2025 NFL Cap Carryover, By Team
With the regular season in the books, all NFL teams have declared their cap carryover for the 2025 league year. Unused cap space from the current campaign will roll over, a substantial element of many teams’ financial planning.
Last offseason saw a record-breaking jump in the salary cap ceiling (pushing the upper limit to $255.4MM). To no surprise, another spike is expected but a smaller year-to-year increase is likely to take place. It was learned last month that teams are preparing for the 2025 cap to check in at a figure between $265MM-$275MM.
As teams evaluate key roster-building decisions – including restructures and cuts aimed at manufacturing cap space – carryovers are crucial. It it still not known what exactly the cap ceiling will wind up as, but in the meantime every club’s space which has been rolled over will add a degree of clarity with respect to how their offseason will take shape. Several teams (including the top two on this year’s list) have made a concerted effort in recent years to carry unused space through the course of a campaign knowing a spike in cap charges for core players are forthcoming.
Courtesy of Over the Cap, here is the full breakdown of each team’s 2025 cap carryover amount:
- San Francisco 49ers: $50.01MM
- Cleveland Browns: $41.95MM
- New England Patriots: $34.86MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $33.57MM
- Detroit Lions: $23.73MM
- Washington Commanders: $19.83MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $18.84MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $15.89MM
- Green Bay Packers: $15.11MM
- Tennessee Titans: $14.72MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $11.38MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $10.1MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $8.42MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $6.83MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $6.81MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $6.63MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $6.07MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $5.94MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $5.94MM
- Chicago Bears: $5.08MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $4.89MM
- Houston Texans: $4.81MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $3.15MM
- Miami Dolphins: $3MM
- New Orleans Saints: $2.93MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $2.75MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $2.14MM
- Denver Broncos: $1.91MM
- Buffalo Bills: $1.34MM
- New York Giants: $1.17MM
- Carolina Panthers: $490K
- New York Jets: $346K
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/11/25
Saturday’s minor transactions and more standard gameday practice squad elevations for the wild-card round of the playoffs:
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: WR Keith Kirkwood, WR Anthony Miller
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: S Kareem Jackson, WR Jalen Virgil
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: RB Tyler Badie
- Elevated: G Nick Gargiulo
- Placed on reserve/NFI list: T Frank Crum
Green Bay Packers
- Signed to active roster: QB Sean Clifford
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: FB Khari Blasingame, WR Parris Campbell
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: T Calvin Anderson
- Elevated: WR Jamal Agnew, WR Scotty Miller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: LB Deion Jones, WR Tanner Knue
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: WR Chris Moore, CB Kevon Seymour
As a member of the practice squad this year, Clifford, the second-year passer out of Penn State, was elevated twice. As a member of the active roster, he will be able to serve as Green Bay’s emergency third quarterback, which could be beneficial after starter Jordan Love was knocked out of the team’s Week 18 loss with an elbow injury on his throwing arm, and his backup, Malik Willis, was dealing with a thumb injury on his throwing hand. Both players had two full practices this week and carry no injury designation, but the team will be taking no chances.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/11/25
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed WR Scotty Miller
- Released: S Ayo Oyelola
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/9/25
Today’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return: CB Ennis Rakestraw
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: OL Jordan McFadden
Minnesota Vikings
- Designated for return: DL Taki Taimani
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: WR Scotty Miller
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/7/25
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return: WR Deonte Harty
Houston Texans
- Designated for return: TE Teagan Quitoriano
Los Angeles Chargers
- Designated for return: WR Simi Fehoko
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: S John Johnson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: QB Ian Book
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return: OT Calvin Anderson
A handful of playoff teams designated players for return from IR today, opening the 21-day window for activation. While there’s a chance these players are activated at some point during the postseason, they could also merely be providing the team with another body during practices.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order
Once again, we saw plenty of change occur in the projected draft order after Sunday’s games. Most notably, the Patriots took themselves out of the top overall draft slot with a win over the resting Bills. While this change likely won’t hurt their ability to select one of the players that interested them most, as they likely weren’t looking to select a quarterback with rookie Drake Maye in place, New England likely could’ve benefitted from collecting some serious draft capital trading out of the top spot to any of the teams seeking quarterback help next season.
One of those quarterback-needy teams, the Titans have officially secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, tying for the worst overall record in the league with the Browns and Giants but holding tiebreakers over both franchises. The Browns and Giants, who both secured the second and third overall picks, respectively, today, are also considered top candidates to draft a passer.
