2025 NFL Cap Space, By Team
Free agency is roughly one month away, and teams are preparing for the first major roster-building checkpoint on the offseason calendar. In several cases, of course, the lead-in to the start of the new league year will require cost-cutting measures.
Teams expect the 2025 cap ceiling to check in somewhere between $265MM and $275MM, providing a general target to aim for before the final figure is unveiled by the NFL. Using a projected cap of $272.5MM, here is a look at where all 32 teams currently stand (courtesy of Over the Cap):
- New England Patriots: $119.8MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $92.53MM
- Washington Commanders: $75.21MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $71.33MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $63.41MM
- Chicago Bears: $62.97MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $58.01MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $53.26MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $46.26MM
- Detroit Lions: $45.69MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $44.26MM
- Tennessee Titans: $44.08MM
- New York Giants: $43.38MM
- Green Bay Packers: $42.14MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $38.33MM
- Denver Broncos: $34.78MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $32.27MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $28.25MM
- Carolina Panthers: $20.33MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $18.08MM
- New York Jets: $16.86MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $5.96MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $2.24MM
- Houston Texans: $99K over the cap
- Kansas City Chiefs: $916K over
- Dallas Cowboys: $2.85MM over
- Miami Dolphins: $5.44MM over
- Atlanta Falcons: $11.15MM over
- Seattle Seahawks: $13.46MM over
- Buffalo Bills: $14.18MM over
- Cleveland Browns: $30.17MM over
- New Orleans Saints: $54.11MM over
These figures will of course change based on where the final cap ceiling winds up for the year, but they take into 
account each team’s carryover amount for 2025. Even with those savings in play, more than one quarter of the league finds itself in need of cost-shedding moves to simply achieve cap compliance by mid-March.
With the Patriots leading the way in terms of spending power, they will be a team to watch closely once free agency begins. The team’s willingness (or lack thereof) to make major free agent additions last year was a talking point, and it will be interesting to see if the regime featuring de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and new head coach Mike Vrabel takes a different approach in 2025. A serious push for Tee Higgins – by far the most sought-after wideout set to hit the market – can be expected.
Aside from Higgins, the Bengals have a number of financial priorities. Working out a monster extension for fellow receiver Ja’Marr Chase and a new deal (and accompanying raise) for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson are key goals for the franchise. Quarterback Joe Burrow is prepared to restructure his own pact to create cap space for this offseason, but the team will no doubt need to break with tradition in terms of contract structure and guarantees to keep its core intact.
The Colts’ offseason has been defined in large part by a focus on retaining in-house players during recent years. That approach has not paid off as hoped, and general manager Chris Ballard said last month he plans to oversee a shift in roster-building philosophy this year. With the finances to make at least a modest addition or two on the open market, Indianapolis could be a suitor for some of the middle-class free agent options.
Over the coming weeks, many teams will proceed with extensions and restructures to free up cap space; the Seahawks recently took the latter route with defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Teams like the Steelers (in the case of edge rusher Preston Smith) and Dolphins (with running back Raheem Mostert as well as corner Kendall Fuller and tight end Durham Smythe) have already begin cutting veterans to free up cap space. That will increasingly continue in the near future with respect to the teams currently slated to be over the cap in particular.
Jaguars To Conduct Second GM Interviews
The Jaguars reportedly wrapped up their first round of general manager interviews yesterday, and according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the team will start their second round of interviews in the coming days. Per Pelissero, that will begin with Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan and Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham. Pelissero adds that Jaguars assistant (and interim) general manager Ethan Waugh will also interview this week after not being included initially in the first round of interviews.
Jacksonville conducted their first round of interviews in the last four days, concluding with meetings with Sullivan and Cunningham yesterday. Planning second interviews with each personnel executive the next day bodes well for their standing in the race for the job.
[RELATED: James Gladstone, Josh Williams Also Among Finalists]
Sullivan has spent the entirety of his 22-year career in the NFL in Green Bay, starting as a training camp intern in 2003. He rose up the ranks of the scouting department, eventually serving as director of college scouting from 2016-17. Sullivan had a penchant for hitting on Day 3 picks with the Packers, demonstrated by the drafting of impact players like Blake Martinez, Dean Lowry, Aaron Jones, and Jamaal Williams.
Sullivan’s next role was as co-director of player personnel from 2018-21 before being promoted to his current title in 2022. Sullivan’s success has drawn him plenty of general manager interest around the league. He has been considered for every general manager opening in this year’s hiring cycle, interviewing with the Titans, the Raiders, and the Jets.
