33 with a cap striking of over $xiv 1000000. Lance Briggs is 33 and his cap striking is $7 1000000. Cutler himself still hasn't quite shown he's worth a cap hit of over $10 one thousand thousand. He's 30 likewise. Charles Tillman is 32 with a cap hit of $viii million. These are all really practiced players, equally Tillman and Briggs arguably played the best football of their careers terminal season.

What this number means for the Bears is that they'll need to take advantage of the short window they accept before their superlative players attain a roadblock in their careers. Information technology's not a problem at present, but it may exist a couple of years downward the road, if there's no championship to show for it.

7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - $127.8 million

The Buccaneers fabricated a huge splash last offseason when they traded for Jets CB Darrelle Revis. They handed him the richest contract to any defensive dorsum in the NFL with a cap hit of $xvi million for the next five years. While Revis has played to his capability, the Buccaneers haven't seen a advantage in the win column. In fact, they are guaranteed to stop worse than their 7-ix record from 2012 when their defense force was ranked last confronting the pass. They are 15th this season; something Revis has helped them out with. The team is just a mess in general with Josh Freeman being released earlier this season, although Mike Glennon has given some hope for the Bucs' future.

The best the Bucs can maybe finish this flavor is six-10. Mayhap their issues stem from a lack of leadership, but one thing'southward for sure: they want more bang for their buck.

half-dozen Tennessee Titans - $128.8 million

The Tennessee Titans spent quite a flake of coin in the offseason to bring in quality costless agents. Mike Munchak was on the hot seat, and the force per unit area of not making the playoffs in v seasons got to them. It doesn't expect similar the extra money will atomic number 82 to more wins than last season, though. The Titans volition however finish with a losing record in 2013.

Andy Levitre, Delanie Walker and Bernard Pollard were brought in. While they have contributed, the team hasn't gotten much improve on the whole. They are tied to Chris Johnson's $12 meg cap hitting, which is a lot for most running backs, much less one who may non fifty-fifty top one,000 yards this flavor (despite the fact that the team invested heavily in their offensive line).

The Titans look like they volition be starting over adjacent season, probable with a new head motorbus and quarterback. They may have to accept a dissimilar approach to improve their team.

five Minnesota Vikings - $129.3 million

Another team non quite getting the highest yield from their investments. The Vikings made the playoffs last year, on the back of Adrian Peterson, who is undoubtedly worth his $13.9 million cap striking. The Vikings are now looking at a top-v choice in the 2014 typhoon. They will likely say goodbye to Jared Allen this offseason, which would save them $17 meg in cap space. While Allen is all the same a great player and bang-up leader, changes are invariably made when a franchise is struggling.

The Vikings will have to observe a franchise quarterback, whether information technology'south through free agency or the typhoon, and that will accept cap space. A franchise QB is essential to making the Vikings a winning squad. It will have some of the load off of Peterson as well.

4 Philadelphia Eagles - $129.6 1000000

The Philadelphia Eagles restructured Michael Vick's contract concluding offseason to avoid paying cap penalties. His cap number remains at $12 meg this season and he'due south now the team's backup with Nick Foles grabbing the bull by the horns while Vick was injured. Vick is likely gone side by side season, which will salve a ton of cap space for Philly. They'll demand the money to pay other stars, such as DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy and the inevitable raise they'll take to give Foles if he's their starter heading into 2014.

After a last-place finish in the NFC Eastward in 2012, the Eagles are on the cusp of a sectionalization championship in 2013. Regardless of their finish this season, they volition likely be even more ambitious in spending, as the franchise is rich in history, but withal seeking its first Super Bowl.

The Eagles always spend large and whether they win or not seems but to depend on the constabulary of averages.

3 Denver Broncos - $133.half dozen one thousand thousand

Now we're really getting to the teams who have seen a reward for their spending. The Denver Broncos made their biggest splash in 2012, when they signed Peyton Manning, possibly the biggest complimentary agency signing in NFL history. Manning carries a $17.5 million cap hit and he's worth every penny for the Broncos, every bit he'south turned them into a powerhouse.

It's Super Basin or bust for Denver in 2013, following their disappointing playoff loss to Baltimore final yr. Manning will probable win his fifth MVP trophy this flavor and would've won last year, had Adrian Peterson non carried the Vikings to the postseason.

The Broncos have too invested in building a great team around their centrepiece, peculiarly on criminal offence, as their total cap hit for offensive players is at $66 one thousand thousand compared to $47 million on defence. Gnaw Bailey accounts for a $10 one thousand thousand cap hit himself.

Denver has seen the results from their spending, but they've congenital such high expectations that they'll be seen as a failure if they tin can't take advantage of the brusk window they take with a 37-twelvemonth-old Manning every bit their quarterback.

2 Seattle Seahawks - $134.2 million

With the Seattle Seahawks likely to secure domicile-field advantage in this year'southward playoffs, they are certainly a Super Basin contender. Their defense is ascendant and their 2d-yr quarterback carries himself, and his team, like a seasoned veteran. They're loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and take built their team primarily through the draft.

They take overpaid a few players, such equally tight stop Zach Miller, with a cap hitting of $11 million. Percy Harvin has a cap hit of $5 one thousand thousand, however has only played in one game this season. However, they too have some of the biggest bargains in the league on their roster, every bit both Russell Wilson and All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman carry a cap hit under $1 million. Earl Thomas is perhaps the best condom in football, and his cap hit is a mere $three.v 1000000.

Their roster balances out nicely for the Seahawks, and while the bad contracts they have on the team volition eventually grab up to them, they accept the most depth in the league. This team has a chance to build a dynasty.

i Kansas City Chiefs - $135.1 meg

The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs were 2-xiv a yr ago. Now, they're playoff bound and just a couple of steps behind the Broncos. The difference is while the Broncos are built to win now, the Chiefs are built to be a long-term contender if the core of their team is kept intact.

Jamaal Charles, arguably the league MVP for 2013, is a bargain at a $4.3 million cap hitting. The Cheifs' coin is invested primarily in their defence force, with Tamba Hali at over $xv meg and Eric Drupe over $ten 1000000. Alex Smith was brought in via merchandise, and is paid correct around his value at $8.5 1000000.

The Chiefs were able to spend in the offseason, as they accumulated cap space by saving their money over the final few years. It'south finally paid off for them this year, as they volition have a slap-up shot at knocking off either the third or quaternary seed in the playoffs' opening round. While they lost both their meetings with Denver this season, they showed they tin hang with them. If they get a third cleft at the Broncos in the playoffs, perhaps they tin knock them off. Either manner, the money they've invested in their stars has helped them ignite their passionate fan base of operations.

Conclusion:

Some of the league'southward notoriously high spenders, such as the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers did not brand this listing, due to them having to pay cap penalties for previous seasons. Teams that have spent over the cap had to cut players prior to this flavour, which is why in that location were some surprising teams on this list for 2013. Don't worry; the usual suspects will revert to their habits and will find themselves in similar situations soon enough. While every NFL team can afford to spend, it's all about using it wisely. Investing money in the right players, at the right positions and at the right contract length. That is where the difference lies between teams that turn into winners and those only trying to stay adrift in the playoff race.

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About The Author

Stefano Mocella (131 Manufactures Published)

Starting out my career as a sports journalist. Concordia J-School Grad and intern at TSN Radio 690. My passion for football sometimes makes me feel I was born in the wrong state. Await some sitcom references sprinkled into my work if warranted. I will find a way.

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