Do NLBEs count against the salary cap?

In the context of the salary cap in the NFL, Non-Player Bonuses or NLBEs (which may refer to incentives tied to player performance) typically do not count against the team's salary cap immediately. Instead, they impact the cap only if the player achieves the incentive in the current year, causing the bonus to count in the next year's cap calculation. This is based on the structure of how these types of compensations operate under the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), where unearned incentives remain off the cap until actual performance triggers their value.

When analyzing the implications of each choice, it is evident that options suggesting immediate cap hits at the signing time or based solely on failure to achieve incentives do not align with the regulatory frameworks set forth by the NFL and its salary cap system. Therefore, the understanding that only when an incentive is actually achieved does it impact the cap in the next season is crucial for managing both player contracts and overall cap space effectively.