One note: rather than count dead money toward the positional groups, we will have it ranked separately in a post of its own. For example, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa‘s $55.4 million dead cap hit won’t count toward Miami’s quarterback spending, but it will be included in their league-leading $179 million dead cap figure. 

Here’s how the league’s linebacker rooms shake out from most expensive to least expensive: 

Resources:

• Salary information via Over The Cap
• Depth charts via OurLads
• Pro Football Focus grades

1 – Baltimore Ravens: $40,647,777

• Percentage of total cap: 13.5 percent
• 2025 rank: 1st
• Top cap hit: Roquan Smith, $32,718,750 (10.86 percent)
• PFF grade: 67.2 (14th)
• Starters: Smith, Teddye Buchanan
• Depth: Trenton Simpson, Jay Higgins IV

2 – Pittsburgh Steelers: $36,043,767

• Percentage of total cap: 11.97 percent
• 2025 rank: 2nd
• Top cap hit: Patrick Queen, $17,193,334 (5.71 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Malik Harrison, $6,790,000 (2.25 percent)
• PFF grade: 48.3 (31st)
• Starters: Queen, Payton Wilson
• Depth: Harrison, Cole Holcomb, Jamin Davis

3 – Kansas City Chiefs: $30,766,746

• Percentage of total cap: 10.21 percent
• 2025 rank: 5th
• Top cap hit: Nick Bolton, $19,250,000 (6.39 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Drue Tranquill, $5,000,000 (1.66 percent)
• PFF grade: 77.6 (4th)
• Starters: Bolton, Tranquill
• Depth: Jeffrey Bassa, Cole Christiansen, Cooper McDonald 

4 – San Francisco 49ers: $29,205,048

• Percentage of total cap: 9.7 percent
• 2025 rank: 6th
• Top cap hit: Fred Warner, $17,865,471 (5.93 percent)
• PFF grade: 84.7 (1st)
• Starters: Warner, Dre Greenlaw
• Depth: Tatum Bethune, Luke Gifford, Nick Martin, Jaden Dugger 

5 – Chicago Bears: $28,255,518

• Percentage of total cap: 9.38 percent
• 2025 rank: 3rd
• Top cap hit: T.J. Edwards, $10,833,333 (3.6 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Devin Bush, $5,666,666 (1.88 percent)
• PFF grade: 78.9 (2nd)
• Starters: Edwards, Bush
• Depth: D’Marco Jackson, Noah Sewell, Ruben Hyppolite II, Keyshaun Elliott, Jack Sanborn

6 – Houston Texans: $26,989,279

• Percentage of total cap: 8.96 percent
• 2025 rank: 13th
• Top cap hit: Azeez Al-Shaair, $8,786,588 (2.92 percent)
• PFF grade: 70.5 (10th)
• Starters: Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o
• Depth: Wade Woodaz, Marte Mapu, Jake Hummel, Jamal Hill, E.J. Speed*
• *injured

7 – New England Patriots: $26,282,218

• Percentage of total cap: 8.73 percent
• 2025 rank: 7th
• Top cap hit: Robert Spillane, $12,320,000 (4.09 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Christian Elliss, $8,555,000 (2.84 percent)
• PFF grade: 68.2 (11th)
• Starters: Spillane, Elliss
• Depth: K.J. Britt, Namdi Obiazor, Chad Muma, Otis Reese

8 – Jacksonville Jaguars: $24,965,885

• Percentage of total cap: 8.29 percent
• 2025 rank: 12th
• Top cap hit: Foyesade Oluokun, $17,108,500 (5.68 percent)
• PFF grade: 73.5 (7th)
• Starters: Oluokun, Ventrell Miller
• Depth: Dennis Gardeck, Jack Kiser, Branson Combs, Jalen McLeod

9 – Las Vegas Raiders: $23,826,385

• Percentage of total cap: 7.91 percent
• 2025 rank: 26th
• Top cap hit: Quay Walker, $9,666,666 (3.21 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Nakobe Dean, $7,966,666 (2.64 percent)
• PFF grade: 54.1 (28th)
• Starters: Walker, Dean
• Depth: Tommy Eichenberg, Cody Lindenberg, Segun Olubi