Cunningham was one of the initial names to be connected to the Jaguars’ job, along with former Titans general manager Jon Robinson and Buccaneers assistant general manager Mike Greenberg. Cunningham started his front office career with the Ravens back in 2008 before joining the Eagles as their director of college scouting in 2017. He climbed the ranks to director of player personnel before taking an assistant general manager job with the Bears in 2022. He’s spent the past three seasons in Chicago, though he’s flirted with promotions over the past two years. He was a finalist for the Commanders job last year, and he was interviewed for jobs with the Chargers last offseason and the Titans this cycle.
Though Waugh wasn’t included in the first round of interviews, he was mentioned as a strong candidate for the position on Thursday. Waugh had a lengthy tenure in the 49ers’ front office alongside the man these candidates are all striving to replace, former Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke. The pair worked together from 2005-16, and Waugh worked his way up to vice president of player personnel for the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. He joined Baalke in Jacksonville in May of 2022, taking on his current title. Despite the issues that led to Baalke’s dismissal, Waugh is nevertheless in contention for the job and will interview this week.
Saints Conduct OC Interview With Dolphins’ Robert Prince
Robert Prince took a new position with the Dolphins as part of this year’s hiring cycle. He could be on the move once again, though. 
Prince has received an interview request from the Saints for their vacant offensive coordinator position, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The parties will speak tonight, he adds. Prince took the role of wide receivers coach with Miami in January, but joining the Saints would allow him to work as a coordinator for the first time in his career.
Prince started his NFL coaching tenure with the 49ers and Chargers as part of the Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship. His first full-time position came with the Falcons, and in three years there he held a number of roles. Prince spent a pair of seasons as the Jaguars’ assistant WRs coach before leading that position group with the Seahawks 2009.
The Lions brought in Prince to coach their receivers the following year, and he remained with the team through 2020. The 59-year-old occupied that same role for a single campaign with the Texans before making an intra-state move to the Cowboys. In 2024, Prince had pass-game coordinator added to his title.
With Dallas moving in a different direction (to an extent) on the sidelines this offseason, though, Prince was among the staffers who changed teams. His decision to join the Dolphins set him up to work with a group headlined by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but that would of course change if he took New Orleans’ OC position. New Saints head coach Kellen Moore confirmed in his introductory press conference that he will call plays on offense, which comes as little surprise given his OC background. Still, his search for Klint Kubiak‘s replacement is a key part of the process of building his first staff as a head coach.
Via PFR’s OC/DC Tracker, here is an updated look at the Saints’ offensive coordinator search:
- Kevin Koger, tight ends coach (Falcons): Rejected interview request
- Doug Nussmeier, quarterbacks coach (Eagles): Mentioned as candidate
- Kevin Patullo, pass-game coordinator (Eagles): Mentioned as candidate
- Robert Prince, receivers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 2/15
James Gladstone, Josh Williams Among Finalists For Jaguars’ GM Position
Saturday has seen the Jaguars narrow down their general manager search to a list of finalists. Second interviews are already known to be on tap for external candidates Ian Cunningham and Jon-Eric Sullivan along with interim GM Ethan Waugh. Two other staffers are still in the running, however.
The team announced Saturday that Rams director of scouting strategy James Gladstone and 49ers scouting and football operations director Josh Williams will also take part in a second meeting. After the Jags’ first set of interviews took place virtually, the five finalists will speak in person for their follow-ups. The final round will begin on February 19.
Jacksonville is known to want a GM hire in place before the start of the Combine, but the team’s timeline for this process will leave only a small window for the incoming executive to prepare for the event or work on building a staff. The Combine will kick off on the 24th, with drills beginning on the 27th. The Jags will need to move quickly in the second round of interviews to finalize a hire.
Gladstone was not connected to any of the other three general manager openings in the 2025 hiring cycle, but his performance during his initial meeting obviously went well. Gladstone has been with the Rams for eight seasons, making him a familiar face to new head coach Liam Coen due to his time spent in Los Angeles. Despite the fact he is a first-time head coach, the latter is playing a central role in the GM search process.
Williams was the first candidate to interview with the Jaguars, the only team which spoke with him about a 2025 vacancy. He is worked in San Francisco for the past 14 seasons, working his way up the ranks in the organization’s scouting department. Williams overlapped with former GM Trent Baalke, whose 49ers tenure was followed by a four-year run in the same position with Jacksonville. Baalke appeared to be safe after the 2024 campaign, but in the process of hiring Coen away from the Buccaneers owner Shad Khan reversed course and dismissed Baalke.
