Ian Bronson
We all know that the NFL has big money, but how big is it? Well, $25,540,000 big, to be exact. Players rake in huge salaries, but where you play also makes a difference. Curious to see which teams are sitting on the fattest cap space? Here’s a look at the top 20 NFL teams with the most room to spare.
Houston Texans
On number 20 are the Texans. With a $6,682,977 cap space and $213,208,967 in active spending, the Texans are spending considerable amounts to bring in experienced players. After all, they need all the support for rookie QB C.J. Stroud.
Los Angeles Chargers
It seemed like the $21,800,000 promised to Justin Herbert was enough money spent by the Chargers. They have $197,763,562 in active spending and aren’t one of the year’s biggest spenders. At number 19, they have a cap space of $6,682,977.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals spent a bag on Joe Burrow’s contract of $27,500,000 in 2023. Now, what’s left to see if it was worth it? With a $6,853,051 cap space and $248,980,452 in active spending, they rank at number 18.
Minnesota Vikings
Number 17 goes to the Vikings with $7,446,148 in cap space. The team has had a great 2024 and has avoided overspending. Despite having $185,033,865 in active spending, they still have a lot of Inactive Cap Allocations.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chris Godwin is in the last year of his contract, and Mike Evans is out due to an injury. The Buccs must make a choice with their huge cap space of $7,865,097. With $183,780,875 in active spending, they are number 16.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are a team with $7,958,008 in cap space. They’ve spent good money on their defense this year. The team currently has a whopping $239,946,302 in active spending and $11,547,822 allocated to inactive contracts, making them number 15.
Seattle Seahawks
By acquiring talents like Ernest Jones IV from Tennessee, the Seahawks have spent their money wisely this year at number 14. In fact, they have $8,930,920 left in cap space and $199,289,819 in active spending, but also $52,661,225 in inactive cap allocations.
Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia’s resources have been stretched thin, weighed down by costly contracts for Haason Reddick and Derek Barnett. They have $61,954,121 tied up in inactive deals. However, the team still has $10,189,118 in cap space, ranking at number 13.
Indianapolis Colts
Number 12 goes to the Colts. The team has invested a lot in new talent this year and has $237,119,672 in active spending, one of the highest of all the teams. Somehow, they still have $11,145,485 in cap space.
Green Bay Packers
Is Jordan Love’s hefty contract extension going to empty the Packer’s pockets? It’s hard to tell because of the $15,694,579 they have in cap space. At number 11, they have $185,783,486 in active spending and over $6,500,000 in non-active cap hit.
Tennessee Titans
Losing Ernest Jones IV was not easy on the Titans. They are at number 10 but went on a spending spree. The team still has a huge cap of $16,203,729, with $180,936,674 in active spending. It will be interesting to see their on-season spending.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are at number 9 with a cap space of $18,711,038. They still have contracts to pay off from last year, but that might not be a problem with their $221,780,143 in active spending and $29,345,464 in non-active cap Hit.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Who spent a lot but doesn’t have much to show for it? The Jacksonville Jaguars come at number 8 with $19,172,768 in cap space. However, they still have $198,111,935 in active spending and over $5,000,000 in unusable cap space.
Dallas Cowboys
Bringing in Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons may have been a good move on the Cowboys’ part, as they have $20,430,305 left in cap space. The team ranks seventh and has $212,658,015 tied up in active spending and $26,789,079 allocated to inactive contracts.
Washington Commanders
Number 6 goes to the Commanders with $20,430,305 in cap space. Will they thrive under their ownership? Only time will tell. For now, the team has $199,724,249, with a huge amount to pay off in dead money.
Detroit Lions
The Lions are on fire this season and also have a huge cap space of $26,633,278. They have been smart and balanced with $196,539,776 in active spending and a relatively low $34,319,265 in dead money. They are at number 5.
Las Vegas Raiders
A $34,794,276 space cap is unheard of these days. The team has to pay off huge amounts to players like Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams. With $177,294,036 in active spending, it will be interesting to see how they do it.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have been frugal this season. As a result, they have $37,973,244 left in cap space, making them number 3. However, the $173,450,126 in active spending still needs to be paid off, as they have a huge amount of dead money.
Cleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal casts a long shadow over Cleveland’s plans in 2024. Ranked number 2 in this list, they have $44,957,744 in cap space and $206,438,006 in active spending.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers take the number one spot. Their team is strong, and the price speaks for itself. They spend $218,024,360 actively and still have a huge cap space of $51,972,538 with commitments to Nick Bosa and Christian McCaffrey.
