Sports

Every NFL Team Payroll in 2026

By Eric W. Bolin Athlon Sports

Updated May 16, 2026 3:11 AM

Baseball may be America's pastime. Football is its lifeblood.

The NFL salary cap is set to be $301.2 million for the 2026 season, going up $22 million from 2025 and marking the first time the league has seen the cap surpass the $300 million mark. Only four years ago, the cap eclipsed $200 million for the first time.

Gauging just how much a team has in the cap requires, practically, an economics degree, or, at least, a chair in the front office. Taxi squads, dead money, active rosters. These things change the figure almost daily when the season starts.

For our purposes of examining how much each team spends, we're looking specifically at their active 53-man roster in mid-May 2026. Players will be cut in training camp this summer. Players will be brought up, too.

But for now, this is how the teams rank and for each team, we've listed the player who accounts for the biggest individual cap hit on the roster in rounded figures.

Note: Cap hit is not the same thing as average annual value (AAV) of a contract.

1. Cincinnati Bengals - $336.2 Million

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow rolls back against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium. Imagn Images Imagn Images

Highest paid player: Joe Burrow, $48 million

For the old timers, it's hard to imagine the Cincinnati Bengals, long known as one of the saddest-sack organizations in the NFL, at the top of this list. What a world.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - $328.6 Million

Highest paid player: Baker Mayfield, $40 million

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one of the worst, if not the worst, team in the NFL in the 2010s. The Bucs haven't missed the playoffs since 2020. Money spending has helped.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers - $325.9 Million

Highest paid player: TJ Watt, $42 million

The always-on Pittsburgh Steelers have established themselves as maybe the most consistent franchise in the NFL.

4. Kansas City Chiefs - $316.7 Million

Highest paid player: Chris Jones, $44.9 million

All that star power, all those Super Bowl appearances? Of course, the Kansas City Chiefs are among the league leaders in payroll.

5. Dallas Cowboys - $316.7 Million

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott warms up before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Highest paid player: Dak Prescott, $43.8 million

It's Jerry Jones. It'd be weirder if the Dallas Cowboys weren't in the top five.

6. Denver Broncos - $315.4 Million

Highest paid player: Mike McGlinchey, $23.8 million

A franchise never afraid to spend money, the Denver Broncos have mostly hemmed and hawed in the AFC West lately. But with spending this high and coach Sean Payton at the helm, they're on the rise.

7. Seattle Seahawks - $315.4 Million

Highest paid player: Sam Darnold, $37.9 million

The Seattle Seahawks seem to have figured out this whole NFL thing. They've missed the playoffs just seven times this century, adding two Super Bowl wins and two more appearances.

8. Carolina Panthers - $315.1 Million

Highest paid player: Robert Hunt, $24.3 million

The Carolina Panthers haven't been good in a long time. It'd help if they could keep a coach for more than two straight years. Steps were taken in 2025, at least.

9. New England Patriots - $312.6 Million

Highest paid player: Milton Williams, $28.5 million

After a few years in the wilderness, the New England Patriots returned to the pinnacle of the AFC in 2025. With their spending, they should stay there a while.

10. Baltimore Ravens - $310.8 Million

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson makes a warm-up throw before a game at Acrisure Stadium. Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Highest paid player: Lamar Jackson, $34.4 million

One of the NFL's most consistent franchises, one that's always willing to roll with the big spenders if need be, the Baltimore Ravens remain a model of stability.

11. Detroit Lions - $310.6 Million

Highest paid player: Jared Goff, $37.6 million

The Detroit Lions have some cap space, not a ton of dead money, and a roster built for success. Sure, some things are missing and a bit too much is tied up in just a couple of players relative to the rest of the roster, but things haven't dipped yet in Michigan.

12. Chicago Bears - $309.6 Million

Highest paid player: Montez Sweet, $25.1 million

They're finally starting to look like a team on the rise. The Chicago Bears haven't had consecutive winning seasons in 20 years, but with the current roster construction, optimism abounds for 2026.

13. Los Angeles Rams - $307.4 Million

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford runs onto the field before the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Highest paid player: Matthew Stafford, $48.3 million

The Los Angeles Rams found new life in LA upon moving from St. Louis. They've spent like it, too, and have become one of the best teams of the last decade.

14. Washington Commanders - $300.5 Million

Highest paid player: Daron Payne, $28 million

The Washington Commanders have had one winning season since 2016. Does Jayden Daniels remain the future? Health would help, though at just around $10 million in a cap hit, the Commanders can find out.

15. New York Giants - $299.6 Million

Highest paid player: Paulson Adebo, $24.2 million

It's absolutely fascinating that the two New York teams have two of the worst three winning percentages in the NFL in the 2020s. Spending isn't necessarily helping the Giants.

