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NFL Salary Cap Number for 2026 Season Raised to $301.2 Million Per Team
The National Football League informed its clubs in a memo on Friday that the salary cap number for the 2026 season is $301.2 million per team, which is up $22 million from last year. It's the first time in the history of the NFL that the salary cap has topped $300 million. The cap has increased 40% in just five years since it dropped coming off the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Teams must be under the new salary cap by March 11, which is the first day of the new league year. The biggest year-to-year increase in the salary cap was $31 million from 2023 to 2024. The wide receiver position is the second-most lucrative franchise tag at $27.3 million. Quarterback sits at $43.9 million.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Jaguars to Host Two Games in London in 2026
The NFL announced on Wednesday that the Jacksonville Jaguars will host two games in London during the 2026 season, according to Demetrius Harvey of The Florida Times-Union. The Jaguars have played in London annually every year since 2013, except for 2020, but this will be the first time they've played two games there in one season. They will play one contest at Wembley Stadium and another at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against unnamed opponents. Jacksonville is expected to play back-to-back weeks in London in October. It will be the 15th time the Jags have played in London, with all but three games taking place at Wembley. They have gone 7-7, including going 2-1 at Tottenham. Jacksonville will be looking to build on a strong 2025 season that saw them finish first in the AFC South with a 13-4 regular-season record, only to fall to the Bills in the Wild-Card round of the postseason.
Source: The Florida Times-Union - Demetrius Harvey
Source: The Florida Times-Union - Demetrius Harvey
Commanders to Play in London in 2026
The Washington Commanders announced on Wednesday that they will have a regular-season game in London in 2026. The Commanders will be the host team at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against an unnamed opponent. It will be Washington's third international game. They lost to the Miami Dolphins in their last international game in Madrid, Spain, in 2025 and tied with the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley Stadium in London in 2016. The Commanders surprised everyone by making it to the NFC Championship in 2024 in quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie season. Daniels struggled with injuries last year, though, and the team finished 5-12 and in third place in the NFC East to miss the postseason in 2025. Washington's game in London will be one of three that the NFL hosts there next season, with the Jacksonville Jaguars serving as the host team in the other two.
Source: Washington Commanders
Source: Washington Commanders
49ers Hire Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as Personnel Executive
The San Francisco 49ers hired former Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as a personnel executive on Tuesday, general manager John Lynch told The Athletic's Matt Barrows. Adofo-Mensah was surprisingly fired by the Vikings after the 2025 season after four years as the team's GM. Minnesota went 14-3 during the regular season with Sam Darnold as the quarterback in 2024, but they struggled last year as they handed over the keys to the offense to former first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl with Darnold. It will be a reunion for Adofo-Mensah, as he spent 2013 to 2019 with the 49ers in the football research and development department. It's a big pickup for a team that already has a championship-caliber front office in place.
Source: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
Source: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
Brandon Aubrey Could Become Highest-Paid NFL Kicker
The Dallas Cowboys have an offer on the table that would make impending free-agent kicker Brandon Aubrey the "highest-paid kicker in the NFL," a source told Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports. A deal isn't done, though, and Aubrey "wants more than they offered." Aubrey, 30, is a restricted free agent this offseason and will most likely be back with Dallas one way or another. In Dallas' high-scoring offense, Aubrey continues to be a high-end option in fantasy football. He had another strong campaign in 2025, making 36 of his 42 field-goal tries (85.7%) and 47 of his 48 extra-point attempts to finish as the No. 3 kicker in overall fantasy points in 17 games. Aubrey has been a Pro Bowl kicker in all three of his NFL seasons and has made 35-plus field goals in all three years. Dallas should have another strong offense in 2026, making him an easy call as a top-five fantasy kicker.
Source: DLLS Sports - Clarence Hill Jr.
Source: DLLS Sports - Clarence Hill Jr.
Lions to Play in Germany in 2026
The Detroit Lions will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent in Munich, Germany, in 2026, according to NFL Deutschland. The 2026 NFL Munich game will be the sixth regular-season game that will be played in Germany. It will be the Lions' first time playing in Germany. The game will be played at the FC Bayern Munich Stadium and will mark Detroit's first international contest in over a decade. Their last international game was on Nov. 1, 2015, against the Kansas City Chiefs at London's Wembley Stadium. Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown's mother hails from Cologne, and he has been waiting for a return trip to Germany. The Lions will be looking to get back to the postseason in 2026 after finishing 9-8 and tied for fourth in the NFC North in 2025.
Source: NFL Deutschland
Source: NFL Deutschland
Cowboys Open to Trading a First-Round Pick
Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on Monday that the team is open to trading one of their first-round picks in this year's NFL draft, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys have plenty of needs to fill, especially on the defensive side of the ball, going into the 2026 season, but they might prefer to trade back and acquire more draft picks if the price is right. After trading All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons before the start of the 2025 season, the Cowboys will have the No. 12 and 20 overall picks this April. "It's tough to predict. We're certainly open-minded to it. Always open-minded to trading," Jones said. "The right guy fits, the perfect fit, and we would certainly look at it and see if it worked in with what we're trying to get accomplished." Trading one or two first-rounders could be in play for Dallas if they could land Raiders All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby.
