Even though the Super Bowl was just a handful of weeks ago, it is already time to turn attention to the 2026 NFL season.
Many consider the annual NFL Combine the start of the year for the NFL, but actually, the new league year starts in the middle of March. Between the Super Bowl and that day, NFL teams across the league have to make moves to ensure they are compliant with the salary cap.
Teams are given a projected salary cap number soon after the Super Bowl ends, but that number tends to be solidified during the Combine. Franchises will now have about two weeks to make the necessary moves to go from over the cap to under it. If a team is not cap compliant by the start of the new league year, they are blocked from new player contracts, could have current contracts voided, and are subject to fines and forfeiting draft picks.
Here is more on how much each NFL team will have to spend towards the salary cap in the 2026 offseason.
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How is NFL salary cap calculated?
The NFL first allocates 48% of its revenue each year for the salary cap of the following season. The league then divides that number by the number of teams, 32, to determine the official salary cap.
The salary cap continues to rise exponentially each season. In 2024, it was $255.4 million, the largest in league history at the time. That was raised to $279.2 million for the 2025 season and has since increased to $301.2 million in 2026.
NFL salary cap deadline 2026
NFL teams are required to be cap compliant by the start of the new league year, which starts on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET. Any agreements made by teams and players ahead of the deadline won’t be made official until the deadline passes.
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What is the NFL salary cap for 2026?
The NFL continues to set records for its salary cap. Once again, the league beat its own historical record, and the 2026 salary cap eclipsed $300 million for the first time ever. The salary cap will be $301.2 million per team for 2026.
NFL clubs were informed today that the salary cap for the ’26 season will jump $22 million per club to $301.2 million. Add in another $77.6m in benefits & that’s $378.8m per club in player spending. Tremendous growth pic.twitter.com/cQ5Zf3aGVW
— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) February 27, 2026
NFL salary cap space by team
Here’s a look at where every team’s cap space stands heading into the offseason, according to OverTheCap.com, using a base salary cap number of $301.2 million. These numbers are accurate as of 2 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 27.
| Team | Cap Space |
| Titans | $94,864,659 |
| Raiders | $89,222,807 |
| Jets | $88,792,313 |
| Chargers | $85,632,941 |
| Commanders | $71,353,969 |
| Seahawks | $59,579,461 |
| Bengals | $50,709,671 |
| Steelers | $42,643,582 |
| Rams | $42,041,855 |
| Patriots | $40,398,596 |
| 49ers | $38,905,176 |
| Cardinals | $36,882,426 |
| Colts | $33,418,489 |
| Broncos | $26,385,734 |
| Buccaneers | $21,148,710 |
| Ravens | $19,743,387 |
| Eagles | $13,762,388 |
| Panthers | $10,274,504 |
| Falcons | $9,117,519 |
| Giants | $1,047,721 |
| Browns | $910,721 |
| Dolphins | $881,563 |
| Packers | -$3,866,657 |
| Chiefs | -$5,595,166 |
| Bills | -$6,142,334 |
| Bears | -$6,415,355 |
| Texans | -$7,208,295 |
| Saints | -$10,587,060 |
| Lions | -$11,941,148 |
| Jaguars | -$15,784,805 |
| Vikings | -$45,506,353 |
| Cowboys | -$56,133,904 |
MORE: What is the franchise tag in the NFL?
How does salary cap impact free agency?
The team with the most in available salary has the most money to sign free agents. This year, that belongs to the Tennessee Titans with nearly $100 million in cap space. The Titans are entering a new era with Robert Saleh as head coach, and Tennessee could invest in some weapons for second-year quarterback Cam Ward.
The Cowboys are going to have to get creative with money. Whether through cuts or contract restructures, Dallas has to shed a little more than $56 million by the time the new league year begins.
