Sims save some cash for after signings start. This is often used to pick up junk players that nobody else wants, but I have been leading a sim, and had a higher prestige, and have gotten a message telling me I have fallen behind in recruiting and was no longer leading. Since I was leading and wouldn't be losing "early recruiting points" to the sim and had the prestige as well, I have assumed this meant the sim had made a second push and I needed to spend some more cash to win.