Every NFL Team Payroll in 2026

• Highest paid player: Joe Burrow, $48 million

For the old timers, it's hard to imagine the Cincinnati Bengals, long known as one of the saddest-sack organizations in the NFL, at the top of this list. What a world.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - $328.6 Million

• Highest paid player: Baker Mayfield, $40 million

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were one of the worst, if not the worst, team in the NFL in the 2010s. The Bucs haven't missed the playoffs since 2020. Money spending has helped.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers - $325.9 Million

• Highest paid player: TJ Watt, $42 million

The always-on Pittsburgh Steelers have established themselves as maybe the most consistent franchise in the NFL.

4. Kansas City Chiefs - $316.7 Million

• Highest paid player: Chris Jones, $44.9 million

All that star power, all those Super Bowl appearances? Of course, the Kansas City Chiefs are among the league leaders in payroll.

5. Dallas Cowboys - $316.7 Million

• Highest paid player: Dak Prescott, $43.8 million

It's Jerry Jones. It'd be weirder if the Dallas Cowboys weren't in the top five.

6. Denver Broncos - $315.4 Million

Highest paid player: Mike McGlinchey, $23.8 million

A franchise never afraid to spend money, the Denver Broncos have mostly hemmed and hawed in the AFC West lately. But with spending this high and coach Sean Payton at the helm, they're on the rise.

7. Seattle Seahawks - $315.4 Million

• Highest paid player: Sam Darnold, $37.9 million

The Seattle Seahawks seem to have figured out this whole NFL thing. They've missed the playoffs just seven times this century, adding two Super Bowl wins and two more appearances.

8. Carolina Panthers - $315.1 Million

• Highest paid player: Robert Hunt, $24.3 million

The Carolina Panthers haven't been good in a long time. It'd help if they could keep a coach for more than two straight years. Steps were taken in 2025, at least.

9. New England Patriots - $312.6 Million

• Highest paid player: Milton Williams, $28.5 million

After a few years in the wilderness, the New England Patriots returned to the pinnacle of the AFC in 2025. With their spending, they should stay there a while.

10. Baltimore Ravens - $310.8 Million

• Highest paid player: Lamar Jackson, $34.4 million

One of the NFL's most consistent franchises, one that's always willing to roll with the big spenders if need be, the Baltimore Ravens remain a model of stability.

11. Detroit Lions - $310.6 Million

• Highest paid player: Jared Goff, $37.6 million

The Detroit Lions have some cap space, not a ton of dead money, and a roster built for success. Sure, some things are missing and a bit too much is tied up in just a couple of players relative to the rest of the roster, but things haven't dipped yet in Michigan.

12. Chicago Bears - $309.6 Million

• Highest paid player: Montez Sweet, $25.1 million

They're finally starting to look like a team on the rise. The Chicago Bears haven't had consecutive winning seasons in 20 years, but with the current roster construction, optimism abounds for 2026.

13. Los Angeles Rams - $307.4 Million

• Highest paid player: Matthew Stafford, $48.3 million

The Los Angeles Rams found new life in LA upon moving from St. Louis. They've spent like it, too, and have become one of the best teams of the last decade.

14. Washington Commanders - $300.5 Million

• Highest paid player: Daron Payne, $28 million

The Washington Commanders have had one winning season since 2016. Does Jayden Daniels remain the future? Health would help, though at just around $10 million in a cap hit, the Commanders can find out.

15. New York Giants - $299.6 Million

• Highest paid player: Paulson Adebo, $24.2 million

It's absolutely fascinating that the two New York teams have two of the worst three winning percentages in the NFL in the 2020s. Spending isn't necessarily helping the Giants.

16. Tennessee Titans - $298.3 Million

• Highest paid player: Dan Moore, $26.3 million

Never known as a franchise to break the bank, the Tennessee Titans have finished 3-14 in each of the last two seasons. Even with modest spending, that's unacceptable.

