Which teams are most affected by the cap? The Cowboys and Steelers, who now must trim salary while other teams get room to give players pay increases.

Each team must be compliant with the cap number by March 11, when free agency begins. The cap amount announced Friday, which applies to active players' salaries, is up from $123 million last season and surpasses the previous high of $127,997,000 in 2009.

The league's salary cap is calculated by taking a percentage of all projected NFL revenues, subtracting projected benefits for the season, and dividing by 32 teams.

Dallas sat at $150.9 million before making initial roster cuts on Friday. It released four players, according to the Dallas Morning News — defensive end Everette Brown, defensive tackle Corvey Irvin and guards Jeff Olson and Ray Dominguez. None of them was significant in the depth chart.

Center Phil Costa was expected to be released, possibly this weekend. Costa, like the other four, saw limited playing time last season. He was a starter in 2011. Other contract decisions could be in the works.

The Steelers were in better shape but at $138.7 million also need to trim their payroll. The team saw its situation as manageable.

"We have to prepare for the worst and see where it lands," GM Kevin Colbert told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "You don't want to have a false hope it's going to be there and then it's not."

One name to watch: LaMarr Woodley, who lost his starting job at outside linebacker last season, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted.


GRAHAM CRACKLE


With no resolution in sight, the Saints and tight end Jimmy Graham continued their delicate contract dance this weekend. For now, Graham is wedded to the team with its franchise player tag.

There are two questions in play: one, should Graham be paid as a wide receiver or a tight end; and two, will the sides reach agreement on a long-term contract? The latter question could lead to Graham's departure after the 2014 NFL season is the answer is no. If not earlier.

Things could get tricky because reports say Graham carries a non-exclusive franchise tag. That means another team can sign him, if it is willing to fork over two first-round picks. The Saints can match any offer made to Graham.

Friday's application of the franchise tag assures the Saints' rights to a key component in their offense. Things get sour because Graham believes the team should have tagged him at a wide receiver rate. The difference? Tight ends are tagged at $7.04 million this offseason. Wideouts get a $12.3 million tag.

Barring a holdout or disposal by the team, Graham will play for the Saints in 2014. Happiness isn't guaranteed.

The Saints continue to haggle with the Graham camp, trying to bridge the chasm between their offer and its demands. Graham wants $12 million a season.

It remains possible, under the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, that Graham could be tagged as a receiver because of how often he lined up split wide from the line. Some estimates peg that as two-thirds of the Saints' snaps.

Once Graham's tag has been determined, the two sides could argue that matter before an arbitrator. That appears likely as both sides aim to determine precisely how much negotiating leverage they have before hammering out a long-term deal.


SHARPER AWAITS


Darren Sharper went from NFL star to TV football analysis to accused serial rapist in a plunge that is as shocking as it is surprising. Under arrest in Los Angeles, the former all-star player is wanted in four other states in regard to sexual assault allegations.

In a bail motion filed in the California case, Los Angeles County investigator John Maccharella described a pattern in which Sharper met women at clubs or parties and lured them to a hotel room, where they were allegedly drugged and raped.

Lawyers for Sharper, who played in the NFL from 1997 to 2010, have said they would prove that any sexual contact Sharper engaged in was welcomed.

It's a case that promises to become more lurid as details unfold. For now, Sharper, 38, is named in a rape case warrant in New Orleans. Efforts are under way to extradite him to Louisiana. He pleaded not guilty to rape charges in Los Angeles in February. Police in Florida, Nevada and Arizona want him in their investigations in sexual assault cases.

A law enforcement source told the New York Daily News that Sharper's extradition hearing will be held Monday. Until then, he was held by Los Angeles police on $1 million bail.

If convicted in the California case, Sharper could face more than 30 years in state prison.

If convicted of aggravated rape in Louisiana, Sharper could face life imprisonment.


ERR JORDAN


Dion Jordan, the third overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, was supposed to become a solid defensive end or outside linebacker for the Dolphins. Will efforts in that drive end abruptly?

Trade rumors picked up around Jordan and the team on Friday, keying on the notion the new Dolphins regime might be interested in making a trade.

Really? Well …

A team source told The Palm Beach Post that "the Dolphins have not spoken to any other teams about Jordan and that there hasn't been any talk within the organization about trading Wake or Wallace."

The Miami Herald also pooh-poohed the report.

Even with an overall of executives, the Dolphins would be hard pressed to explain why they would trade a player selected so high in the draft after fewer than 350 snaps. As Sporting News noted last year:

The Dolphins move up and make a surprise pick to take the best pure pass rusher in the draft. They could have used a left tackle, but Jordan will bring great energy off the edge in their new 4-3.

Jordan might be a bit out of position — he's better suited to a 3-4, according to some scouts —  but reports from Dolphins watchers believe it is too early to trade him. Jordan has enough talent and time to develop as a 4-3 end.

There's more: Whiffs of a fire sale emanate in Miami, where critics say Jordan doesn't fit the scheme and has lackluster results. Also popping up in reports from the NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora: The Dolphins are looking to peddle defensive end Cameron Wake and wide receiver Mike Wallace.

Pish-posh, the Herald's Armando Salguero reported via Twitter:

"Dolphins are not messing around. They're not allowing what they believe to be bad reporting affect their players — Jordan, Wake, Wallace.

"To be clear, Dolphins tell me they are not shopping/trading any of three players mentioned in today's CBS report. No equivocation."

Consider your grain of salt served.

Contributors: Ray Slover, The Associated Press