With all three teams at the top of the draft interested in adding help at quarterback, the draft’s top two prospects at the position, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, saw their chances at getting selected No. 1 overall rise dramatically. Plenty could still occur to change this situation; trades could alter the draft order, and further pre-draft evaluations could change opinions on top prospects.
Still, for the first time since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002, there is a chance that every team drafts in the first round, as no first-round picks have yet been traded. It’s extremely unlikely that this will remain the case, as draft-day trades are a very common occurrence, but it’s still an interesting concept to note this close to the draft.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s conclusion:
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- Cleveland Browns (3-14)
- New York Giants (3-14)
- New England Patriots (4-13)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
- Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
- New York Jets (5-12)
- Carolina Panthers (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (5-12)
- Chicago Bears (5-12)
- San Francisco (6-11)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
- Miami Dolphins (8-9)
- Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
- Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
- Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
- Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
- Houston Texans (10-7)
- Denver Broncos (10-7)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
- Green Bay Packers (11-6)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Washington Commanders (12-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
- Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
- Buffalo Bills (13-4)
- Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
- Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
- Detroit Lions (15-2)
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Steelers’ Cole Holcomb, Roman Wilson, Logan Lee Return To Practice
The Steelers could have reinforcements on both sides of the ball as early as Week 18. The team announced on Tuesday that linebacker Cole Holcomb, along with receiver Roman Wilson and defensive lineman Logan Lee have returned to practice. 
In the case of all three players, they now have up to 21 days to practice before being activated. Holcomb is on the physically unable to perform list, while the two rookies are on injured reserve. Bringing back Wilson and Lee would therefore use up Pittsburgh’s remaining regular season IR activations, although all playoff teams receive an additional two return slots.
Holcomb was a key figure in the Steelers’ efforts to reset at the linebacker spot last offseason, signing a three-year, $18MM pact in free agency. The 28-year-old had a strong start to his Pittsburgh tenure, serving as a full-time starter through eight games and recording 54 tackles along the way. A major knee injury brought his campaign to an abrupt end, though, and it threatened to linger well into the current season.
To no surprise, Holcomb was moved to the PUP list during roster cutdowns, allowing him to continue rehabbing. An adjustment was made to his contract during the offseason with an injury split being added to lower his base pay in the event of a PUP stint (although additional guarantees were brought in to compensate). If Holcomb can return to the lineup in time for Saturday’s game against the Bengals or the wild-card round, his presence will be welcomed by a LB unit now led by Patrick Queen.
Wilson was added in the third round of April’s draft, and he faced expectations of serving as a complementary option in the passing game early in his career. The Michigan product’s debut did not come until October, though, and he has been on IR since making his only appearance to date. Pittsburgh has leaned heavily on George Pickens at the receiver spot, and the team also has trade acquisition Mike Williams in the fold. Wilson could compete with Calvin Austin for playing time in the slot once he is activated.
Lee was selected in the sixth round of the draft as depth along the defensive interior. The Iowa alum could step into a rotational role upon activation, although given his missed time it would come as a surprise if he were to see a notable workload this year. In any case, the Steelers will likely welcome multiple players into the fold at least in time for their upcoming postseason game.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order
Plenty of changes took place regarding the projected draft order on Sunday. Most notably, the Giants’ first home win of the year took them out of the top spot and greatly lowered their chances of securing the No. 1 pick.
Instead, the Patriots are now in pole position to select first in April. New England already has Drake Maye in place, so adding another Day 1 passer would be out of the picture. With Travis Hunter being seen as the top overall prospect in the class, the Heisman winner could be a suitable target as a key figure in New England’s rebuilding process.
Meanwhile, a number of teams which could be in the market for a first-round passer are near the top of the order. That includes the Browns and Raiders, teams which each face uncertainty under center for 2025 despite already having a number of quarterbacks under contract beyond this season. Bringing in Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders would provide another short-term option for next year along with a potential long-term answer at the position. Plenty could still change in the order over Week 18, though, and the evaluation process of both of the top signal-callers in the class obviously has a long way to go.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:
- New England Patriots (3-13)
- Tennessee Titans (3-13)
- Cleveland Browns (3-13)
- New York Giants (3-13)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
- Carolina Panthers (4-12)
- New York Jets (4-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)
- Chicago Bears (4-12)
- New Orleans Saints (5-11)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
- Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9)
- Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
- Miami Dolphins (8-8)
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
- Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
- Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
- Houston Texans (9-7)
- Denver Broncos (9-7)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
- Green Bay Packers (11-5)
- Washington Commanders (11-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
- Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
- Buffalo Bills (13-3)
- Detroit Lions (13-2)
- Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
Latest On Potential Russell Wilson Steelers Extension
The Steelers’ push for the AFC North title will continue with today’s matchup against the Chiefs. A large part of Pittsburgh’s success this season has been improved play under center, and as a result Russell Wilson could turn out to be much more than a one-year rental. 
