NFL announce salary cap will be over 300 million dollars in 2026
Jan. 31, 2026, 7:29 p.m. ET
The Cleveland Browns got some good financial news this week. The NFL announced the 2026 salary cap will rocket past $300 million. The league is projecting the 2026 salary cap to be between $301.2 and $305.7 million. The yearly increase eclipses $20 million for the second year in a row. The NFL continues its rapid ascent as it breaks into global markets.
The Browns are big winners in the news. The organization’s cap strategy of borrowing money from the future only works if the NFL’s revenue increases. The Browns are getting a negative interest rate. They just don’t know the exact rate. The Browns are projected to be nearly $16 million over the cap. The Browns will easily get under the cap by restructuring Denzel Ward and Deshaun Watson’s contracts. The Browns have plenty of maneuvers to get significantly under the salary cap. The Browns will have plenty of cap room to overhaul their offense. They may want to maximize their financial flexibility in 2027.
The Browns will finally be free of Watson, but not the accounting responsibilities of his contract. The Browns will be fully liberated in 2028. The team will have a great opportunity to reload over the next two seasons. The salary cap’s jump will only give the Browns more ammunition to build for the future.
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