NFL informs 49ers, other teams that salary cap is projected to exceed $301 million in 2026

Published Jan 30, 2026 • 10 hrs ago

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The San Francisco 49ers, along with the rest of the NFL, are expected to gain significant financial flexibility in 2026. According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the league has informed teams that the 2026 NFL salary cap is projected to land between $301.2 million and $305.7 million per team.

The projected increase represents a substantial jump from the 2025 salary cap of $279.2 million. Pelissero noted that the cap has risen by nearly $100 million since 2022, thanks to the league’s continued revenue growth.

The NFL informed clubs today it is projecting a 2026 salary cap in the range of $301.2 million to $305.7 million per club, per source.

That would represent another significant jump from this year’s $279.2 million cap number, and nearly $100M than the $208.2M cap in 2022. pic.twitter.com/3Mr146H01C

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 30, 2026

Below is a 10-year overview of the NFL salary cap, including the projected range for 2026. The lone decrease during this period came between 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic:

2017: $167.0 million
2018: $177.2 million
2019: $188.2 million
2020: $198.2 million
2021: $182.5 million
2022: $208.2 million
2023: $224.8 million
2024: $255.4 million
2025: $279.2 million
2026: $301.2 million to $305.7 million

The NFL’s new league year officially begins on March 11, which also marks the start of free agency.

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NFL informs 49ers, other teams that salary cap is projected to exceed $301 million in 2026

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