10 – Detroit Lions: $21,714,812

• Percentage of total cap: 7.21 percent
• 2025 rank: 9th
• Top cap hit: Derrick Barnes, $9,764,000 (3.24 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Jack Campbell, $4,794,239 (1.59 percent)
• PFF grade: 76.2 (5th)
• Starters: Campbell, Barnes
• Depth: Malcolm Rodriguez, Jimmy Rolder, Damone Clark, Trevor Nowaske

11 – Minnesota Vikings: $21,189,643

• Percentage of total cap: 7.04 percent
• 2025 rank: 21st
• Top cap hit: Blake Cashman, $9,182,353 (3.05 percent)
• PFF grade: 62.9 (22nd)
• Starters: Cashman, Eric Wilson
• Depth: Jake Golday, Ivan Pace Jr., Josh Ross

12 – New York Jets: $21,176,132

• Percentage of total cap: 7.03 percent
• 2025 rank: 14th
• Top cap hit: Jamien Sherwood, $11,500,000 (3.82 percent)
• Other notable cap hits: Demario Davis, $5,000,000 (1.66 percent)
• PFF grade: 73.6 (6th)
• Starters: Davis, Sherwood
• Depth: Marcelino McCrary-Ball, Francisco Mauigoa, Mykal Walker

13 – Seattle Seahawks: $20,571,473

• Percentage of total cap: 6.83 percent
• 2025 rank: 30th
• Top cap hit: Ernest Jones, $11,483,333 (3.81 percent)
• PFF grade: 67.2 (14th)
• Starters: Jones, Drake Thomas
• Depth: Tyrice Knight, Patrick O’Connell, Chazz Surratt, Chris Paul Jr.

14 – Green Bay Packers: $20,125,477

• Percentage of total cap: 6.68 percent
• 2025 rank: 28th
• Top cap hit: Zaire Franklin, $7,130,000 (2.37 percent)
• PFF grade: 56.9 (27th)
• Starters: Edgerrin Cooper, Franklin
• Depth: Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, Kristian Welch

15 – Miami Dolphins: $20,004,761

• Percentage of total cap: 6.64 percent
• 2025 rank: 16th
• Top cap hit: Jordyn Brooks, $10,862,166 (3.61 percent)
• PFF grade: 66.6 (16th)
• Starters: Brooks, Jacob Rodriguez
• Depth: Tyrel Dodson, Kyle Louis, Willie Gay, Ronnie Harrison

16 – Arizona Cardinals: $19,831,094

• Percentage of total cap: 6.58 percent
• 2025 rank: 11th
• Top cap hit: Mack Wilson, $4,726,668 (1.57 percent)
• PFF grade: 58.1 (25th)
• Starters: Wilson, Cody Simon
• Depth: Jack Gibbens, Owen Pappoe, Karson Sharar

17 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $18,427,802

• Percentage of total cap: 6.12 percent
• 2025 rank: 25th
• Top cap hit: Alex Anzalone, $9,000,000 (2.99 percent)
• PFF grade: 67.5 (13th)
• Starters: Anzalone, Josiah Trotter
• Depth: SirVocea Dennis, Christian Rozeboom

18 – Atlanta Falcons: $17,936,398

• Percentage of total cap: 5.95 percent
• 2025 rank: 15th
• Top cap hit: Divine Deablo, $8,920,000 (2.96 percent)
• PFF grade: 66.3 (17th)
• Starters: Deablo, Christian Harris
• Depth: Kendal Daniels, Harold Perkins, JD Bertrand, Troy Andersen

19 – Tennessee Titans: $17,124,302

• Percentage of total cap: 5.69 percent
• 2025 rank: 31st
• Top cap hit: Cody Barton, $8,230,000 (2.73 percent)
• PFF grade: 65.7 (18th)
• Starters: Barton, Cedric Gray
• Depth: Anthony Hill Jr., Mohamoud Diabate, James Williams

20 – Washington Commanders: $16,523,136

• Percentage of total cap: 5.49 percent
• 2025 rank: 4th
• Top cap hit: Frankie Luvu, $11,295,000 (3.75 percent)
• Other notable cap hits: Sonny Styles, $6,765,744 (2.25 percent)
• PFF grade: 64.5 (20th)
• Starters: Styles, Luvu
• Depth: Leo Chenal, Kain Medrano, Jordan Magee