16. Tennessee Titans - $298.3 Million

Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. takes the field at Nissan Stadium. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Highest paid player: Dan Moore, $26.3 million

Never known as a franchise to break the bank, the Tennessee Titans have finished 3-14 in each of the last two seasons. Even with modest spending, that's unacceptable.

17. Minnesota Vikings - $297.4 Million

Highest paid player: Brian O'Neill, $23.1 million

The Minnesota Vikings' two starting defensive tackles from last year - Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave - are taking up dead money, bringing this total lower. That, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a steal of a deal right now.

18. Indianapolis Colts - $289.8 Million

Highest paid player: DeForest Buckner, $26.6 million

The Indianapolis Colts are so close. Since 2020, they're the median team in the NFL, their .485 winning percentage ranking 17th. Their current salary at 18th fits the bill.

19. Green Bay Packers - $289.7 Million

Highest paid player: Jordan Love, $36.1 million

With neither too many albatross-like contracts currently on the roster or in dead money, the Green Bay Packers sitting at 19th actually seems about right.

20. Los Angeles Chargers - $287.4 Million

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert looks to pass against the New England Patriots in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Gillette Stadium. David Butler II-Imagn Images David Butler II-Imagn Images

Highest paid player: Justin Herbert, $46.3 million

As of mid-May 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers are sitting pretty. They have almost $50 million in cap space coming off their third playoff season in the last four years.

21. Cleveland Browns - $281 Million

Highest paid player: Deshaun Watson, $45 million

Former Pro Bowler Joel Bitonio brings the Cleveland Browns down a bit on this list because of his $23.5 million in dead money. The offensive lineman remains an unrestricted free agent as of mid-May.

22. Buffalo Bills - $278.8 Million

Highest paid player: Josh Allen, $44.2 million

Is the Buffalo Bills' Super Bowl window beginning to close? Probably. But given the market size and financials, what Buffalo has done over the last decade or so has been impressive.

23. Jacksonville Jaguars - $278.7 Million

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence looks to hand off during an AFC Wild Card playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union via Imagn Images Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union via Imagn Images

Highest paid player: Trevor Lawrence, $24 million

Never a high-spending team, the Jacksonville Jaguars seem to have stumbled on something positive with the development of Lawrence at quarterback.

24. Atlanta Falcons - $275.8 Million

Highest paid player: Chris Lindstrom, $26.3 million

The Atlanta Falcons haven't had a winning record since 2017, the year after they went to the Super Bowl. Financial mismanagement is part of why.

25. Philadelphia Eagles - $273.7 Million

Highest paid player: Jalen Hurts, $32 million

The Philadelphia Eagles have the third-best winning percentage in the NFL - and the best in the NFC - in the 2020s. A well-oiled machine of an organization.

26. San Francisco 49ers - $272.1 Million

Highest paid player: Brock Purdy, $23.7 million

Not many teams have done more with less this decade than the San Francisco 49ers, who don't have a ton of dead money weighing their books down.

27. Las Vegas Raiders - $266.5 Million

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby reacts during a game at SoFi Stadium. Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Highest paid player: Maxx Crosby, $35.8 million

Christian Wilkins' nearly $30 million cap hit takes a bulk of dead money, leaving less to go with the active roster. They now have a No. 1 pick at quarterback in Fernando Mendoza, but the Las Vegas Raiders are a bit of a mess right now.

28. Arizona Cardinals - $258.3 Million

Highest paid player: Budda Baker, $19.2 million

Only two teams in the NFC have worse records since 2020 than the Arizona Cardinals. Given their ranking here, it's hardly a surprise.

29. Houston Texans - $258 Million

Highest paid player: Nico Collins, $27.8 million

The Houston Texans have found themselves the best team in the NFL South each of the last three seasons. They're spending money, occasionally wisely.

30. New Orleans Saints - $233.7 Million

Highest paid player: Chris Olave, $15.5 million

With four players who make more than $10 million against the cap on the active roster and five who make more than $10 million against the cap in dead money, yeah, the New Orleans Saints fit here.

31. New York Jets - $153.4 Million

Highest paid player: Breece Hall, $14.3 million

Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields combined for $48 million of dead money to the New York Jets' cap hit. Regardless, given the team has been the worst in the NFL in the 2020s, is it a surprise to see them here?

32. Miami Dolphins - $153.4 Million

Highest paid player: Bradley Chubb, $20.2 million

The Miami Dolphins are here because of dead money. No team in the NFL is paying more to players who are no longer with the team than Miami. Tua Tagovailoa leads the way with a $55.4 million cap hit.

This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 2:55 AM.