17. Minnesota Vikings - $297.4 Million

• Highest paid player: Brian O’Neill, $23.1 million

The Minnesota Vikings' two starting defensive tackles from last year - Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave - are taking up dead money, bringing this total lower. That, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a steal of a deal right now.

18. Indianapolis Colts - $289.8 Million

• Highest paid player: DeForest Buckner, $26.6 million

The Indianapolis Colts are so close. Since 2020, they're the median team in the NFL, their .485 winning percentage ranking 17th. Their current salary at 18th fits the bill.

19. Green Bay Packers - $289.7 Million

• Highest paid player: Jordan Love, $36.1 million

With neither too many albatross-like contracts currently on the roster or in dead money, the Green Bay Packers sitting at 19th actually seems about right.

20. Los Angeles Chargers - $287.4 Million

• Highest paid player: Justin Herbert, $46.3 million

As of mid-May 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers are sitting pretty. They have almost $50 million in cap space coming off their third playoff season in the last four years.

21. Cleveland Browns - $281 Million

• Highest paid player: Deshaun Watson, $45 million

Former Pro Bowler Joel Bitonio brings the Cleveland Browns down a bit on this list because of his $23.5 million in dead money. The offensive lineman remains an unrestricted free agent as of mid-May.

22. Buffalo Bills - $278.8 Million

• Highest paid player: Josh Allen, $44.2 million

Is the Buffalo Bills' Super Bowl window beginning to close? Probably. But given the market size and financials, what Buffalo has done over the last decade or so has been impressive.

23. Jacksonville Jaguars - $278.7 Million

• Highest paid player: Trevor Lawrence, $24 million

Never a high-spending team, the Jacksonville Jaguars seem to have stumbled on something positive with the development of Lawrence at quarterback.

24. Atlanta Falcons - $275.8 Million

• Highest paid player: Chris Lindstrom, $26.3 million

The Atlanta Falcons haven't had a winning record since 2017, the year after they went to the Super Bowl. Financial mismanagement is part of why.

25. Philadelphia Eagles - $273.7 Million

• Highest paid player: Jalen Hurts, $32 million

The Philadelphia Eagles have the third-best winning percentage in the NFL - and the best in the NFC - in the 2020s. A well-oiled machine of an organization.

26. San Francisco 49ers - $272.1 Million

• Highest paid player: Brock Purdy, $23.7 million

Not many teams have done more with less this decade than the San Francisco 49ers, who don't have a ton of dead money weighing their books down.

27. Las Vegas Raiders - $266.5 Million

• Highest paid player: Maxx Crosby, $35.8 million

Christian Wilkins' nearly $30 million cap hit takes a bulk of dead money, leaving less to go with the active roster. They now have a No. 1 pick at quarterback in Fernando Mendoza, but the Las Vegas Raiders are a bit of a mess right now.

28. Arizona Cardinals - $258.3 Million

• Highest paid player: Budda Baker, $19.2 million

Only two teams in the NFC have worse records since 2020 than the Arizona Cardinals. Given their ranking here, it's hardly a surprise.

29. Houston Texans - $258 Million

• Highest paid player: Nico Collins, $27.8 million

The Houston Texans have found themselves the best team in the NFL South each of the last three seasons. They're spending money, occasionally wisely.

30. New Orleans Saints - $233.7 Million

• Highest paid player: Chris Olave, $15.5 million

With four players who make more than $10 million against the cap on the active roster and five who make more than $10 million against the cap in dead money, yeah, the New Orleans Saints fit here.

31. New York Jets - $153.4 Million

• Highest paid player: Breece Hall, $14.3 million

Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields combined for $48 million of dead money to the New York Jets' cap hit. Regardless, given the team has been the worst in the NFL in the 2020s, is it a surprise to see them here?

32. Miami Dolphins - $153.4 Million

• Highest paid player: Bradley Chubb, $20.2 million

The Miami Dolphins are here because of dead money. No team in the NFL is paying more to players who are no longer with the team than Miami. Tua Tagovailoa leads the way with a $55.4 million cap hit.