Bengals salary cap

2026 cap hits 44 players

1. Joe Burrow QB $36.2M

   Signed through 2030 · Free agent 2031 (UFA) · Cut now: $1.8M dead, saves $34.3M · after June 1: saves $35.3M · Estimated

2. Ja'Marr Chase WR $35.8M

   Signed through 2030 · Free agent 2031 (UFA) · Cut now: $8.0M dead, saves $27.8M · after June 1: saves $33.8M · Estimated

3. Tee Higgins WR $34.3M

   Signed through 2028 · Free agent 2029 (UFA) · Cut now: $3.8M dead, saves $30.5M · after June 1: saves $33.0M · Estimated

4. Boye Mafe DL $33.3M

   Signed through 2028 · Free agent 2029 (UFA) · Cut now: $19.0M dead, saves $14.3M · after June 1: saves $27.0M · Estimated

5. Bryan Cook DB $22.7M

   Signed through 2028 · Free agent 2029 (UFA) · Cut now: $14.0M dead, saves $8.7M · after June 1: saves $18.0M · Estimated

6. Dexter Lawrence DL $22.0M

   Signed through 2028 · Free agent 2029 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $22.0M · after June 1: saves $22.0M

7. Jonathan Allen DL $15.0M

   Signed through 2027 · Free agent 2028 (UFA) · Cut now: $3.0M dead, saves $12.0M · after June 1: saves $13.5M · Estimated

8. Daxton Hill DB $12.7M

   Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $12.7M · after June 1: saves $12.7M

9. B.J. Hill DL $10.5M

   Signed through 2027 · Free agent 2028 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $10.5M · after June 1: saves $10.5M

10. Mike Gesicki TE $7.5M

    Signed through 2027 · Free agent 2028 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $7.5M · after June 1: saves $7.5M

11. Tedarrell Slaton DL $6.2M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $6.2M · after June 1: saves $6.2M

12. Joe Flacco QB $6.0M

    Signed through 2027 · Free agent 2028 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $6.0M · after June 1: saves $6.0M

13. Andrei Iosivas WR $3.7M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $3.7M · after June 1: saves $3.7M

14. Chase Brown RB $3.7M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $3.7M · after June 1: saves $3.7M

15. DJ Turner II DB $3.7M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $3.7M · after June 1: saves $3.7M

16. Jordan Battle DB $3.7M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $3.7M · after June 1: saves $3.7M

17. Drew Sample TE $3.6M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $783K dead, saves $2.9M · after June 1: saves $2.9M · Estimated

18. Evan McPherson K $2.9M

    Signed through 2027 · Free agent 2028 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $2.9M · after June 1: saves $2.9M

19. Tacario Davis DB $2.6M

    Signed through 2029 · Free agent 2030 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $2.6M · after June 1: saves $2.6M

20. Myles Murphy DL $2.5M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $2.5M · after June 1: saves $2.5M

21. Shemar Stewart DL $2.4M

    Signed through 2028 · Free agent 2029 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $2.4M · after June 1: saves $2.4M

22. Oren Burks LB $2.3M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $2.3M · after June 1: saves $2.3M

23. Samaje Perine RB $2.2M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $2.2M · after June 1: saves $2.2M

24. Jalen Davis DB $1.6M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.6M · after June 1: saves $1.6M

25. Kris Jenkins DL $1.5M

    Signed through 2027 · Free agent 2028 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.5M · after June 1: saves $1.5M

26. Josh Johnson QB $1.5M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.5M · after June 1: saves $1.5M

27. Kyle Dugger DB $1.5M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $88K dead, saves $1.4M · after June 1: saves $1.4M · Estimated

28. Demetrius Knight Jr. LB $1.2M

    Signed through 2028 · Free agent 2029 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.2M · after June 1: saves $1.2M

29. D.J. Ivey DB $1.1M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.1M · after June 1: saves $1.1M

30. Isaiah Foskey DL $1.1M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.1M · after June 1: saves $1.1M

31. Joe Giles-Harris LB $1.1M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.1M · after June 1: saves $1.1M

32. Beau Brade DB $1.1M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (RFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.1M · after June 1: saves $1.1M

33. Cedric Johnson DL $1.1M

    Signed through 2027 · Free agent 2028 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.1M · after June 1: saves $1.1M

34. Erick All TE $1.1M

    Signed through 2027 · Free agent 2028 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.1M · after June 1: saves $1.1M

35. Ryan Rehkow P $1.1M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (RFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.1M · after June 1: saves $1.1M

36. Howard Cross III DL $1.0M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (ERFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.0M · after June 1: saves $1.0M

37. Ke'Shawn Williams WR $1.0M

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (ERFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.0M · after June 1: saves $1.0M

38. Trikweze Bridges DB $1.0M

    Signed through 2028 · Free agent 2029 (UFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $1.0M · after June 1: saves $1.0M

39. Mitchell Tinsley WR $896K

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $896K · after June 1: saves $896K

40. Russ Yeast DB $763K

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $763K · after June 1: saves $763K

41. Jack Kiser LB $726K

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (ERFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $726K · after June 1: saves $726K

42. Swayze Bozeman LB $711K

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (RFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $711K · after June 1: saves $711K

43. Tanner Hudson TE $660K

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (UFA) · Can be franchise tagged · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $660K · after June 1: saves $660K

44. Cam Grandy TE $657K

    Signed through 2026 · Free agent 2027 (RFA) · Cut now: $0 dead, saves $657K · after June 1: saves $657K

2027 so far

18 players under contract, $219.6M committed (the 51 biggest cap hits count in the offseason). The 2027 cap is set in February.