21 – Cleveland Browns: $16,076,271

• Percentage of total cap: 5.34 percent
• 2025 rank: 20th
• Top cap hit: Carson Schwesinger, $2,681,909 (0.89 percent)
• PFF grade: 60 (24th)
• Starters: Schwesinger, Quincy Williams
• Depth: Justin Jefferson, Winston Reid 

22 – Denver Broncos: $15,979,809

• Percentage of total cap: 5.31 percent
• 2025 rank: 17th
• Top cap hit: Alex Singleton, $5,970,000 (1.98 percent)
• PFF grade: 71.8 (9th)
• Starters: Singleton, Justin Strnad
• Depth: Red Murdock, Karene Reid, Levelle Bailey, Jordan Turner

23 – Los Angeles Chargers: $15,899,927

• Percentage of total cap: 5.28 percent
• 2025 rank: 29th
• Top cap hit: Daiyan Henley, $3,909,532 (1.3 percent)
• PFF grade: 57.5 (26th)
• Starters: Henley, Denzel Perryman
• Depth: Troy Dye, Junior Colson, Del’Shawn Phillips

24 – Buffalo Bills: $15,347,682

• Percentage of total cap: 5.1 percent
• 2025 rank: 10th
• Top cap hit: Terrel Bernard, $5,352,000 (1.78 percent)
• PFF grade: 52.5 (29th)
• Starters: Bernard, Dorian Williams
• Depth: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Joe Andreessen, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles

25 – Philadelphia Eagles: $15,204,491

• Percentage of total cap: 5.05 percent
• 2025 rank: 27th
• Top cap hit: Zack Baun, $7,638,000 (2.54 percent)
• PFF grade: 78.6 (3rd)
• Starters: Baun, Jihaad Campbell
• Depth: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Smael Mondon, Chance Campbell

26 – Carolina Panthers: $14,851,013

• Percentage of total cap: 4.93 percent
• 2025 rank: 19th
• Top cap hit: Devin Lloyd, $6,773,333 (2.25 percent)
• PFF grade: 72.2 (8th)
• Starters: Lloyd, Trevin Wallace
• Depth: Claudin Cherelus, Bam Martin-Scott, Jackson Kuwatch

27 – New York Giants: $13,135,792

• Percentage of total cap: 4.36 percent
• 2025 rank: 8th
• Top cap hit: Tremaine Edmunds, $5,560,784 (1.85 percent)
• PFF grade: 65 (19th)
• Starters: Edmunds, Arvell Reese
• Depth: Micah McFadden, Jack Kelly, Darius Muasau

28 – Los Angeles Rams: $13,059,666

• Percentage of total cap: 4.34 percent
• 2025 rank: 32nd
• Top cap hit: Nathan Landman, $7,225,000 (2.4 percent)
• PFF grade: 67.8 (12th)
• Starters: Landman, Omar Speights
• Depth: Grant Stuard, Shaun Dolac

29 – New Orleans Saints: $12,523,660

• Percentage of total cap: 4.16 percent
• 2025 rank: 24th
• Top cap hit: Kaden Elliss, $5,300,000 (1.76 percent)
• PFF grade: 62.5 (23rd)
• Starters: Elliss, Pete Werner
• Depth: Danny Stutsman, Isaiah Stalbird, Jaylan Ford

30 – Cincinnati Bengals: $12,163,824

• Percentage of total cap: 4.04 percent
• 2025 rank: 22nd
• Top cap hit: Oren Burks, $2,675,000 (0.89 percent)
• PFF grade: 39.9 (32nd)
• Starters: Demetrius Knight, Barrett Carter
• Depth: Oren Burks, Shaka Heyward

31 – Dallas Cowboys: $11,973,763

• Percentage of total cap: 3.98 percent
• 2025 rank: 18th
• Top cap hit: Dee Winters, $3,674,000 (1.22 percent)
• PFF grade: 63.8 (21st)
• Starters: DeMarvion Overshown, Winters
• Depth: Shemar James, Jaishawn Barham

32 – Indianapolis Colts: $9,146,733

• Percentage of total cap: 3.04 percent
• 2025 rank: 23rd
• Top cap hit: Akeem Davis-Gaither, $2,725,000 (0.9 percent)
• PFF grade: 49.9 (30th)
• Starters: CJ Allen, Davis-Gaither
• Depth: Bryce Boettcher, Austin Ajiake