Before free-agency cash begins to flow, let's examine where all 32 NFL teams stand in terms of cap space.
The official cap for 2018 will be set at $177.2 million, an increase of more than $10 million from 2017.
A flurry of reported big-name trades - including the likes of Alex Smith, Marcus Peters, and Aqib Talib - have dominated the NFL landscape since the end of the season; however, these moves aren't accounted for in cap-space numbers until the official start of the new league year March 14.
All numbers are approximated and rounded to the nearest tenth
Cleveland Browns
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$114.4M | $58.9M | $10.3M |
- Three of the top five salary-cap hits are from offensive linemen (Joe Thomas, Kevin Zeitler, J.C. Tretter)
- Most carried over cap space from 2017 at $58.9 million
New York Jets
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$84.2M | $17.3M | $13.9M |
- Smallest amount spent on defense at $39.5 million
- No players with a $10-million-plus cap hit (OT Kelvin Beachum highest at $9.5 million)
Indianapolis Colts
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$72.8M | $16.8M | $1.8M |
- Andrew Luck carries a $24.4-million cap hit, the sixth highest in the NFL
- Colts only have five players with a $5-million-plus cap hit
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$71.8M | $15.2M | $815K |
- Fourth-most spent on wide receivers
- Cutting J.R. Sweezy would save $4.63 million
San Francisco 49ers
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$70M | $56M | $15.1M |
- Jimmy Garoppolo's league-leading $37-million cap hit is $11.5 million more than the second-placed player, Matthew Stafford
- Cutting Elvis Dumervil would save $2.75 million
Houston Texans
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$67.8M | $9.9M | $1.7M |
- Jadeveon Clowney's fifth-year option has a cap hit of $13.85 million
- J.J. Watt's $15-million cap hit is sixth among defensive linemen
Minnesota Vikings
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$54M | $13.7M | $655K |
- Five of six biggest cap hits are defensive players (Xavier Rhodes, Anthony Barr, Everson Griffen, Harrison Smith, Linval Joseph)
- Only one quarterback under contract for 2018 (Kyle Sloter, $555,000 cap hit)
Washington Redskins
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$48.5M | $1.5M | $503K |
- Cutting Jordan Reed post-June 1 would save $8.3 million
- Josh Norman's $16.9-million cap hit the biggest among cornerbacks
Tennessee Titans
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$48.4M | $30.3M | $551K |
- Fourth-most spent on linebackers
- Cutting Wesley Woodyard would save $4.2 million
Chicago Bears
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$42.9M | $7.6M | $4.5M |
- Releasing Mike Glennon saves $11.5 million
- Kyle Fuller costs $12.97 million under the transition tag
Cincinnati Bengals
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$35.5M | $10.6M | $623K |
- Second-most spent on cornerbacks
- Andy Dalton ($16.3 million) and A.J. Green ($13.75 million) are the only two players with $10-million-plus cap hit
New Orleans Saints
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$32.5M | $287K | $13M |
- Drew Brees yet to be re-signed for 2018 ($19-million cap hit in 2017)
- Three of four biggest salary cap hits belong to offensive linemen (Terron Armstead, Larry Warford, Max Under)
Jacksonville Jaguars
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$35.2M | $27.8M | $3.9M |
- Most spent on defensive linemen at $58.86 million
- Six players with a $10-million-plus cap hit (Calais Campbell, Malik Jackson, A.J. Bouye, Telvin Smith, Marcell Dareus, Blake Bortles)
Los Angeles Rams
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$29.6M | $4.3M | $432K |
- Aaron Donald likely to receive top-tier contract extension; current $6.9-million cap hit
- Newly acquired cornerbacks Marcus Peters ($3 million) and Aqib Talib ($12 million) have a smaller combined cap hit than Trumaine Johnson ($16.7 million) in 2017
Detroit Lions
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$28.1M | $4.2M | $6.4M |
- Matthew Stafford carries a $26.5-million cap hit, second highest in the league
- Second-least spent on linebackers
Denver Broncos
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$25.9M | $10.2M | $1.4M |
- Third-most spent on linebackers
- Von Miller's $22.5-million cap hit over $10 million more than next highest player (Demaryius Thomas)
New York Giants
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$23.9M | $365K | $478K |
- Eli Manning carries a $22.2-million cap hit, 10th highest in the league
- Manning, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Olivier Vernon account for nearly 32 percent of hard 2018 cap
Carolina Panthers
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$23.5M | $4.4M | $6.4M |
- Cam Newton, Kawann Short, and Luke Kuechly account for nearly 30 percent of hard 2018 cap
- Newton carries a $21.5-million cap hit, 14th highest in the league
Buffalo Bills
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$22.8M | $11.6M | $18.7M |
- Second-most spent on running backs
- Trading Tyrod Taylor would save $10.44 million
Los Angeles Chargers
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$22.8M | $2.6M | $4.7M |
- Philip Rivers carries a $22-million cap hit, joint-11th highest in the league
- Cutting Jason Verrett would save $8.53 million
Arizona Cardinals
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$20.7M | $1.6M | $7.3M |
- Zero quarterbacks currently on the entire roster
- Larry Fitzgerald's $15.85-million cap hit the highest on team
Green Bay Packers
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$19.7M | $3.9M | $4.7M |
- Most spent on wide receivers in NFL
- Cutting Randall Cobb would save $8.47 million
- Clay Matthews carries $11.34-million cap hit; 13.5 sacks in past two seasons
Seattle Seahawks
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$18.5M | $547K | $4M |
- Releasing Richard Sherman saves $11 million, $2.2 million with the trade of Michael Bennett
- Duane Brown accounts for nearly 44 percent of team's total money spent on offensive linemen
Oakland Raiders
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$15.9M | $7.6M | $2M |
- Third-most spent on offensive linemen
- Cutting Sean Smith would save $8.5 million
New England Patriots
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$14.7M | $3M | $1.6M |
- Most spent on tight ends at $17.17 million
- Tom Brady carries a $22-million cap hit, joint-11th highest in the league
Atlanta Falcons
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$13.5M | $1.1M | $4.9M |
- Second-most spent on offense at $102.4 million
- Matt Ryan's $21.65-million cap hit could be lessened with an impending contract extension
Baltimore Ravens
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$4.9M | $3.3M | $2.3M |
- Joe Flacco carries a $24.75-million cap hit, fifth highest in the league
- Third-most spent on cornerbacks at $29 million
Dallas Cowboys
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
$466K | $7.9M | $14.8M |
- Cutting Dez Bryant would save $8.5 million
- Demarcus Lawrence costs $17.14 million under the franchise tag
Pittsburgh Steelers
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
-$8.5M | $4M | $956K |
- Le'Veon Bell costs $14.54 million under the franchise tag
- Fourth-most spent on offense
Miami Dolphins
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
-$8M | $69K | $277K |
- Ndamukong Suh carries a $26.1-million cap hit, third highest in the league
- Jarvis Landy costs around $16 million under the franchise tag
Philadelphia Eagles
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
-$9.8M | $514K | $737K |
- Third-most spent on defensive linemen at $51 million
- Fletcher Cox has the second-biggest cap hit among defensive tackles at $17.9 million
Kansas City Chiefs
Cap Space | Previous Year Carryover | Dead Money |
---|---|---|
-$11.4M | $2.6M | $5.8M |
- Smallest amount spent on wide receivers at $5.7 million
- Will save $17 million when Alex Smith trade made official
(Cap number courtesies: NFL Players Association and Over The Cap)