Cap room vs. rookie cap room?

[Delandis]

Why do i have less cap room overall, but more cap room to sign draftees...are these two different pots?

[SoobieTech]

If I am not mistaken, the "Room under cap" is the total amount of cap space you have for signing FAs and drafted rookies. The "Max for new player" amount is a calculated amount you would have to spend in free agency, taking into account the fact the you will still have to sign drafted rookies. I think the game calculates it according to how many draft picks you have and where those picks occur in the draft order. So for example, if your Room Under Cap amount is $30 mil, and your Max For New Player amount is $25 mil, that means the game is calculating that you will need to save about $5 mil to sign your draft picks. This is, at least, how I have always interpreted it.

[Dave]

SoobieTech's explanation is correct. He is awarded five gold stars.

[Delandis]

If I am not mistaken, the "Room under cap" is the total amount of cap space you have for signing FAs and drafted rookies. The "Max for new player" amount is a calculated amount you would have to spend in free agency, taking into account the fact the you will still have to sign drafted rookies. I think the game calculates it according to how many draft picks you have and where those picks occur in the draft order. So for example, if your Room Under Cap amount is $30 mil, and your Max For New Player amount is $25 mil, that means the game is calculating that you will need to save about $5 mil to sign your draft picks. This is, at least, how I have always interpreted it.

So since my rookie cap room is larger than my overall cap room, I don't have enough money to sign my rookies..?

[SoobieTech]

Ah...I forgot one little detail about the "Room under cap" vs. "Max for new player".....If your Max for new player is in parenthesis, that means your calculated cap is currently over the cap. That means you would need to either renegotiate some player contracts to get that number to go positive, or cut a player/players to get it to go positive. At this point in the season, you should be able to renegotiate some player contracts to get your "Max for new players" amount in the positive range. Or, let's say, for example, you traded one of your draft picks to someone for a future draft pick. That would also raise both of those figures, because that is one less drafted rookie you would have to pay this year. But like I said, I would try going through your roster (especially the players with 1 year left on their contracts) and try to renegotiate their contracts. That should free up a significant amount of cap room for you.

[HWessinmouse]

Question: What magic formula or process happens when I hit the 'cap out offer' button? Is it something I should be taking advantage of or is it to be avoided?

[Guest]

The Cap Out Button is like the failsafe button, it starts a terminal countdown of your team's finances. . .. you know, it's produced by ACME, supplier of fine toon products for Wiley Coyote, Sylvester the Cat, and Yosemite Sam. . .