We interrupt your Peyton Manning coverage to talk about the NFL Salary Cap and just where the Denver Broncos fit in. We knew the Broncos would have plenty of room - it's the only reason they can 'afford' to every talk with a free agent like Manning - but now we know exactly how much.
Earlier in the day, the NFL finally released the cap number for 2012. Each team has $120.6 million to play with. There was also the available carry-over - which the Broncos used - that allowed teams to bring any unused cap space from 2011 into the 2012 year.
So what can the Broncos do? Plenty. ProFootballTalk released a team-by-team list of what every team has available heading into Free Agency on Tuesday at 2:00PM mt. The numbers below are on the 2012 unadjusted cap of $120.6 million, including any 2011 carryover, adjustments, and franchise tenders.
Here's a look at the AFC West:
Denver Broncos - $44.7 million
Kansas City Chiefs - $32.5 million
San Diego Chargers - $14.9 million
Oakland Raiders - $7.4 million OVER (The Raiders have some work to do...)
Only the Cincinnati Bengals have more to spend than the Broncos($49.9 million). If the Broncos can get Peyton Manning into the fold, expect plenty of cash to follow to other available free agents.