Bengals not cap heavy with top players

One could argue that the Bengals are cheapskates when it comes to their salaries, but there's not much truth in that if you think about it. The core of Cincinnati's team is built around the draft, and youth in general. Therefore a majority of the team is populated by players that are still playing on rookie contracts, naturally causing a minimal impact on the team's salary cap.

Now things are already evolving. Extensions signed by Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap, and the 2009 class playing the second-year of their second contracts, will increase the numbers, as will extensions to A.J. Green -- and maybe quarterback Andy Dalton and tight end Jermaine Gresham. Should they be granted extensions? Maybe. But I'm personally in the "let's see what happens in 2014" crowd.

According to OverTheCap, the five-highest cap numbers for the 2014 season amounts to $38.7 million, which ranks as the 27th-most in the NFL. The numbers run similarly in the top-three and top-four.