Update: The NFL officially set the 2026-27 salary cap at $301.2 million, up $22 million from last season
The NFL sets their salary cap every year after the season and before the new league year. It had been steadily rising by $10-12 million since 2013. A new CBA was signed in 2012 after a lockout, and TV deals pumped a ton of money into the league’s coffers which allowed the pot to grow for players. That changed five years ago as the NFL looked to spread out some of the losses from the last few years. The cap dropped $15.7 million from 2020 to 2021, but it bounced back four years ago, and has been growing bigger every year since. The NFL sent a memo to teams yesterday saying the salary cap will fall in the range of $301.2-305.7 million for the 2026 season.
The Washington Commanders currently have $71,414,851 available according to Over the Cap, but that is based on their $303.5 million cap projection. Washington currently has the sixth-most cap space in the NFL, based on current numbers.
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Washington is coming off a very, bad season that started with high expectations, and ended with two coordinators being replaced. The Commanders were 12-5 and played in the NFC Championship Game in the first year of the Adam Peters/Dan Quinn/Jayden Daniels era. That led to high hopes for year two, but injuries and other factors led to a 5-12 finish, and tla top 10 pick in this year’s draft.
Free agency officially starts on March 11, with the legal tempering window opening two days before that. Washington has over 30 free agents and a goal to get younger after having the oldest roster in the NFL last season. Free agency will play a part in that, and they also have decisions to make on several of their own pending free agents. There is slso LT Laremy Tunsil who is in line for an extension, and Daron Payne who has a very big cap hit in the final year of his contract.
The Commanders have the No. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft, and six picks total after several trades last season. Washington will look to free agency, and possibly more trades, to fill their old and new needs after an extremely disappointing season. Adam Peters and crew will then look at the draft to restock the roster with more young, cheap talent.
Salary Cap by year:
2026: $301.2-305.7 million
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2025: $279.2 million
2024: $255.4 million
2023: $224.8 million
2022: $208.2 million
2021: $182.5 million
2020: $198.2 million
2019: $188.2 million
2018: $177.2 million
2017: $167 million
2016: $155.27 million
2015: $143.28 million
2014: $133 million
2013: $123 million
2012: $120.6 million
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