NFL Cap Jumps to $301.2M
The NFL announced the 2026 salary cap will rise to $301.2 million per team, marking a new high and reflecting league-wide revenue growth. The increase, though at the low end of earlier projections, provides teams added flexibility as free agency and draft season approach. Meanwhile, the Broncos tendered restricted free-agent cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian, signaling further investment in their defensive core.
The 2026 salary cap represents a nearly 8% jump from the 2025 figure of $279.2 million and a 40% surge since the 2021 cap dip caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This continued, aggressive growth provides nearly every team with unexpected financial flexibility. Fueling this rise are the NFL's massive, long-term media rights deals, valued at over $110 billion. These agreements with partners like CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and Amazon's Prime Video ensure financial stability and a steady increase in shared revenue for all 32 clubs. The cap increase provides significant breathing room for teams that were projected to be in the red. For instance, the New Orleans Saints, once projected to be well over the limit, now find themselves in their best financial state in years, potentially shifting from cap casualties to free agency players. Conversely, teams like the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets now boast over $92 million and $77 million in cap space, respectively, positioning them as major players in the upcoming market. For the Broncos, the extra cap space makes tendering key players like Ja'Quan McMillian more manageable. As a restricted free agent, other teams can sign McMillian to an offer sheet, but the Broncos have the right to match it. Denver is expected to place a second-round tender on McMillian, which would be a one-year contract projected to be worth around $5.811 million. Should the Broncos decline to match an offer from another team, they would receive that team's second-round draft pick as compensation. This move secures a key defensive playmaker who is coming off a productive 2025 season. McMillian recorded 56 tackles, 4 sacks, 9 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, across 17 games.
