Free NFL Analytics Platform — A Directory of Our Hubs
StickToTheModel is a free NFL analytics platform organized around a few core hubs. Each hub is the home for a specific category of NFL coverage — pick the one that matches what you're looking for. No signup required.
Our Hubs
Mock Draft Simulator — The simulator hub. 7-round NFL mock drafts with trades, AI opponents, and instant grades.
NFL GM Simulator — The GM mode hub. Manage salary cap, cuts, trades, franchise tags, and the draft for any team.
2026 Draft Prospect Hub — Big board, scouting reports, combine measurables, and team visit tracker.
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Our platform offers data-driven NFL analysis with tools for draft preparation, fantasy football, and player research. All core features are free with daily updates during the NFL season.
The platform serves fantasy football players, NFL Draft enthusiasts, dynasty league managers, sports bettors, content creators, and casual fans exploring NFL statistics.
Creating Cap Space: NFL Definition
The various methods NFL teams use to generate additional salary cap room, including restructures, cuts, trades, extensions, and June 1 designations.
Full Explanation
Creating cap space is a critical skill for NFL front offices, and teams have a wide toolkit at their disposal. The most common methods include: restructuring existing contracts (converting salary to bonus), releasing players (either pre- or post-June 1), trading players with large cap hits, signing players to extensions that spread money over more years, and carrying over unused cap space from previous years.
Each method involves different trade-offs. Restructures create immediate savings but push money into the future. Cutting players provides cap relief equal to the difference between the cap hit and dead money, but the team loses the player. Extensions lower the current-year cap charge but commit the team to additional years. Post-June 1 designations allow dead money to be split across two cap years but delay the full savings.
The best cap managers plan multiple years ahead, coordinating their moves to maintain competitiveness while avoiding the cap cliff that results from too many short-term fixes. Teams like the Rams and Saints have demonstrated aggressive cap management to win now, while teams like the Colts and Patriots have historically taken more conservative approaches. Neither strategy is inherently superior -- the right approach depends on the team's competitive window and roster composition.
Category: Cap Strategies. Part of the StickToTheModel NFL Encyclopedia.