Salary Cap

NFL Problems #4: Salary Cap Limits

The 2015 NFL salary cap for each of the 32 teams is $143,280,000. Most teams are fine with this salary cap, but some teams are looking to make a push to the playoffs for the first time in years. They require the money needed to sign high impact players to make that push. Listed below are the teams that will be in trouble when 2016 rolls around. (Player salaries in parenthesis are over various numbers of years, not just one year.)

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers active contracts add up to $142,062,271, which is under the limit but, they will need to pay some of their best players next year. They will need to create money to pay for one of the league's best receivers, Antonio Brown, Tackle Kelvin Beachum, Cornerbacks Brandon Boykin and William Gay, and Linebacker Sean Spence. Their highest paid players are Ben Roethlisberger ($99 million), Maurkice Pouncey ($46 million), Cameron Heyward ($59 million), Marcus Gilbert ($30 million), and Cortez Allen ($26 million).

4. Buffalo Bills

The Bills active contracts add up to $145,979,708, which is about $2.6 million over the limit. The Bills will need to clear up a lot of cap space next year in order to pay some of their best players, either by releasing some of their players, trading, or restructuring some of their big contracts. In 2016, the Bills will need to pay Linebacker Nigel Bradham, Left Tackle Cordy Glenn, Wide Receiver Percy Harvin, Guard Richie Incognito, and Safety Bacarri Rambo. Their highest paid players are, Charles Clay ($38 million), Marcell Dareus ($103 million), Jerry Hughes ($45 million), LeSean McCoy ($40 million), Mario Williams ($96 million), Aaron Williams ($26 million), and Eric Wood ($28 million).

3. New York Jets

The Jets active contracts add up to $152,909,924, which is about $9.6 million over the limit. The Jets are in a must win year, so their team needed to pay out the big bucks. They will need to slim down next year though, because they have to resign Cornerback Antonio Allen, Linebacker Demario Davis, Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, Linebacker Calvin Pace, and Defensive End Muhammed Wilkerson. Their highest paid players right now are, Cornerbacks Darrelle Revis ($70 million), Antonio Cromartie ($32 million) and Buster Skrine ($25 million), Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall ($26 million), Center Nick Mangold ($57 million), Tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson ($74 million), and Wide Receiver Eric Decker ($36 million).

2. New Orleans Saints

The Saints active contracts add up to $157,940,226, which is about $14.6 million over the limit. This number is surprising because the Saints don't have a very talented roster, but going into their rebuilding phase, they will need to clear up some cap space. The players they need to resign next year are Safety Rafael Bush, Linebacker David Hawthorne, Tight Ends Ben Watson and Josh Hill, Quarterback Luke McCown, and Running Back Khiry Robinson. Their highest paid players are Drew Brees ($100 million), Jarius Byrd ($54 million), Marques Colston ($36 million), Cam Jordan ($61 million), and Dannell Ellerbe ($34 million).

1. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins active contracts add up to $160,324,653, which is about $17 million over the limit. The Dolphins are making a push for the playoffs this year and needed to sign big players. Next year, they will need to clear space for Safety Louis Delmas, Wide Receiver Rishard Matthews, Running Back Lamar Miller, Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, and Defensive End Olivier Vernon. Their highest paid players are Ndamukong Suh ($114 million), Branden Albert ($46 million), Brent Grimes ($32 million), Reshad Jones ($30 million), Mike Pouncey ($52 million), and Ryan Tannehill ($95 million).

Patriots Scandals

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NFL Problems #3: Patriots Scandals

Over the past few years, many teams have dealt with scandals. None more than New England Patriots. They have been accused of cheating multiple times and their recent success has been tainted due to the fact that they may have cheated.

Spygate: In 2007, the Patriots were caught video-taping New York Jets coaches from an unauthorized location, in attempt to steal play-calls. This is of course illegal, and head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000. Additionally, the Patriots were fined $250,000 and lost their first round pick in 2008. Some notable players that they could've taken with that pick include, Jordy Nelson, Matt Forte, DeSean Jackson, Jamaal Charles, Justin Forsett, and Calais Campbell. Belichick's legacy was tarnished and he will forever be known as a cheater to non-Patriots fans.

Super Bowl XXXVI: Six months after "Spygate," it was reported that in 2002, the Patriots recorded St. Louis Rams practices, the team they beat in that Super Bowl 36. No discipline was given to the Patriots, but most people consider that cheating to win the Super Bowl. Therefore, New England's Super Bowl XXXVI victory will forever have "Spygate" looming over it.

Deflategate: In yet another Patriots scandal, the Patriots were accused of deflating footballs. In the 2014/15 AFC Championship game, the Patriots crushed the Indianapolis Colts, 45-7. After the game the Colts accused the Patriots of deflating footballs in order to get a better grip in the cold January weather. All members involved including Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft denied any knowledge of deflating footballs. The League blamed two members of the Patriots equipment staff, Jim McNally and John Jastremski. They were both fired and the team was fined $1,000,000. Also, the team lost their first-round pick in 2016

Arrests

NFL Problems #2: Arrests

All sports deal with controversy, but the NFL definitely has the most. Players are always getting in trouble whether it is domestic violence (which has grown significantly as of late), drugs, or even murder. Here are some statistics over the past 4 years.

Drug/Alcohol Related Arrests Since 2012: 85
(DUI, DWI, possession of drugs, public intoxication, drug trafficking, etc.)

Notable arrests: Le'Veon Bell, Aldon Smith, LeGarrette Blount, Tim Jennings, Justin Blackmon, Josh Gordon (2), Marcell Dareus, Dwayne Bowe.

Domestic Violence/Rape Arrests or Accusations Since 2012: 25

Notable Arrests: Ray Rice, Ahmed Brooks, Ray McDonald (2), Jonathan Dwyer, Greg Hardy, Daryl Washington, Dez Bryant

Murder/Gun Related Arrests Since 2012: 20
(Attempted Murder, Unlawful Gun Possession, First Degree Murder)

Notable Arrests: Aaron Hernandez, Chris Johnson, Aldon Smith, Sheldon Richardson, Elvis Dumervil.




Source: USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/arrests/

Concussions

 

NFL Problems #1: Concussions

The NFL has had problems with concussions for about 20 years. Concussions are caused by head trauma in which the skull hits the brain. Football players are known to have repetitive head trauma because they tackle head first.  In 2010, the NFL acknowledged that most of its former players are suffering from CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). This is a life threatening disease caused by head trauma that is usually connected to concussions. 

Roger Goodell, NFL Commsioner since 2006, is commonly blamed for not providing the right safety for football players. Some former players have fought back against the NFL. Many lawsuit have been filed against the NFL, and over 900 million dollars have been paid out for injury settlement. Over the past 3 years, over 600 NFL players have been diagnosed with concussions.

Many NFL deaths have been linked to CTE. In 2012, Jovan Belcher, who was playing for the Kansas City Chiefs at the time, murdered his wife, and the committed suicide in the Chiefs parking in front of many coaches. His brain showed very high signs of CTE post-death, which doctors claim altered his mental health greatly. Belcher suffered 3 concussions in the NFL. Hall of Fame linebacker, Junior Seau, also killed himself when he had CTE. He suffered multiple concussions during his time in the league, and his children blame the NFL for his death.