Salary Cap - A lot of money left?

[SlyBelle1]

After the first week of the season, I took a look at all the teams CAP space left and they seemed to all have a ton. Most teams had over $20 million (highest team being around $35 million)available. Is that common for teams to not fully spend their money? Seems odd with that much money left they wouldn't have tried to sign more talented players. Or am I wrong and in the NFL this is common. If not, any setting/rules that can be applied to make them spend more? It would seem the human player has a big advantage since we could pretty much spend a ton to attract/keep talent while the CPU doesn't.

[Ben E Lou]

After the first week of the season, I took a look at all the teams CAP space left and they seemed to all have a ton. Most teams had over $20 million (highest team being around $35 million)available. Is that common for teams to not fully spend their money? Seems odd with that much money left they wouldn't have tried to sign more talented players. Or am I wrong and in the NFL this is common. If not, any setting/rules that can be applied to make them spend more? It would seem the human player has a big advantage since we could pretty much spend a ton to attract/keep talent while the CPU doesn't.
What year? What settings?

[SlyBelle1]

I did find one web site that listed projected 2006 salary cap info for each team. It appeared to range from $1million to $19million, with the teams kind of spread around. Not sure how accurate this info is, but if it is, then it would appear that the numbers could be higher in the game in some cases by $15 million.

[SlyBelle1]

What year? What settings?

It was for my second year (2007). Salary cap was around $108 million. I used the real player file to start the league and I believe it was on the second hardest level. Maybe I will try on wall street. Didn't think about that maybe having something do with it. I'll give it a go.

[Ben E Lou]

I asked because I'm seeing nothing like that. I'm in 2017, and the cap is $139.8M. The AI teams are ranging from $0.82M to $11.6M in available cap room, and there's no position player in the FA pool rated above 45 anyway, so there's no way that room *could* get spent. Actually, at $8.08M available, I have the fourth-highest amount of available cap room.

[SlyBelle1]

I asked because I'm seeing nothing like that. I'm in 2017, and the cap is $139.8M. The AI teams are ranging from $0.82M to $11.6M in available cap room, and there's no position player in the FA pool rated above 45 anyway, so there's no way that room *could* get spent. Actually, at $8.08M available, I have the fourth-highest amount of available cap room.

Looks like your getting some good results. Maybe it gets better over time. I just tried wall street and in the second year, saw the same results. Here's a summary:

5 teams over $30 million
11 teams over $20 million
12 teams over $10 million
4 teams under $10 million

[Ben E Lou]

It was for my second year (2007). Salary cap was around $108 million. I used the real player file to start the league and I believe it was on the second hardest level. Maybe I will try on wall street. Didn't think about that maybe having something do with it. I'll give it a go.The issue is that enough people haven't hit free agency yet. Wiht a new gamestart with default rosters, I just did, cap room in 2006 ranges from $5.3M to $33.8M to begin with, with 30 teams having $11.5M or more. Simming forward to free agency the first year, there are nowhere near enough available talented FA's for teams to use their cap money.

[Ben E Lou]

Looks like your getting some good results. Maybe it gets better over time. I just tried wall street and in the second year, saw the same results. Here's a summary:

5 teams over $30 million
11 teams over $20 million
12 teams over $10 million
4 teams under $10 millionLook at the talent (or lack thereof, more accurately) available. I just ran the league up to preseason 2007, and yeah, some teams have over $30M in cap room, but there's no one worthy to spend it on. The best non-P/K available is freakin' Jermaine Wiggins. It's not like the AI teams should be forking over multimillion dollar contracts to crappy players. It would kill them down the road.

[SlyBelle1]

The issue is that enough people haven't hit free agency yet. Wiht a new gamestart with default rosters, I just did, cap room in 2006 ranges from $5.3M to $33.8M to begin with, with 30 teams having $11.5M or more. Simming forward to free agency the first year, there are nowhere near enough available talented FA's for teams to use their cap money.

That makes sense. Here is a quick summary of 4 years. Seems to get better, except for one team (which is my team with CPU handling everything). I'm not sure what went on where they ended up having $70million available after 4th year. Scary.

Year 1
Over $70 - 0
Over $40 - 0
Over $30 - 5
Over $20 - 11
Over $10 - 12
Over $1 - 4

Year 2
Over $70 - 0
Over $40 - 0
Over $30 - 4
Over $20 - 6
Over $10 - 12
Over $1 - 10

Year 3
Over $70 - 0
Over $40 - 1
Over $30 - 0
Over $20 - 2
Over $10 - 9
Over $1 - 20

Year 4
Over $70 - 1
Over $40 - 0
Over $30 - 0
Over $20 - 1
Over $10 - 12
Over $1 - 18

[Ben E Lou]

I'm not sure what went on where they ended up having $70million available after 4th year. Scary.The AI does not sign UFA's for your team, it will make "minor roster decisions" only, such as cutting/signing scrubs, and re-signing RFA's.

[SlyBelle1]

The AI does not sign UFA's for your team, it will make "minor roster decisions" only, such as cutting/signing scrubs, and re-signing RFA's.

Thanks skydog and thanks for clearing things up. A non issue after all:)

[amdaily]

and re-signing RFA's.

While on the subject, I always thought this shouldn't be part of the AI's duty in that respect. Sometimes they are forking over multi-million dollar deals to players I want to walk. End up having to cut them and take the cap hit.

Do they resign right when you hit "begin FA?" Perhaps I'll just turn off the option, then put it right back on.

[RedKingGold]

Look at the talent (or lack thereof, more accurately) available. I just ran the league up to preseason 2007, and yeah, some teams have over $30M in cap room, but there's no one worthy to spend it on. The best non-P/K available is freakin' Jermaine Wiggins. It's not like the AI teams should be forking over multimillion dollar contracts to crappy players. It would kill them down the road.

Thank god Jim didn't make a baseball sim.

[Ben E Lou]

Thank god Jim didn't make a baseball sim.
Well-played, sir!