NFL 2026 Salary Cap Will Hit Eye-Opening Numbers: Here's Where Cardinals Rank

The Arizona Cardinals move into 2026 with high potential for cap spending thanks to this massive jump.

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort speaks to the press from the Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe after the decision to fire head coach Jonathan Gannon on Jan. 5, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NFL is set for an eye-raising estimated cap figure for the 2026 season, and the Arizona Cardinals will surely benefit.

According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the league sent teams a memo projecting the upcoming salary cap for next year to range between $301.2 million to $305.7 million per club.

Three years ago, the last time the Cardinals hired a new head coach, the league's salary cap was $224.8 million. Now, again searching for a new leader, that's jumped nearly $80 million.

Where Cardinals Rank in Updated NFL Cap Space Standings

Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort speak to the press from the Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe after the decision to fire head coach Jonathan Gannon on Jan. 5, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When it comes to overall cap space, the Cardinals are just outside of the top ten as of now (all figures via OverTheCap):

1. Tennessee Titans: $100.3 million
2. Las Vegas Raiders: $89.3 million
3. Los Angeles Chargers: $88.5 million
4. Seattle Seahawks: $74.8 million
5. New York Jets: $74.3 million
6. Washington Commanders: $71.4 million
7. Cincinnati Bengals: $54.9 million
8. Pittsburgh Steelers: $45.6 million
9. Los Angeles Rams: $42.3 million
10. New England Patriots: $39.2 million
11. Arizona Cardinals: $38.4 million

However, when it comes to effective cap space — which accounts for the team's draft class — Arizona drops down to 13th thanks to having top picks in each round in 2026, which makes their class hypothetically more expensive than most:

1. Tennessee Titans: $88.9 million
2. Los Angeles Chargers: $84.2 million
3. Las Vegas Raiders: $74.7 million
4. Washington Commanders $64.67 million
5. Seattle Seahawks: $64.60 million
6. New York Jets: $58.4 million
7. Cincinnati Bengals: $47.8 million
8. Pittsburgh Steelers: $39.9 million
9. Los Angeles Rams: $34.9 million
10. New England Patriots: $34.2 million
11. Indianapolis Colts: $32.8 million
12. San Francisco 49ers: $26.9 million
13. Arizona Cardinals: $26.8 million

What This Means for Cardinals Moving Forward

Aug 2, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort during the Red and White practice in training camp at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Cardinals, along with the rest of the NFL, have some more wiggle room when it comes to their finances approaching the offseason.

Perhaps most notably, the extended projected cap space for every team makes Kyler Murray's contract a bit easier to swallow — whether it be cutting him or trading him — if the Cardinals decide to do so. That also rings true for potential teams looking to acquire him with the extra juice on the books now.

It's not game-altering, but an extra $10 million in spending power can indeed make a difference in those negotiations.

READ: Kyler Murray's Trade Price Revealed

The Cardinals have some key veterans they're able to cut, raising their ceiling for spending power this offseason. Players such as Sean Murphy-Bunting ($7.2 million) and Bilal Nichols ($5.8 million) are likely to be released based off availability vs. production, giving Arizona $13 million more in the snap of a finger.

Dalvin Tomlinson ($9.4 million), Akeem Davis-Gaither ($5.1 million) and Evan Brown ($4.9 million) are also possible candidates, and so too is James Conner after his season-ending injury ($7.5 million pre-June 1).

Assuming the Cardinals part ways with Murphy-Bunting, Nichols and at least one of the other four names that followed, Arizona generates a minimum of $17.9 million — which is a conservative figure. If all of the aforementioned players are cut, that's $39.9 million extra created.

That puts the Cardinals at $66.7 million in effective cap space entering 2026. In an offseason that could potentially be defining for Ossenfort's tenure in the desert, making every penny count will be important.

It's great news for Arizona as projections were even higher than anticipated, though they'll have to ensure that's money well spent if the Cardinals are truly going to turn things around sooner rather than later like they hope.