One Area NFL's Expanding Cap Could Help Jaguars

In today's episode of the Jacksonville Jaguars Insider Podcast, we take a look at the expanding NFL salary cap and what it means for the Jaguars.

Sep 21, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone on the field during pregame against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The money is always there for the NFL. And in 2026, the pot is getting even larger.

The NFL is set to take on another significant increase in the salary cap in 2026, and teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars can get all the help they need. We discuss this and more in today's episode of the Jacksonville Jaguars Insider Podcast.

Watch today's episode below

According to NFL Network's Pelissero, the NFL has informed teams that the 2026 salary cap is set to be increased by over $20 million, another big leap from just a year ago.

"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," Pelissero said.

As a result, the Jaguars will be able to find some help in one key area: dead cap. The Jaguars moved on from a number of new contracts after the franchise saw turnover with Liam Coen, James Gladstone, and Tony Boselli all taking the helm for the Jaguars' brass.

The Jaguars currently rank No. 3 in the NFL in regards to 2026 dead cap with $42,000,184, thoughthey are quite a bit away from the New York Jets at No. 2 and even further away from the New Orleans Saints at No. 1. Dead cap has been an issue with the team for the last few years, and the increased cap gives the Jaguars more relief in this regard.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference next to head coach Liam Coen at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jaguars ranked No. 6 in dead cap in 2025, No. 16 in 2024, No. 10 in 2023, and No. 13 in 2022. The last time the Jaguars did not rank in the top half of the NFL in terms of dead cap was in 2021 when they ranked No. 19 during a transitional year. The Jaguars have never been unable to make moves as a result of the dead cap, though it has always hung over their offseason moves.

This year, the Jaguars' biggest dead cap hits are set to be Tyson Campbell ($19.52 million) and Gabe Davis ($14.6 million), while Darnell Savage is in third with a dead cap hit of $6.2 million. After this year, though, the Jaguars' dead cap figures are set to take a hike down, giving the Jaguars a chance to reset their books.

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