Khan and Co. could elect to once again bring in a 49ers staffer to lead the front office, but four other options (including promoting from within) remain on the table at this point. Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown was reported earlier this week to have a strong connection with Coen regarding his roster-building philosophy, but he is not among the finalists. It will be interesting to see how the second round of interviews shakes out once it begins.
NFL Draft Rumors: Dart, QBs, Hunter
As far back as November, we have been consistently reporting that only two quarterbacks are being viewed as first-round prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. At the same time, we’ve been allowing for the potential that the usual, annual desperation from NFL teams at the quarterback position could lead to Day 2 or 3 passers being pushed into the first round with Ward and Sanders. 
We saw this happen last year. Early on in the pre-draft process in 2024, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were viewed as the only first-round options, though Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels quickly forced his way into that conversation. Even after the conclusion of the College Football Playoff championship game, the two quarterbacks in that game, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix, were not generally being viewed as first-round prospects. Eventually, we ended up with six quarterbacks being selected in the first round — all in the first 12 picks — with Bo Nix joining the party, as well.
It’s not an uncommon occurrence, and this year, Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post has pegged Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart as the man to break into the first round with Ward and Sanders. “Book at least three quarterbacks to be taken in the first round of the draft,” La Canfora writes, citing that “too much demand” will overcome “not enough supply.” After watching the 21-year-old’s performance in the Senior Bowl, La Canfora quoted one general manager guaranteeing that Dart will hear his name on the first night of the draft. Another executive La Canfora talked to claimed that, while he himself wouldn’t select Dart that high, he believes Dart’s going Day 1.
Aside from his Senior Bowl performance, Dart had an impressive senior season for the Rebels, racking up the third-highest passing yards per game behind Ward (second) but ahead of Sanders (fourth). While Dart’s 29 passing touchdowns didn’t approach Ward (39) or Sanders (34), his six interceptions were fewer than both of his competitors.
Here are a couple other rumors surrounding common early conversations we’ve seen in the runup to the draft:
- Yesterday, ESPN’s NFL Nation released the results of some polling their reporters — Turron Davenport, Jeff Legwold, Daniel Oyefusi, and Katherine Terrell — conducted with NFL executives, coaches, and scouts at the Senior and Shrine Bowls. One interesting vote showed that of nine people asked if the top draft pick will be a quarterback, three said yes, four said no, and two were undecided. A big deciding factor for this will be what the Titans decide to do with their No. 1 overall pick; another factor will be if the team decides to address the quarterback position through the free agent or trade market before the draft.
- Another question NFL Nation posed was who the top quarterback in the draft is: Ward or Sanders? Of seven people asked, four sided with Ward while the remaining three went with Sanders. Oyefusi notes that the general consensus has Sanders as “a more refined pocket passer,” while “Ward’s arm talent and mobility give him the upper hand as a long-term prospect.” This goes along with most analyses we’ve seen that place Sanders just behind Ward with Dart as a distant third, if that.
- We’ve addressed plenty of speculation already on where Colorado athlete and Heisman-winner Travis Hunter may find himself playing at the NFL-level. Agreeing with early reports that Hunter is being viewed more as an elite cornerback prospect with the potential to contribute in certain packages as a wide receiver, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Hunter is being listed as a defensive back at the NFL Scouting Combine. Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal adds that, while Hunter is planning on working out with the defensive backs at the combine, the two-way athlete will run some drills with the wide receivers, as well.
AFC North Coaching Updates: Ravens, Browns, Steelers
The Ravens defense got off to a slow start last year, and though they were able to finish strong down the stretch, disappointing veteran safeties and underwhelming linebacker play contributed to the team finishing second to last in pass defense. The team hired Tyler Santucci to act as the new linebackers coach after moving on from Mark DeLeone, and they continue to make changes to defensive coordinator Zach Orr‘s coaching staff.
Assisting Santucci will be Matt Pees, who has been named assistant inside linebackers coach, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Pees rejoins his father, senior advisor Dean Pees, after working under him for two years in Atlanta. After three years as defensive assistant for the Falcons, the younger Pees spent 2024 as a defensive analyst (advance/special projects) for the Bears.
In the secondary, the team has moved on from secondary coach Doug Mallory, per Zrebiec. Replacing him, in a sense, will be Donald D’Alesio, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, who has been with the Chiefs for four seasons, the last three as safeties coach. In his three years at the job, he molded Bryan Cook and Justin Reid into starters. He’ll now work with star safety Kyle Hamilton and whomever the team brings in (or back) to play alongside him. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that D’Alesio’s title will be defensive backs coach.