Since the former Super Bowl winner took over from Justin Fields as the Steelers’ starter, Wilson has provided stability at the quarterback spot, something which had been lacking since Ben Roethlisberger retired. Given the nature of his Broncos release, Wilson has been a cost-effective starter this year, and signs have pointed since November to a new pact being worked out. For now, the 36-year-old is on track for free agency, and he would be one of the more intriguing names on the market if no deal was to take place.
A mutual interest exists in continuing this relationship, however, with Wilson recently issuing a public desire to remain in Pittsburgh beyond 2024. It would thus come as no surprise if a multi-year pact were to be worked out this offseason (even with Fields potentially still in the picture). In that event, Wilson would be in line for a notable raise compared to the veteran minimum he is playing for – in terms of Pittsburgh’s financial obligation – this year. With age as a complicating factor, however, the length of any potential contract could be a sticking point in addition to compensation.
On that note, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports there is a “very good chance” the Steelers work out a new pact with Wilson similar to other recent veteran QB deals (video link). Specifically, he names Baker Mayfield‘s Buccaneers pact as a comparable situation. Mayfield impressed in 2023, his debut Tampa Bay season. That landed him a three-year, $100MM contract – a major raise relative to his prior deal, but an AAV nowhere near the top of the position’s market.
Wilson securing a similar deal this winter would provide him with the opportunity to continue his Steelers tenure, while the structure of such a pact could give the team flexibility from a cap perspective. Keeping the nine-time Pro Bowler in the fold could prove to be beneficial on a medium-term commitment in particular, but Pittsburgh also has to sort out Fields’ future since he is a pending free agent. The same is true of left tackle Dan Moore Jr., cornerback Donte Jackson as well as both members of the Najee Harris–Jaylen Warren running back tandem.
Wideout George Pickens will also be eligible for an extension once this season ends, and keeping him in place long term will require a notable commitment. Plenty of key decisions will need to be made with respect to keeping the Steelers’ core in place on offense in particular, and Wilson’s situation will be central to that effort. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the campaign plays out, and whether or not his chances of working out a new Steelers accord will be affected down the stretch.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order
Two weeks remain in the regular season, and while a number of teams are jockeying for playoff spots several others are still in contention to land a coveted draft slot. It remains to be seen where the No. 1 selection will wind up.
The Giants and Raiders entered Sunday’s action with two wins apiece, and New York’s loss kept the team strongly in contention to kick off the draft in April. By virtue of winning against the Jaguars, though, the Raiders hurt their chances of finding themselves in that position. A top-two spot (or thereabouts) may be required to draft either of this year’s top passers, but a small move up the order positioning Vegas to add one could still be on the table.
Five teams currently sit a 3-12, and a head-to-head matchup between the Titans and Jaguars on Sunday will be key in deciding where each of them wind up. Another three squads own a 4-11 record, so plenty of potential exists in terms of changes being made to the order at the top of the board. Numerous expected suitors for a Day 1 quarterback (including teams like the Browns and Jets) may very well find themselves out of reach for Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders without a trade-up being necessary. The Panthers’ starting situation with Bryce Young is certainly not settled for 2025, but adding a passer on Day 1 would come as a surprise at this point.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:
- New York Giants (2-13)
- New England Patriots (3-12)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)
- Tennessee Titans (3-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)
- Carolina Panthers (4-11)
- New York Jets (4-11)
- Chicago Bears (4-11)
- New Orleans Saints (5-10)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
- Miami Dolphins (7-8)
- Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
- Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
- Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
- Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
- Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
- Houston Texans (9-6)
- Denver Broncos (9-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
- Washington Commanders (10-5)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
- Green Bay Packers (11-4)
- Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
- Buffalo Bills (12-3)
- Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
- Detroit Lions (13-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)