We have seen a metric-ton of money handed out in free agency this year, and with the NFL salary cap exploding almost every season, the contracts are going to get a lot more lucrative. In many instances, teams paying top-dollar for certain players, like star quarterbacks, are in a great position.
However, the one way to get burned in this league is paying top-dollar for players who aren't worth that money. Simply put, you can't overpay for players in the NFL - it simply is not a sustainable model for success, and a few players on this list are proof of that.
Let's dive into the highest player cap hits for 2026 as the NFL offseason rolls on
Here are the highest player cap hits as the 2026 NFL Offseason progresses
10. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys - $43,508,430
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are in a position to win a ton of games this season given how much the defense has already improved. Prescott had another stellar season in 2025, but a bottom-tier defense wasted it away.
9. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills - $44,228,000
Josh Allen's cap hit is approaching $45 million in 2025, but Allen and the Buffalo Bills continue to be one of the best teams in the NFL, so this is an instance of a high-dollar contract being very much worth it for the franchise.
8. Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs - $44,850,000
The Kansas City Chiefs have not really managed their books all that well. Chris Jones is still a good player, but his cap hit is quite high, and the Chiefs still have other holes on the roster on both sides of the ball.
7. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns - $44,956,514
Perhaps the worst contract in the history of professional sports, the Cleveland Browns probably can't wait to get out from under the Deshaun Watson deal, but he is likely going to compete for the starting job in 2025.
6. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers - $46,345,675
Justin Herbert seems to fall apart in the playoffs, and outside of some nice regular season statistics, there isn't much else present with the quarterback.
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals - $47,999,784
Thanks to the incompetence of the Cincinnati Bengals front office, Joe Burrow has not seen the playoffs for three years in a row now. The prime years are slowly flying by, but when all things are normal, Burrow and the Bengals are a true juggernaut.
4. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams - $48,266,668
The MVP of the league clearly still has a good bit left in the tank. We could see the final year or two of Matthew Stafford's career as well. The Los Angeles Rams will continue to go all-in around Stafford as long as he is efficient.
3. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings - $51,711,466
Cut by the Arizona Cardinals this offseason, they are on the hook for this behemoth amount, but Kyler Murray is now on the Minnesota Vikings and was likely brought in to start for the team, despite what could be marketed as a quarterback competition in 2026.
2. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - $52,975,000
Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a down season in 2025, but Mayfield has been one of the more prolific passers in the league since arriving in Tampa. This cap hit is probably a higher amount than what Mayfield is truly worth, but there are many teams who don't have as talented a passer.
1. Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons - $56,267,647
Tua Tagovailoa was cut by the Miami Dolphins, so Miami is on the hook for the highest cap hit in the NFL this year, an amount flirting with $60 million. Tagovailoa is now on the Atlanta Falcons and, like Murray, could end up starting for his new team in 2026.