Here are a few more coaching updates from around the AFC North:
- The Browns announced a number of changes to their coaching staff yesterday. We already were aware of the additions of tight ends coach Christian Jones and assistant defensive line coach Adam Morris, as well as the shifting of Bill Musgrave to quarterbacks coach. The new information includes the shifting of assistant special teams coach Stephen Bravo-Brown to assistant wide receivers coach and offensive assistant/run game specialist Nick Charlton to pass game specialist. Additionally, Cleveland has hired Ben Wilkerson as assistant offensive line coach after he served in the same role for the Jets last year before being let go. Joining Wilkerson as an assistant offensive line coach is Sanders Davis. Davis has spent the last six seasons at Rice University, with the last four being as offensive line coach. This will be his first NFL coaching job. Lastly, Kyle Hoke has been hired as assistant special teams coach. A 13-year veteran of collegiate coaching, Hoke will debut in the NFL, after stops at Western Michigan, Army, South Carolina, John Carroll, Texas State, Indiana State, San Diego State, and Texas A&M.
- The Ravens aren’t the only AFC North team making changes to their secondary and linebacker coaching staffs. We learned a week ago that Gerald Alexander was being hired as the Steelers secondary coach, and we questioned the fate of sitting secondary coach Grady Brown. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor informed us this week that Brown’s contract was not renewed. The Steelers saw inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry depart for New York, and per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, they will replace him with Scott McCurley. McCurley spent most of his coaching career in Green Bay from 2006-18 before eventually following Mike McCarthy to Dallas, where he spent the past five seasons coaching the likes of Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith, DeMarvion Overshown, and, of course, Micah Parsons.
Saints Request DC Interview With Vikings’ Daronte Jones
TODAY, 12:20pm: Daronte Jones will be interviewing for the Saints DC job today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
THURSDAY, 10:55am: The list of candidates for the Saints’ defensive coordinator position continues to grow. Daronte Jones has received an interview request, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. 
Jones has worked with the Vikings for the past three years and four overall. His first Minnesota title was that of defensive backs coach, but since 2023 he has worked as the team’s defensive pass-game coordinator. Jones was previously linked to the Bears’ and Jaguars’ defensive coordinator gigs during this year’s hiring cycle.
New Orleans had Joe Woods at the defensive coordinator spot for the past two years. His unit finished eighth in points allowed in 2023, but a regression took place this past campaign. With head coach Dennis Allen being fired midway through the season, it came as little surprise several Saints staffers departed in search of new opportunities. That includes Woods, who is in place on Pete Carroll‘s Raiders staff.
Jones, 46, began his coaching career at Lenoir-Rhyne; for three years after that, however, he worked in Louisiana at the collegiate and high school levels. His coaching tenure also includes a one-year stint as LSU’s defensive coordinator, although he has not held a DC position at the NFL level. That possibility could exist based on how his interview with new head coach Kellen Moore goes.
With that said, it was learned before the Moore hire was made that Brandon Staley was a leading contender for the Saints’ DC position. The two worked together with the Chargers in 2023, and a reunion would see Staley – whose resume includes one year as the Rams’ defensive coordinator, three at the helm of the Bolts and, most recently, an assistant head coach title with the 49ers – tasked with guiding a Saints rebound on defense. In addition to Staley and now Jones, Buccaneers outside linebackers coach George Edwards is a name to watch.
Falcons’ Kevin Koger Denies OC Interview Request From Saints
Kellen Moore is starting to fill out his Saints staff, but the process may not be as smooth as the new head coach was hoping for. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Falcons tight ends coach Kevin Koger has denied a request from the Saints to interview for their offensive coordinator job.
[RELATED: Saints Name Kellen Moore As HC]
After working his way up through the college coaching ranks, Koger got his first NFL gig when he was named as the Packers offensive quality control coach in 2019. He joined the Chargers as their tight ends coach in 2021, with Gerald Everett having his best career seasons under Koger’s tutelage.
After the Chargers cleaned house last offseason, Koger joined the Falcons coaching staff, where he was tasked with getting the most from Kyle Pitts. The tight end still failed to live up to his first-round billing, finishing with 47 catches for 602 yards. Still, his 63.5 catch percentage represented a career-high.
While Koger’s list of accomplishments may not feature big names nor performance, he’s still earned a reputation as a bright offensive mind. Just this offseason, the coach interviewed for the Browns and Cowboys OC jobs.
Considering Moore wasn’t officially hired until after the Super Bowl, the Saints missed out on most of the top coordinator candidates. While Koger’s denial may not be indicative of other candidates’ sentiments about the New Orleans gig, Moore and the Saints may have to overcome a few hurdles as they look to piece together the coaching staff.
