NFL salary camp jumps to $224.8M in 2023

Falcons will have $57M to spend in upcoming free agency season

The NFL salary cap will jump to a record $224.8 million in 2023, the league informed teams on Monday.

The 2022 salary cap was $208.2 million.

Among the teams projected to have excess spending power available under the cap, according to Spotrac, are the Chicago Bears ($99 million), Atlanta Falcons ($57 million), Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants ($44 million).

However, the Bengals are reportedly discussing a long-term deal with quarterback Joe Burrow and the Giants are facing similar big-money decisions on quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley.

Burrow is under contract with a base salary of $11,515,044 on the final year of his four-year, $36.1 million deal signed as the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft. That contract includes a fifth-year option for 2024, but the Bengals have publicly stated they’ll be proactive in addressing Burrow’s contract status.

The Giants passed on Jones’ fifthyear option and he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent when the NFL league year begins March 15.

Multiple 2023 playoff teams are operating in the red, including the Buffalo Bills ($20 million over) and Jacksonville Jaguars ($32 million over).

“We’re going to have to be creative,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said last week regarding the prospects of signing a free agent this spring.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are around $55 million over the cap, behind only the New Orleans Saints ($57 million) among teams currently in the negative.

New media contracts and the 17th regular-season game are contributors to the record-high mark, NFL Network reported.

THE SALARY CAP BY YEAR SINCE 2012

2023: $224.5 million 2022: $208.2 million 2021: $182.5 million 2020: $198.2 million 2019: $188.2 million 2018: $177.2 million 2017: $167.0 million 2016: $155.3 million 2015: $143.3 million 2014: $133.0 million 2013: $123.0 million 2012: $120.6 million