Jul 16, 2021 When we look at the Denver Broncos' spending patterns, we often talk about cap space and how much room the team has to add other players, but we don't talk as much about cash spending. Cap space and cash spending are two different elements. The former is about how much space a team has to fit new contracts under the salary cap, while the latter refers to the actual cash spent. As an example, teams often use signing bonuses in contracts and that money is paid out over the course of the first year of the contract. For cap purposes, it is pro-rated over the duration of the contract, but for cash purposes, it is not — the money in question is paid in the first year.