Koger is the first definitive candidate for the job in New Orleans. A pair of Eagles coaches have naturally been connected to their former boss, with QBs coach Doug Nussmeier and pass-game coordinator Kevin Patullo mentioned as candidates for the job.
Aaron Jones, Vikings Push Back Void Date On Contract
Aaron Jones‘ one-year deal with the Vikings contained four void years to lessen the blow on Minnesota’s 2024 cap sheet. February 17 was a crucial date for the contract, as Jones would have officially hit free agency while leaving the Vikings with a notable dead cap hit in 2025.
Both sides bought themselves some time this morning. ESPN’s Field Yates reports that Jones and the Vikings agreed to move the upcoming void date to March 11, the day before free agency officially opens.
As Yates notes, this provides the two sides some extra time to negotiate a new contract before free agency. Today’s deadline adjustment doesn’t guarantee that the running back will re-sign with the organization. Still, it certainly bodes better for Jones’ future in Minnesota than if the front office had simply let the void years hit on Monday.
After spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Packers, Jones inked a one-year, $7MM deal with the Vikings last offseason. Thanks to those previously mentioned void years, the veteran RB was only attached to a $3.5MM cap hit in 2024. However, that contract construct also meant the Vikings were on the hook for a $3.5MM dead cap for 2025 if Jones didn’t stick around. That pseudo-financial commitment will likely have some influence on how the Vikings front office approaches the position this offseason, as it will likely make more financial sense to retain Jones than pivot to another veteran.
Beyond the financial commitment, it sounds like both Jones and the Vikings were happy with their one-year partnership. We heard recently that the 30-year-old wants to keep playing in Minnesota, and coach Kevin O’Connell has publicly expressed interest in retaining his RB1 (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert).
The Vikings got as much as they could out of Jones during the 2024 season, handing the RB a career-high 306 touches. While Jones’ efficiency took a bit of a hit this past season, he still put up impressive counting stats, particularly his 1,546 yards from scrimmage. Considering his 2024 workload, Seifert cautions that the Vikings could be eyeing more of a committee-style approach to their RBs room in 2025.
Dolphins To Release RB Raheem Mostert
Raheem Mostert faced an uncertain future after the end of the 2024 campaign, but that has now been resolved. The veteran running back will not be back with the Dolphins next season. 
Mostert has been informed by the Dolphins that he will not be retained for 2025 (as noted by agent Brett Tessler). One year remained on his pact, but instead Miami will move forward with a release. This marks a notable turn of events compared to where things stood between team and player one year ago.
[RELATED: Dolphins Cut Kendall Fuller, Durham Smythe]
Returning to Miami on a one-year free agent deal in 2022, Mostert gave head coach Mike McDaniel a familiar option in the backfield after they worked together with the 49ers. Mostert was a key figure on offense with 891 rushing yards; his 4.9 yards per carry average indicated he could remain a leading contributor in the backfield for years to come. As such, it came as no surprise when the Dolphins re-signed him on a two-year, $5.6MM pact.
That investment proved to be highly effective in 2023, a campaign in which Mostert topped 1,000 yards on the ground for the first time in his career. The former UDFA led the NFL in rushing (18) and total (21) touchdowns, playing a central role in Miami’s ground attack. That year also saw rookie De’Von Achane emerge as an important member of the team’s backfield, however, so questions loomed about Mostert’s position in the organization in spite of another new deal being agreed to last year.
In 2024, Achane took over lead back duties with 203 carries. Mostert, by contrast, saw his usage plummet to just 85 attempts; as a result, today’s news does not come as a surprise. By releasing the 32-year-old, Miami will free up $2.95MM in cap space while generating a dead money charge of $1MM. The Dolphins were among the teams which entered Friday over the projected 2025 salary cap, so more cost-shedding moves will be required.
Mostert’s attention will now turn to free agency, and once his release becomes official he will be able to sign with a new team before the league year begins in March. Veteran running backs have generally struggled to land long-term deals on the open market in recent years, although several teams made notable backfield commitments last spring. That could help the Purdue product find a new team, but on the other hand the 2025 draft class is seen as having a number of high-profile running backs. Another short-term opportunity will likely await Mostert as a result.
The Dolphins have Achane on the books through 2026, and he will be expected to continue handling RB1 duties over at least the near future. 2024 fourth-rounder Jaylen Wright is another young backfield option the team can plan around, but veteran Jeff Wilson is a pending free agent. A departure by the latter, coupled with Mostert’s release, would leave Miami in need of a depth addition this offseason.