March 1, 2026, 9:49 a.m. CT

The Houston Texans are getting a bump up in payments for the 2026 season.

The NFL has announced its finalized 2026 salary cap on the heels of free agency in a couple of weeks. The 2026 cap will be $301.2 million per team, which is up $22 million from the 2025 season, and is another record-high. This comes after the league said the cap would fall between $301.2 million and $305.7 million.

According to NFL vice president of communications Brian McCarthy, the total projected player costs, including benefits, is set at $378.8 million for each team.

So, given that the Texans were over $13 million in cap space entering free agency, how does this increased salary cap impact their roster going into 2026?

Looking at the updated numbers at Over the Cap, Houston was projected to be roughly $4.115 million over a projected salary cap of $303.5 million. Now with the official salary cap announced — and $7.4 million over projections — which means they still have work to do to free up space ahead of the new league year beginning later on this month.

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Several moves could be easy to accomplish. By releasing Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr., Houston would save $13 million in dead cap space. With extensions for linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and tight end Dalton Schultz, the Texans could gain nearly $16 million back for 2026, thus affecting the cap hit entering next offseason.

Houston could also restructure deals with several marquee names like Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins, defensive end Danielle Hunter and All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. There are several positions of need for general manager Nick Caserio to address this offseason, with the most important transition being in the trenches on either side of the lines.

With some intriguing names set to hit the open market in free agency, Houston can find a way to add some impact veterans while also building through the 2026 NFL Draft. The biggest question mark? What to do with quarterback C.J. Stroud’s extension talk after a rocky close to last season.