NFL 2023 salary cap: Eagles have most dead money, champion Chiefs least
The salary cap increased to $224.8 million for the 2023 season.
For some teams, the slight increase in cap space provides a little breathing room to retain players on expiring deals or acquire talent that could help them succeed in the upcoming season.
Other teams see hardly any relief, and one of the primary reasons is because of dead money against the salary cap. While NFL teams may trade or release players, there isn’t exactly a free lunch as teams may still owe money on the contract — hence the “dead money,” even though the player is with a new team.
Here is a look at the teams that owe the most to least dead money ahead of free agency. All salary cap figures are via Over The Cap.
1. Philadelphia Eagles — $46,488,912
Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: DT Fletcher Cox ($15,359,292)
2. Las Vegas Raiders — $29,402,499
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: LB Cory Littleton ($9,986,000)
3. Carolina Panthers — $28,593,708
(Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)
Most dead money: RB Christian McCaffrey $18,352,250
4. Chicago Bears — $22,468,812
(AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
Most dead money: DE Robert Quinn ($13,233,520)
5. San Francisco 49ers — $17,085,988
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: DE Dee Ford ($8,589,999)
6. Green Bay Packers — $16,952,198
Wm. Glasheen-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: S Adrian Amos ($7,950,000)
7. Washington Commanders — $14,188,157
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: CB William Jackson ($9,000,000)
8. Atlanta Falcons — $14,086,001
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: LB Deion Jones ($12,140,784)
9. Tennessee Titans — $10,377,620
Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
Most dead money: WR Julio Jones ($8,400,000)
10. Arizona Cardinals — $9,229,638
Billy Hardiman-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: DE Jordan Phillips ($5,904,334)
11. Dallas Cowboys — $8,642,623
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Most dead money: RT La’el Collins ($8,384,029)
12. New York Giants — $8,039,609
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: WR Sterling Shepard ($4,245,000)
13. Pittsburgh Steelers — $8,028,814
(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Most dead money: DT Stephon Tuitt ($4,755,000)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — $7,942,466
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: DE Akiem Hicks ($4,903,295)
15. Cleveland Browns — $7,816,064
Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: $7,500,000
16. Detroit Lions — $6,281,219
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Most dead money: $5,976,667
17. Seattle Seahawks — $5,870,942
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: DE Carlos Dunlap ($4,200,000)
18. Baltimore Ravens — $5,556,041
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: TE Nick Boyle ($3,315,000)
19. New Orleans Saints — $5,038,479
Sep 8, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles strong safety Malcolm Jenkins (27) walks off the field after warmups against the Washington Redskins at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: S Malcolm Jenkins ($3,950,000)
20. Los Angeles Rams — $4,423,395
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: LT Andrew Whitworth ($2,000,000)
21. Minnesota Vikings — $3,818,911
(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
Most dead money: CB Patrick Peterson, OT Jesse Davis ($750,000 apiece)
22. Indianapolis Colts — $3,242,320
(AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Most dead money: RB Nyheim Hines ($3,000,000)
23. Miami Dolphins — $3,012,603
Robert Scheer/IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK
Most dead money: OT Eric Fisher ($1,991,112)
24. New York Jets — $2,884,269
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: DE Jacob Martin ($2,310,000)
25. Buffalo Bills — $1,663,000
(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Most dead money: TE O.J. Howard ($625,000)
26. Denver Broncos — $1,585,866
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: DT Mike Purcell ($774,168)
27. Jacksonville Jaguars — $1,411,497
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: WR Laviska Shenault ($789,285)
28. New England Patriots — $1,379,605
Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: CB Justin Bethel ($333,334)
29. Houston Texans — $901,995
Bob Self/Florida Times-Union-USA TODAY NETWORK
Most dead money: DT Ross Blacklock ($834,991)
30. Cincinnati Bengals — $540,902
John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: DT Tyler Shelvin ($368,280)
31. Los Angeles Chargers — $186,262
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: RB Larry Rountree ($87,880)
32. Kansas City Chiefs — $98,428
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Most dead money: CB Nazeeh Johnson ($57,756)
