The 2012 salary cap is finally done. Not many people realized it but the final salary cap number wasn't actually determined until recently. According to reports, the salary cap will be about $120.6 million, which is only slightly above last year's number.
The final salary cap numbers also mean the official franchise tag numbers. For the KC Chiefs and Dwayne Bowe, the receiver tag is $9.515 million.
That's basically what we thought it would be so not a surprise. It's an easy decision to retain Bowe and hopefully that relationship continues beyond the use of the franchise tag this year.
I'm not sure if Bowe has actually signed, or plans to sign the franchise tag tender. From his perspective, there's really no reason to at this point. The threat of not showing up is the only leverage he has.
Jason La Canfora of NFL Network passes along the rest of the tag numbers: QB $14.436; RB $7.742; WR $9.515; TE $5.446: OL $9.383; DE $10.605; DT $7.96j LB $8.856; CB $10.281: S $6.212 K/P $2.654
Running backs and tight ends look like a bargain.