ESPN's NFC South blogger, Pat Yasinkas, did the legwork on figuring out just how much money each club has committed to the 2011-2012 season in cap figures (should it be played) thusfar. It may not surprise you to know that your Houston Texans have managed to place sixth in this prestigious category, behind the Denver Broncos and ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here's the top 10:
↵↵↵1) Dallas Cowboys, $136.6 million
↵
2) Green Bay Packers, $129.8 million
3) New York Jets, $128.5 million
4) New York Giants, $126.3 million
5) Denver Broncos, $125 million
6) Houston Texans, $118.4 million
7) Pittsburgh Steelers, $116 million
8) Indianapolis Colts, $115.8 million
9) Washington Redskins, $115.2 million
10) Detroit Lions, $113.8 million
What does this mean going forward? Well, not a lot until we have an actual look at what the salary cap will be in 2011. But the Texans have continued to spend big on personnel, and have continued to get not much of a return for it. There's a healthy mix of perennial powers, up-and-down teams, and terrible ones in the Top 10, showing it's less about what you spend and more about what you spend it all.
↵However, should the cap return and actually be near the $130 million salary cap of 2009, you can forget about the Texans signing a draft class and making a splash in free agency. That might be beyond their means unless players start getting cut.
↵