Raiders have plenty of flexibility after NFL increases 2019 salary cap

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ALAMEDA – The NFL salary cap will take another jump next season. That has been common for several years, as league profits keep increasing. It has gone up at least $10 million for six consecutive seasons, and a 40 percent increase since the 2014 season.

On Tuesday, the NFL announced that the 2019 salary cap will fit within the range of $187 million to $191.1 million.

And, no, this isn’t a story about how the Raiders definitely could’ve afforded both Derek Carr and Khalil Mack while fielding a competitive team.

It can act, however, as a friendly reminder to avoid sticker shock. Percentage of an ever-increasing salary cap is a far more important number that total dollars. Every team can afford to max out the cap. How a team spends that money on free agents and cheaper draft picks goes a long way in determining winners and losers.

The Raiders must spend wisely in the 2019 offseason and beyond, because they’ll have a ton of salary cap space. NFL salary site Overthecap.com estimates that the Raiders will have $81 million in total space based on an estimated $190 million cap.

They should have $72 million in what OTC calls “effective cap space,” a number created after a top 51 is set. The Raiders currently have 34 players under contract for 2019, and only eight players carry at least $1 million in dead money if they were cut.

[RELATED: How Derek Carr has been Raiders' main constant in year of extreme change]

That means the Raiders can part ways with many they don’t want after 2018 without penalty, allowing their cap space to grow and offer freedom for Jon Gruden to spend the way he wants in free agency.

That flexibility is vital to rebuilding the roster his way, especially when combined with so many high NFL Draft picks. Right now, they would four selections in the top 33. While only one is high in that total, having first-rounders from the Mack and Amari Cooper trades and their own second-round pick.

All that money, all that roster flexibility and all those picks means Gruden can change this roster fast and try to expedite the rebuild with players he wants and likes.

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