Who Has the Most Cap Space in the NFL?

Before free agency begins, every NFL team has to get their finances in order. That means figuring out who will get cut, who will get a raise, and who will be given a new contract. But it also means looking at the future and estimating how much money will be needed to sign new players and retain current ones.

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) has a salary cap that is the total amount of money that each team can spend on player salaries for the year. The NFL salary cap is set by the league and is usually around $177 million per team. This number can change from year to year, and it is not uncommon for teams to be over or under the cap at any given time.

There are a few ways that teams can get under the salary cap. One way is to release players that they no longer want on their team. Another way is to trade players to other teams. Lastly, they can renegotiate players’ contracts to lower their salary cap number.

When a team is under the salary cap, they are said to have “cap space.” This is money that they can use to sign free agents, trade for players, or extend the contracts of current players.

So, which NFL team has the most cap space heading into the 2020 season?

teams with the most salary cap space

The NFL offseason is in full swing, and teams are looking to spend their newfound salary cap space. Who are the teams that have the most money to spend? Let’s take a look.

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have the most salary cap space in the NFL at over $82 million. The Bills are followed by the Cleveland Browns ($78 million), the Cincinnati Bengals ($77 million), and the San Francisco 49ers ($76 million).

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have the most salary cap space in the NFL at over $102 million. The Browns made a number of moves to create this space, including restructures, releases, and trades. The team also carried over $43 million in cap space from 2019.

Indianapolis Colts

As of July 29th, the Indianapolis Colts have the most salary cap space in the NFL at just over $60 million. The Colts are followed by the Cleveland Browns ($58.6 million), San Francisco 49ers ($56.4 million), and New York Jets ($52.5 million).

The Colts’ cap space is largely due to the team’s decision to part ways with a number of high-priced veterans this offseason, including Andrew Luck, Vontae Davis, Frank Gore, and Clayton Geathers. The team also released veteran wide receiver Kamar Aiken, tight end Brandon Williams, and running back Matt Jones.

With all of that cap space, the Colts are in a good position to make a splash in free agency or trade for a player they feel can help them contend for a playoff spot in 2019.

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have the most salary cap space in the NFL heading into the 2020 offseason. The Saints currently have over $60 million in cap space, which is more than double the amount of any other team in the league.

The Saints’ front office has made it clear that they are willing to spend big in free agency this offseason, as they are looking to add impact players to a roster that is already one of the best in the NFL. The team has been linked to several high-profile free agents, including Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green and former All-Pro edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.

With so much cap space available, the Saints are in a great position to make a run at one of the top free agents on the market this offseason.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently have the most salary cap space in the NFL at over $79 million. The team has made a number of moves this offseason to create more cap space, including restructuring the contracts of wide receiver Mike Evans and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The Buccaneers also released longtime defensive end Vinny Curry.

teams with the least salary cap space

Entering the 2019 offseason, the Colts had the most salary cap space of any team in the NFL at over $100 million. They quickly used that space to sign a number of high-profile free agents, including All-Pro linebacker Justin Houston.

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens currently have the least amount of salary cap space in the NFL. As of March 12th, they are projected to have just over $5 million in cap space. This is due to a number of factors, including the large contracts of players like Joe Flacco, Marshal Yanda, and Jimmy Smith. The Ravens will need to free up some cap space if they want to sign any major free agents this offseason.

Dallas Cowboys

As of June 1, 2020, the Dallas Cowboys had the least amount of salary cap space in the NFL at $4.285 million.

Detroit Lions

As of March 10th, 2021, the Detroit Lions have the least amount of salary cap space in the NFL. They are currently projected to have just over $13 million in cap space for the 2021 season. This is due in large part to the team’s decision to sign quarterback Matthew Stafford to a record-breaking contract extension last year.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have the least amount of salary cap space in the NFL at just $4.8 million. This makes them one of the teams that will be most active in free agency this offseason.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are currently in the lead for the team with the most salary cap space. As of March 12th, they have $74,163,854 in cap space.

Conclusion

After evaluating all 32 NFL teams, it appears that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the most salary cap space available. As of March 10th, they have approximately $82 million in cap space. The Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, and San Francisco 49ers are also near the top, with approximately $76 million, $74 million, and $73 million in cap space respectively.