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Calvin Watkins
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Calvin Watkins
49ers to Rack Up the Travel Miles in 2026
ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates report that the San Francisco 49ers will play a regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia, a home regular-season game in Mexico City, and have a schedule that includes two cross-country road games at the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Giants in 2026. The 49ers' opponent for the Mexico City game has yet to be announced, but they will square off against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams in Australia. San Francisco was eliminated by the Seattle Seahawks, who went on to win Super Bowl LX, in the Divisional Round of the postseason in a 41-6 rout. It was an impressive feat for the Niners to even make it to the playoffs last season, considering all the key players who missed extensive time due to injuries for them. Led by head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers will be Super Bowl contenders going into 2026, although their schedule certainly won't do them any favors.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter and Field Yates
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter and Field Yates
Raiders Hiring Mike McCoy as Assistant Head Coach
The Las Vegas Raiders are hiring former Tennessee Titans interim head coach Mike McCoy as their assistant head coach, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The 53-year-old spent four years as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers and will be an experienced addition to first-time head coach Klint Kubiak's staff in 2026. McCoy went 27-37 in his time with the Chargers before serving as an offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in 2017 and the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. He then was the Jacksonville Jaguars' quarterbacks coach for three seasons before he was hired by the Titans last year as a senior offensive assistant. McCoy will be Kubiak's right-hand man next season and will also have input on the offense, although Kubiak plans to call the plays. He will also help in the development of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be the first overall pick in this year's NFL Draft.
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Panthers Hire Darrell Bevell as Associate Head Coach
The Carolina Panthers hired former Miami Dolphins quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator Darrell Bevell as associate head coach/offensive specialist on Wednesday, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Bevell is a long-time respected NFL assistant coach who will bring a wealth of experience to head coach Dave Canales' staff as Carolina looks to take another step forward after making the postseason in 2025. Canales was the Seattle Seahawks' wide receivers coach when Bevell was the offensive coordinator, so the two have worked together before. The Panthers are hoping that the addition of Bevell will help quarterback Bryce Young take the next step in his development after Carolina's offense ranked only 26th in EPA per play and 18th in success rate last season.
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Raiders Give New Head Coach Klint Kubiak a Five-Year Deal
The Las Vegas Raiders officially agreed to an undisclosed five-year deal with new head coach Klint Kubiak on Monday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Raiders had to wait to officially name Kubiak as their next head coach until after Super Bowl LX. He will get to work quickly after helping lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday. Kubiak is the fourth head coach for the Raiders in the last four seasons, but they are hoping that he'll bring some stability to the role as the team looks to rebuild. They have the No 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and are fully expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Kubiak will be crucial in the development of Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Klint Kubiak Confirms he Will be Next Raiders Head Coach
Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator confirmed on Sunday after winning Super Bowl LX over the New England Patriots that he will be the next head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, according to NFL Network. "Hell yeah, I'm going [to Las Vegas.]" Kubiak said. The 38-year-old and the Raiders began finalizing an agreement a week ago, but no official announcement could be made until after the Super Bowl. Kubiak will be the third head coach in Vegas in three seasons and the fifth head coach since the moved to Vegas in 2020. He will take over for Pete Carroll, who went 3-14 in his lone season with the Raiders. Kubiak will likely be counted on to mold Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be selected by the Raiders with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Kubiak's work with Sam Darnold in 2025 got the Raiders' attention.
Source: NFL Network
Source: NFL Network
Chiefs to be Hit Hard by Free Agency This Offseason
NFL.com's Matt Okada ranks the Kansas City Chiefs as No. 1 on his list of teams that are positioned to be hit the hardest by free agency in 2026. In addition to having 30 impending free agents (tied for fifth-most in the league), the Chiefs are projected to be $54.7 million over the salary cap this year. They are coming off a six-win season (fewest wins since 2012), and superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) is recovering from a torn ACL. The most notable Chiefs players scheduled to hit free agency are tight end Travis Kelce (retirement is a possibility), starting defensive backs Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook, pass-rusher Charles Omenihu, running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, and a good chunk of their receivers. To save cap space, the Chiefs could cut starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor, but it's not an ideal move for a team looking to shore up their offensive line. If anyone can work magic, it would be general manager Brett Veach, but things are looking bleak for KC after they missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade in 2025.
Source: NFL.com - Matt Okada
Source: NFL.com - Matt Okada
Jon Gruden's Lawyers Seeking Testimony from Roger Goodell, Owners
Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden's attorneys will seek testimony from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and at least four current and former NFL owners in his lawsuit over whether the league leaked the emails that forced his departure as the Raiders' coach, according to a court filing this week. Gruden resigned in October of 2021 after the publication of emails he sent years earlier that included racist, misogynistic, and anti-gay language. Gruden's lawsuit accuses the league and Goodell of a "malicious and orchestrated campaign" to destroy his career. To this point, there have been no settlement talks. Gruden was an on-air analyst for ESPN from 2011 to 2018 when the emails were sent. In its filings to seek dismissal of Gruden's lawsuit, the NFL has said Gruden's case "hinges solely on unsupported allegations that fail as a matter of law or fall far short of stating a claim and should have been promptly dismissed when the NFL Parties first so moved."
Source: ESPN.com - Don Van Natta Jr.
Source: ESPN.com - Don Van Natta Jr.
Robert Kraft Won't be a First-Ballot Hall of Famer
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, like former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, was not selected for entry into this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Kraft bought the team for $172 million in 1994, and the Patriots have appeared in 11 Super Bowls (six wins) since he purchased the team. They have a chance to win their seventh Super Bowl this Sunday versus the Seattle Seahawks, which would give New England the most Lombardi trophies in league history. Kraft has been a centerpiece of the team's 24-year dynasty. He hired Belichick in 1999, and Belichick went on to lead the Patriots to a 266-121 record while winning 17 AFC East titles. Kraft is attempting to become the 17th owner in NFL history to be inducted into the HOF, joining Jerry Jones, Eddie Debartolo Jr., Pat Bowlen, Ralph Wilson, Dan Rooney, and Al Davis.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
