NFL teams with the most cap space in 2021
The NFL's free agency frenzy has come and gone. Most teams have used all of their cap space to sign players that could tilt their campaign to a trip to the postseason.
Not every team has done the most shopping, instead relying on hoarding their money to potentially bolster their given teams in the 2022 offseason. Here's a look at the teams with the most cap space in 2021.
Washington Football Team
The Washington Football Team sits at number five of the teams with the most cap space in 2021. After a relatively active shopping spree, the WFT currently sits at $19.6 million in cap space. Notable free-agent pickups are William Jackson, CB from the Bengals, Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB from the Dolphins, and Curtis Samuel, WR from the Panthers.
New York Jets
The New York Jets currently sit at number four on the top five cap space teams list, with $21 million in the cap. Notable free agent signings are Carl Lawson, DE from the Bengals, Corey Davis, WR from the Titans, and Sheldon Ranks, DT from the Saints.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are currently at number three on the top teams with high cap space. They currently sit at $24.7 million. The Broncos had a relatively quiet offseason. They did bring in some notable talent with Ronald Darby, CB from the WFT, Kyle Fuller, CB from the Bears, and Mike Boone, RB from the Vikings.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are number two on the list. They come in just slightly over the Denver Broncos' cap space. The Panthers currently have $26.7 million in cap space.
The Panthers had a much more active free agency than the Broncos, but are still higher on the cap space level. Notable pickups are Pat Eflein, G from the Jets, Cameron Irving, T from the Cowboys, and Morgan Fox from the Rams.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars sit at the top of the teams with the most current cap space. Leading the pack with $33.3 million in cap space, they are poised to build an even stronger team around rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Notable free-agent pickups are Shaquill Griffin, CB from the Seahawks, Rayshawn Jenkins, S from the Chargers, and Roy Robertson-Harris, DT from the Bears.
Who is projected to have the most cap space in 2022?
Spending money on current-year free agents doesn't translate to having the most cap space in 2022. Players' contracts and guaranteed money will play a huge part in who will have the pick of the litter next season.
Only the Jets will remain among the top five teams next season. There will be a shift with some more winning teams getting their chance to hoard some impact players. Top five projected teams for 2022 include:
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- New York Jets
- Miami Dolphins
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Indianapolis Colts
Teams with winning seasons like the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers sitting at the top of the cap space race could change the face of the AFC. The Chiefs might see their match come sooner rather than later.