NFL takes cap space from Redskins, Cowboys

The NFL's free-agency signing period begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, but the Redskins and Cowboys won't have as much money to spend as they had hoped.

The NFL has taken away millions of dollars in salary-cap space from the two teams because -- despite repeated warnings by the league -- they pushed too much spending into the uncapped 2010 season.

The Redskins were told they have $36 million less to spend; the Cowboys' sanction was slightly more than $10 million. The teams can spread out the penalties this year and next year.

The Redskins and Cowboys released statements saying they were in compliance with NFL rules.

The NFL announced Sunday that the salary cap will be $120.6 million, but the money forfeited by the Redskins and Cowboys will be added to other teams' totals. All other teams except the Raiders and Saints will have $1.6 million more in cap space. The NFL ruled the Raiders and Saints also violated the salary-dumping edict, but not by enough to impose sanctions.

Washington and Dallas committed large sums to a handful of players in 2010 to set up improved salary-cap situations in the future. The cap returned in 2011 after a 10-year CBA was agreed upon.