Contracts ending after 2026 (26)

• Daxton Hill DBUFA, can be tagged
• Tedarrell Slaton DLUFA, can be tagged
• Andrei Iosivas WRUFA, can be tagged
• Chase Brown RBUFA, can be tagged
• DJ Turner II DBUFA, can be tagged
• Jordan Battle DBUFA, can be tagged
• Drew Sample TEUFA, can be tagged
• Myles Murphy DLUFA, can be tagged
• Oren Burks LBUFA, can be tagged
• Samaje Perine RBUFA, can be tagged
• Jalen Davis DBUFA, can be tagged
• Josh Johnson QBUFA, can be tagged
• Kyle Dugger DBUFA, can be tagged
• D.J. Ivey DBUFA, can be tagged
• Isaiah Foskey DLUFA, can be tagged
• Joe Giles-Harris LBUFA, can be tagged
• Beau Brade DBRFA
• Ryan Rehkow PRFA
• Howard Cross III DLERFA
• Ke'Shawn Williams WRERFA
• Mitchell Tinsley WRUFA, can be tagged
• Russ Yeast DBUFA, can be tagged
• Jack Kiser LBERFA
• Swayze Bozeman LBRFA
• Tanner Hudson TEUFA, can be tagged
• Cam Grandy TERFA

What if: cut or trade for 2027

Pick a move for any player and see what it does to the 2027 cap. "After June 1" spreads his dead money over two years.

1. Joe Burrow QB $38.2M
   Move for Joe Burrow Cut: saves $37.3M · after June 1: saves $37.3M · Trade: saves $37.3M
2. Tee Higgins WR $32.6M
   Move for Tee Higgins Cut: saves $30.1M · after June 1: saves $31.3M, $1.3M dead in 2028 · Trade: saves $30.1M
3. Ja'Marr Chase WR $32.0M
   Move for Ja'Marr Chase Cut: saves $26.0M · after June 1: saves $30.0M, $4.0M dead in 2028 · Trade: saves $26.0M
4. Dexter Lawrence DL $25.5M
   Move for Dexter Lawrence Cut: saves $25.5M · after June 1: saves $25.5M · Trade: saves $25.5M
5. Boye Mafe DL $24.6M
   Move for Boye Mafe Cut: saves $12.0M · after June 1: saves $18.3M, $6.3M dead in 2028 · Trade: saves $12.0M
6. Bryan Cook DB $19.3M
   Move for Bryan Cook Cut: saves $10.0M · after June 1: saves $14.7M, $4.7M dead in 2028 · Trade: saves $10.0M
7. Jonathan Allen DL $15.0M
   Move for Jonathan Allen Cut: saves $13.5M · after June 1: saves $13.5M · Trade: saves $13.5M
8. B.J. Hill DL $8.6M
   Move for B.J. Hill Cut: saves $8.6M · after June 1: saves $8.6M · Trade: saves $8.6M
9. Mike Gesicki TE $8.0M
   Move for Mike Gesicki Cut: saves $8.0M · after June 1: saves $8.0M · Trade: saves $8.0M
10. Shemar Stewart DL $4.0M
    Move for Shemar Stewart Cut: saves $4.0M · after June 1: saves $4.0M · Trade: saves $4.0M
11. Evan McPherson K $3.6M
    Move for Evan McPherson Cut: saves $3.6M · after June 1: saves $3.6M · Trade: saves $3.6M
12. Kris Jenkins DL $1.9M
    Move for Kris Jenkins Cut: saves $1.9M · after June 1: saves $1.9M · Trade: saves $1.9M
13. Demetrius Knight Jr. LB $1.7M
    Move for Demetrius Knight Jr. Cut: saves $1.7M · after June 1: saves $1.7M · Trade: saves $1.7M
14. Tacario Davis DB $1.2M
    Move for Tacario Davis Cut: saves $1.2M · after June 1: saves $1.2M · Trade: saves $1.2M
15. Cedric Johnson DL $1.2M
    Move for Cedric Johnson Cut: saves $1.2M · after June 1: saves $1.2M · Trade: saves $1.2M
16. Erick All TE $1.2M
    Move for Erick All Cut: saves $1.2M · after June 1: saves $1.2M · Trade: saves $1.2M
17. Trikweze Bridges DB $1.1M
    Move for Trikweze Bridges Cut: saves $1.1M · after June 1: saves $1.1M · Trade: saves $1.1M

The 17 biggest 2027 cap hits. A trade leaves his unpaid bonus as dead money; his guaranteed pay goes with him. Doesn't count who replaces him on the roster.