What is the NFL Salary Cap for 2026? Titans Have Most Cap Space

Which NFL team has the most salary cap space in 2026? What to know ahead of NFL free agency..





The 2026 NFL offseason officially begins March 11. That’s when a wave of reports about vital free agent signings will inundate football coverage at the start of the league’s legal tampering period.

Every NFL team will be looking to improve its roster during the 2026 offseason. Some will have more resources with which to do so than others.

Among the most notable of those resources will be cap space for 2026.

There exists a wide dichotomy of financial situations across the NFL. Some, like the New England Patriots, have plenty of financial resources to commit to their rebuild. Others, like the New Orleans Saints, will need to make some significant cuts simply to get their balance of available cap space back toward zero.

Could some of these cap-strapped teams be bailed out by a higher-than-projected league-wide salary cap for 2026? Here's what to know about the NFL's salary cap for 2025 and how it compares to previous seasons.

Teams are ranked by projected cap space below. All figures come from the invaluable OvertheCap.Com


What is the NFL salary cap in 2026?


The NFL confirmed on Feb. 27 that the salary cap for teams in the 2026 season will be set at $301.2 million.

The cap increases from $279.2 million in 2025.

OverTheCap estimates that the Tennessee Titans will have a league-high $94.8 million in cap space heading into the start of the league year next month. OTC's estimation already factors in the recent releases of Lloyd Cushenberry III and Xavier Woods as well as the Jermaine Johnson-T'Vondre Sweat trade which will not be official until the league year begins on March 11.

This continues a trend of cap growth as the business of football booms. In 2024, the cap was set at $255.4 million, and it was just four years ago when the cap eclipsed the $200 million threshold in 2022 ($208.2 million).

With free agency set to begin on March 11, teams will have plenty of cash to splash on prospective players.

The legal tampering free agency period begins on March 9.



Ranked: Every NFL team's salary cap space in 2026



Below is a look at every team's projected salary cap space for 2026. All salary cap figures are via OverTheCap.com, which is sets at $301.2 million per team salary cap.


No. Team  —    Cap Space   — Effectice Cap Space

1 — Tennessee Titans — $94,864,659 — $82,545,565

2 — Las Vegas Raiders — $89,222,807 — $74,691,010

3 — New York Jets — $88,792,313 — $72,907,805

4 — Los Angeles Chargers — $85,632,941 — $81,275,423

5 — Washington Commanders — $71,353,969 — $64,609,814

6 — Seattle Seahawks — $59,579,461 — $56,397,564

7 — Cincinnati Bengals — $50,709,671 — $43,583,105

8 — Pittsburgh Steelers — $42,643,582 — $37,007,535

9 — Los Angeles Rams — $42,041,855 — $34,597,397

10 — New England Patriots — $40,398,596 — $36,278,072

11 — San Francisco 49ers — $38,905,176 — $34,507,959

12 — Arizona Cardinals — $36,882,426 — $25,358,033

13 — Indianapolis Colts — $33,418,489 — $31,404,759

14 — Denver Broncos — $26,385,734 — $22,379,607

15 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers — $21,148,710 — $15,588,258

16 — Baltimore Ravens — $19,743,387 — $11,070,416

17 — Philadelphia Eagles — $13,762,388 — $8,668,440

18 — Carolina Panthers — $10,274,504 — $5,389,610

19 — Atlanta Falcons — $9,117,519 — $7,293,551

20 — New York Giants — $1,047,721 — ($9,051,579)

21 — Cleveland Browns — $910,721 — ($11,362,737)

22 — Miami Dolphins — $881,563 — ($6,451,811)

23 — Green Bay Packers — ($3,886,657) — ($5,677,425)

24 — Kansas City Chiefs — ($5,595,166) — ($12,990,065)

25 — Buffalo Bills — ($6,142,334) — ($10,246,394)

26 — Chicago Bears — ($6,415,355) — ($10,607,769)

27 — Houston Texans — ($7,208,295) — ($13,047,447)

28 — New Orleans Saints — ($10,587,060) — ($18,184,819)

29 — Detroit Lions — ($11,941,148) — ($16,649,371)

30 — Jacksonville Jaguars — ($15,784,805) — ($18,269,374)

31 — Minnesota Vikings — ($45,506,353) — ($50,535,362)

32 — Dallas Cowboys — ($56,133,904) — ($63,639,128)



NFL team with most salary cap space


OverTheCap estimates that the Tennessee Titans will have a league-high $94.8 million in cap space heading into the start of the league year next month.


NFL team with least salary cap space


 The Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys are out of their pockets, both are expected to make big moves to shed salary this offseason, which makes sense.



NFL salary cap by year of last 10 years.


The NFL's salary cap has more than doubled since 2011, contributing to the explosion of lucrative contracts given to the league's star players.


2015: $143.28 million

2016: $155.27 million

2017: $167 million

2018: $177.2 million

2019: $188.2 million

2020: $198.2 million

2021: $182.5 million

2022: $208.2 million

2023: $224.8 million

2024: $255.4 million

2025: $279.2 million

2026: $301.2 million*



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