Thanks to provisions in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2011, teams were allowed to carry money from previous seasons that could be applied to the 2013 salary cap, provided they designed the amount beforehand.

The Bengals are in good shape.

Along with a $300,000 annual increase on the league-mandated salary cap, building on last year's number of $120.6 million, along with several pricey contracts expiring, the Cincinnati Bengals have $55.1 million cap room available to them in 2013, according to ESPN NFL Insider John Clayton.

The "haves'' are in good shape. The "have nots'' have to be creative. Thanks to the carryover, there is $350.7 million of cap room in 2013, but $200.3 million of carryover is part of that. Eight teams, though, account for 79 percent million of total room. The Cincinnati Bengals saved $8.5 million of cap room in 2012 and made the playoffs for the second consecutive year. They have $55.1 million of room. The Cleveland Browns saved $14.3 million of room in 2012 and now have $48.9 million. After being tight against the cap in 2012, the Indianapolis Colts now have $46 million of room.

And the Bengals very well could use it with Andre Smith and Michael Johnson and nearly half their 2012 roster entering free agency. We also expect the team to make an effort signing Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap to contract extensions, both of which would enter free agency following the 2013 season.

This is the reason why the Bengals have appeared stingy with their money in recent years, despite making the postseason in consecutive seasons.