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.
Frontloaded Contract: NFL Definition
A contract with higher salaries in the early years and lower salaries in later years, providing the team with more future cap flexibility and making the player easier to release if needed.
Full Explanation
A frontloaded contract is the opposite of a backloaded deal -- it concentrates the player's highest compensation in the first year or two, with declining salaries in later years. While less common than backloaded structures, frontloaded deals offer significant strategic advantages for teams with current cap space who want to preserve future flexibility.
The primary benefit of frontloading is optionality. Because the largest salaries are paid early and the remaining years have lower cap charges, the team can more easily release the player in later years with minimal dead money. This structure is essentially the team saying, "We will pay you a premium now in exchange for flexibility later." It is particularly useful for older veterans or players with injury concerns.
Frontloaded deals are also attractive because they do not create the compounding cap problems that backloaded contracts do. There is no need for future restructures to manage escalating cap hits, and the team avoids the cycle of pushing money into the future. However, frontloading requires the team to have substantial cap space in the present, which is why rebuilding teams or teams coming off a reset year are the most common users of this approach.
Category: Cap Strategies. Part of the StickToTheModel NFL Encyclopedia.