Pro Football Rumors
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...
