The NFL salary cap first debuted in 2013 at $123 million. It took 10 years to cross the $200 million threshold. It took five years to leap up beyond $300 million. With another season of steady growth, the NFL informed teams that they project the 2026 salary cap to sit between $301.2 million and $305.7 million, per Tom Pelissero. That's a $22 million upgrade from last year.
Yeah, the NFL is raking in the money. Owners are certainly rolling in dough. An increase in the salary cap is where players reap the benefits. And they're not the only ones. These are the biggest winners of the latest salary cap increase.
Trey Hendrickson
The Bengals need help on defense, desperately. The last thing they need is to lose an All-Pro like Trey Hendrickson. In five seasons in Cincinnati, the defensive end has tallied 61 sacks and 12 forced fumbles. He may be 31 years old, but two of the top three sack-getters in 2025 — Myles Garrett and Danielle Hunter. Age is but a number and the ability to be a game-wrecking pass rusher doesn't disappear after 30. Neither his age nor the fact that he's coming off an injury should stop Cincy from locking him into a new contract.
Of course, agreeing to a deal is the issue. Hendrickson did a hold in last season while in a contract dispute with the team. They even let him seek a trade. Nothing came of that, though. Eventually, the two sides worked out a restructure, sending Hendrickson to the open market of free agency.
The bump to the salary cap could give the Bengals the room to have their cake and eat it too. With their $54.6 million in cap space, they can afford to re-sign Hendrickson and make other additions to bolster their defense.
Even if the bridge with the Bengals has been burned, Hendrickson still stands to cash in. Because every single other team prowling the free agent market has more space to spend as well.
Super Bowl contenders with QBs on rookie contracts
The New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears are in a great position looking ahead. Not only were they playoff teams, but they each have a quarterback on a rookie contract, giving them that much more room to spend on other important positions.
The Broncos and Bears are in the negatives when it comes to cap space, so they don't exactly have a ton of spending power. However, a significantly higher cap gives them much more wiggle room. Restructures and cuts will still be needed, but not nearly to the extent they would have with a static cap. Bo Nix and Caleb Williams won't be taking up a significant chunk of their team's money until free agency in 2029. That fact that Denver no longer has to pay Russell Wilson is a huge plus, one that's only slightly dented by apparent friction inside the building.
The Patriots, meanwhile, are sitting pretty with $33 million to work with. They're already a team capable of making the Super Bowl and they'll be able to strengthen this offseason. Their championship window is wide open and should remain that way with two more years on Drake Maye's rookie deal plus a club option for 2028.
The Commanders with Jayden Daniels and the Falcons with Michael Penix Jr. could also enter this picture, but those teams need to prove they're on track for the playoffs before we consider them winners.
NFL Agents
It pays to be an NFL agent when the salary cap goes up and up. More money on the table for players equals more money on the table for agents working out deals in free agency. Agents can make up to three percent in commission. When players like Hendrickson or Daniel Jones or Georgie Pickens sign their big deals, millions could be coming the way of their agencies.
PFF's latest projection for Hendrickson is a short-term deal worth $21 million. That's more than $600,000 heading an agent's way. If Pickens nails down a $28 million contract as predicted, his agent is looking at $840,000. And those are both one-year deals. Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum could be worth $80 million over four years. Three percent of $80 million is $2.4 million. Not bad for an offseason's work.