The NFL’s salary cap climbed to $301.2MM this offseason. The league also saw a team string together back-to-back playoff berths with record-setting dead money sums on its payroll. With the cap rising by more than $20MM once again and the Broncos navigating the Russell Wilson dead money abyss to 10- and 14-win seasons, the number of eight-figure dead cap figures this year extends beyond 40.
When I compiled the list of eight-figure cap hits in July 2024, months after Denver’s Wilson release, only 24 players counted as such on payrolls. There are now 42. After our Ben Levine covered where teams sit in terms of dead money — a list highlighted by the Dolphins’ astonishing $179.2MM number — here are the NFL’s top single-player hits for 2026:
1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Dolphins): $55.4MM
2. Kyler Murray, QB (Cardinals): $46.57MM
3. Derek Carr, QB (Saints): $36.67MM
4. Aaron Rodgers, QB (Jets): $35MM
5. Christian Wilkins, DL (Raiders): $29.78MM
6. Tyreek Hill, WR (Dolphins): $28.25MM
7. Tytus Howard, OL (Texans): $23.69MM
8. Joel Bitonio, G (Browns): $23.5MM
9. Jaylen Waddle, WR (Dolphins): $23.24MM
10. Kirk Cousins, QB (Falcons): $22.5MM
11. A.J. Brown, WR (Eagles): $21.84MM
12. Myles Garrett, DE (Browns): $21.37MM
13. Jalen Ramsey, CB (Dolphins): $20.87MM
14. Justin Fields, QB (Jets): $20MM
15. Tyson Campbell, CB (Jaguars): $19.52MM
16. Cameron Jordan, DE (Saints): $18.76MM
17. Rashan Gary, OLB (Packers): $17.04MM
18. Kenny Clark, DL (Packers): $17.01MM
19. Bryce Huff, OLB (Eagles): $16.61MM
20. Geno Smith, QB (Raiders): $16.2MM
21. Javon Hargrave, DT (49ers): $16.16MM
22. Osa Odighizuwa, DT (Cowboys): $16MM
23. Zack Martin, G (Cowboys): $15.27MM
24. Gabe Davis, WR (Jaguars): $14.6MM
25. Demario Davis, ILB (Saints): $14.29MM
26. Taysom Hill, TE (Saints): $13.72MM
27. Darius Slay, CB (Eagles): $13.26MM
28. Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $13.07MM
29. Jack Conklin, RT (Browns): $12.76MM
30. Jonathan Allen, DL (Vikings): $12.67MM
31. Deebo Samuel, WR (Commanders): $12.34MM
32. Kyle Dugger, S (Patriots): $12.18MM
33. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (Browns): $12.11MM
34. D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $12MM
35. Ryan Ramczyk, RT (Saints): $11.98MM
36. Christian Kirk, WR (Texans): $11.4MM
37. Matt Milano, ILB (Bills): $11.07MM
T-38. Sauce Gardner, CB (Jets): $11MM
T-38. Darnell Mooney, WR (Falcons): $11MM
40. Bradley Chubb, OLB (Dolphins): $10.97MM
41. Terron Armstead, LT (Dolphins): $10.73MM
42. Javon Hargrave, DT (Vikings): $10.5MM
As they have smashed a single-season team dead money record this year, the Dolphins now hold — by a wide margin — the single-player dead cap figure via Tagovailoa’s $99.2MM number. That is spread over two years, via a post-June 1 cut. Like the Broncos in 2024, the Dolphins will take on the greater sum in Year 1.
Murray’s single-season dead cap hit will rank third all time. Both players were not viewed as serious trade candidates due to their contracts, and each signed for vet-minimum deals — as their initial NFL teams are on the hook for guaranteed 2026 salaries — in March.
Carr and Rodgers’ dead cap hits stem from 2025 post-June 1 designations — Rodgers’ a release, Carr’s a retirement. Unlike the Dolphins and Cardinals, the Saints and Jets opted to push the worse of the two dead cap numbers into Year 2.
The Jets are carrying a cool $55MM in QB dead money this year, with Fields — traded to the Chiefs in March — following Rodgers off the team’s roster. The team’s primary 2025 starter is now with the Chiefs, who are only responsible for $3MM of his 2026 compensation.
Miami signed Waddle to a three-year extension in 2024 and added more than $50MM in guarantees to Hill’s deal months later. Both are now gone, with Waddle being traded to the Broncos for first- and third-round picks in March. Chris Grier‘s ill-fated Ramsey extension — agreed to nearly a year before a post-June 1 trade — adds to Miami’s record-shattering dead money total, which goes on new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan‘s first balance sheet.
As PFR’s Offseason Outlook series forecasted, the Browns are well past $100MM in total dead cap as well. Cleveland is at $116.82MM there, with void year-driven penalties being a key component in that lofty figure — one covering more than a third of the team’s cap sheet. This year represents a good trial run for the Browns, who are all but certain to take on more than $86MM in dead cap — spread over two years — on the Deshaun Watson contract beginning next year.
The Cowboys and Dolphins structured the Martin and Armstead retirements around the pivotal June 1 date last year, defraying dead money over two offseasons. Hargrave becomes the rare player present on three teams’ payrolls this year. The 49ers designated the veteran defensive tackle as a post-June 1 cut in 2025, and the Vikings made him a standard release in 2026. Hargrave signed with the Packers soon after the latter release. Allen’s Minnesota total is part of a post-June 1 designation, with the Vikes taking on the lion’s share of that deal’s dead cap this year.
Trades after June 1 last year comprise a handful of spots on this list. By trading away a veteran after June 1, a team spreads the departing player’s dead cap hit over two years. The Eagles will carry $27.1MM in Brown dead money on their 2027 cap by waiting until after 3pm CT on June 1 to move him. Brown’s dead cap total ($48.94MM) eclipses the non-QB record for a single-player penalty.
Void years are responsible for a chunk of dead cap figures this year. The Saints re-signed Jordan but are taking on this dead cap bill because they restructured his previous contract to void in March. The Buccaneers attempted to re-sign Evans, but he opted to join the 49ers. Because of void years, Tampa Bay will carry the future Hall of Famer on its payroll this year as well.
Void year-driven penalties from 2026 free agency developments are also placing eight-figure cap dead cap numbers on Buffalo (Milano), Cleveland (Conklin), New Orleans (Davis, Hill) and Washington’s (Samuel) payrolls.
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