Report: NFL salary cap could rise to almost $306M in 2026
The NFL informed teams Friday that the 2026 salary cap is projected to fall between $301.2 million and $305.7 million per club, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
The 2025 salary cap was $279.2 million. It'll be the fifth consecutive season that the cap rises after a slight dip from 2020 to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Salary Cap | Year |
|---|---|
| $305.7M | 2026 |
| $279.2M | 2025 |
| $255.4M | 2024 |
| $224.8M | 2023 |
| $208.2M | 2022 |
| $182.5M | 2021 |
| $198.2M | 2020 |
Media rights contracts that were signed a few years ago have contributed to significant growth in league revenue. The NFL is broadcast on many traditional TV networks and has also expanded its reach to streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime for Thursday Night Football.
The Tennessee Titans currently have the most available cap space of all 32 teams with $92.3 million, according to Over the Cap.
The exact figure for the 2026 salary cap will be finalized before the new league year starts and free agency opens March 11.