Report: NFL projecting 2026 salary cap jump over $300 million

The NFL has informed the league’s 32 teams that it is projecting a 2026 salary cap figure ranging between approximately $301.2-305.7 million per organization, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. That figure is another steep jump for the NFL salary cap, which has gone up by nearly $100 million since 2022.

It’s a more than $20 million boost to this current season’s $279.2 million cap number. In fact, after steadily improving by roughly $10 million each year between 2013-20, only to take a roughly $16 million dip in 2021, the NFL’s salary cap has jumped by an average of nearly $24 million over the prior three offseasons.

That includes a sharp $30.6 million boost from $224.8 million in 2023 to $255.4 million in 2024. The exact 2026 salary cap figure is expected to be finalized prior to the league’s official start of free agency on March 11.

With a projected cap of approximately $303.45 million, Spotrac projects seven of the 32 NFL teams will have at least $50 million in cap space entering this coming offseason, including nearly $100 million for the Tennessee Titans, per Spotrac’s estimations. The Las Vegas Raiders, owners of the No. 1 overall pick in April’s 2026 NFL Draft, and the Los Angeles Chargers are ranked second and third with $88.7 and $88 million in cap space, respectively.

At the same time, roughly 12 of the NFL’s teams enter the 2026 offseason with negative cap space. That includes a league-worst $56.7 million deficit for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Troy Aikman on Cowboys re-signing George Pickens: ‘That would be a lot of money tied up at the wide receiver position’

Contract talks are going to, once again, be a talking point this offseason for the Dallas Cowboys. Another big-time player is set to enter free agency — George Pickens. After trading a third-round pick for the wide receiver, everyone is waiting to see if the Cowboys re-sign him.

The topic came up in the commentary booth during this season’s Cowboys-Raiders game on Monday Night Football, with Joe Buck mentioning the upcoming free agency. Dallas alum and ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman then admitted that giving Pickens a contract, along with what CeeDee Lamb makes, is a lot of equity in the salary cap.

“It is going to be interesting to see what happens to him at the end of this year,” Aikman said. “That would be a lot of money tied up at the wide receiver position and, of course, what they’re paying Dak Prescott. But I know they’d like to keep him.”

Buck then brought up the Cincinnati Bengals, who did something similar recently. Quarterback Joe Burrow is on a big deal, as are wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Now, the Bengals hold one of the NFL’s worst defenses. Aikman then pointed out how the Bengals and Cowboys have been compared this season due to their poor defenses.

Prescott recently signed a four-year, $240 million contract to stay in Dallas. Lamb followed suit, making $136 million over the same period. Many do not project Pickens to receive the same as Lamb on an annual basis. But he should still wind up being one of the NFL’s highest-paid wide receivers.

— On3’s Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.