Earlier this week, the NFL revealed its 2023 salary cap. Teams can now budget for their offseasons, knowing a $224.8MM ceiling is in place. This year’s nonexclusive franchise and transition tag numbers also emerged, giving teams more clarity on those fronts as well. With that in mind, here is where every team stands in terms of cap space:
- Chicago Bears: $90.91MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $56.42MM
- New York Giants: $44.28MM
- Houston Texans: $37.56MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $35.55MM
- New England Patriots: $32.71MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $31.04MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $26.87MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $19.78MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $14.47MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $13.96MM
- Detroit Lions: $13.83MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $12.59MM
- Denver Broncos: $9.07MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $8.28MM
- Washington Commanders: $8.24MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $4.24MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $1.03MM
- New York Jets: $1.31MM over the cap
- Dallas Cowboys: $7.18MM over
- Carolina Panthers: $8.94MM over
- Los Angeles Rams: $14.19MM over
- Cleveland Browns: $14.64MM over
- Miami Dolphins: $16.45MM over
- Green Bay Packers: $16.48MM over
- Buffalo Bills: $17.88MM over
- Los Angeles Chargers: $20.38MM over
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $22.35MM over
- Minnesota Vikings: $23.43MM over
- Tennessee Titans: $23.67MM over
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $55.03MM over
- New Orleans Saints: $60.47MM over
These figures (courtesy of OverTheCap) will change dramatically in the coming weeks, but this is where each team stands ahead of Super Bowl LVII. After that point, cap-casualty cuts can begin taking place. Restructures, extensions and trades will commence as well, with the Saints of recent years doing well to prove there are a few roads to cap compliance.
While New Orleans is in its usual February place, the team actually was further over the 2021 and ’22 caps at this point on the NFL calendar. Using void years to load up its roster during Tom Brady‘s three-year stay, Tampa Bay has seen much of that bill come due. If Brady does not re-sign a procedural deal, which would allow for the Buccaneers to spread out his dead money, the team will be hit with a $35.1MM dead-cap charge this year.
The Browns led the league by a wide margin in cap carryover from 2022, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cleveland carried over $27.6MM in cap space. The Browns paced the league in cap space throughout the 2022 season, bracing for the Deshaun Watson contract’s spike. As of now, Watson’s cap figure will balloon from $9.4MM to $54.9MM. No NFL player has ever played a season on a cap number higher than $45MM.
The Panthers, Broncos, Bears and Raiders rounded out the top five in carryover dollars, ranging from $10.8MM to $6.7MM. Chicago ate considerable dead money via the Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn trades. The rebuilding team is still paying most of Quinn’s salary, doing so in order to secure a better draft pick from the Eagles. The Bears will have quite the opportunity to bolster their roster in Ryan Poles‘ second year in charge, leading the league by a massive margin and holding the No. 1 overall pick. The Falcons still have $12MM-plus in Deion Jones dead money on their 2023 payroll, but the team is rid of Matt Ryan‘s record-setting dead-cap hit ($40MM).
Baltimore will have a major decision to make in the coming weeks. GM Eric DeCosta said he has not decided if the team will place the exclusive or nonexclusive tag on Lamar Jackson. Even the nonexclusive number — $32.42MM — will dramatically change the Ravens’ budget ahead of free agency. The exclusive tag, which prevents other teams from submitting an offer sheet to Jackson, is expected to come in just north of $45MM.
Bears have all that room and the first overall that they say they want to trade. This off-season will be fun to watch(hopefully)
The Bears also have to spend money due to the CBA, at least what has been reported (89/90% of the salary cap over three years). So it will be interesting to see if they “overpay” for certain people.
Every trash player who has seen the Bears cap number is probably searching for Mike Glennon’s agent.
Bravo +iLemon
These figures obviously don’t contain last years rollover amounts. The Bears have almost 10 million there making it 100 million. Plus they can gain another 10 million easily by cutting Muhammed-4 mil, Semian-2 mil and Patrick-4mil which are no brainers to me. They were worthless last year. Spotrac is much more realistic.
Chicago in a great spot to build a competitive roster rather quickly. They also have some impressive young talent already locked up on team friendly rookie deals, namely Fields, Brisker, Gordon, Claypool, Sanborn etc…
Poles will never have an offseason teed up so perfectly. If he can get the Texans and Indy into a bidding war for #1, he could end up with a gold mine worth of picks this year and next.
Great rosters are built through the draft.
But it’s the Bears!
It WAS the Bears!
Amusing that most of the teams that fell the flattest in the playoffs top the group of overs. Time to put Les Gold in charge of negotiations.
I’m not looking forward to the cost cutting moves the Chargers will have to make
Not good for Bills…best chance to win was last 3 seasons..
The Bucs and Saints will look like expansion teams next year.
@todd, spotrac mentions Allen restructure can net 20m relief. Not many others top cap hits look to be able to restructure. But yes Bill’s were def win now past few yrs. They really need to get a better run game too so Allen can make it to 30
Can someone who understands this stuff better than I do explain why the Bucs would take a $35 million cap hit even with Brady retiring? If he retires and leaves that salary on the table why are the Bucs still responsible for it?
Some contracts are backloaded, they may push money out to save it one year knowing they’ll pay for it later as the overall cap number increases. You’ll see more guaranteed money up front but maybe a low base salary in year one and it escalates. Teams still have to account for that money. Not an expert, but I believe that’s how it works.
On point.
I don’t know the specifics, but if someone signs a 4- year contract for $10M/season, but with a $40M bonus, then the accounting cost is (10*4 + 40)/4 of $20M per. If you cut the guy after two seasons, then it has cost you ($40) + 10 +10, or $60, but you’ve only recognized $20 * 2, or $40. So you need to recognize the other $40M.
That about right?
The Lions would save over $16 million by releasing Brockers and Vaitai.