Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran was drafted in the 2nd round by the Kansas City Royals in 1995, cashing a $300,000 signing bonus per the selection. His contract was first selected on September 14, 1998 - and he stayed up for good, signing pre-arbitration contracts each of the next 3 seasons, before locking in arbitration salaries of $3.5M, $6M, and $9M through the 2004 campaign.

In the summer of 2004, with free agency looming, the Royals traded Beltran to Houston as part of a 3-team , 5-player trade with Oakland. That winter, 28-year-old Beltran would join the Mets on a 7 year, $119M free agent contract. The deal included an $11M signing bonus, a full no trade clause, and $22M of salary deferred.

His 6-year tenure with the Mets was decorated, including 5 All-Star nods, 3 Gold Gloves, and 2 Silver Sluggers from 2005-2011. In the final year of this deal, NY flipped Beltran to San Francisco in exchange for the Giants’ top pitching prospect - Zack Wheeler (current Phillies ace).

Following the 2011 season, Beltran joined the St. Louis Cardinals on a 2 year, $26M free agent deal and would play out both seasons at a combined 6.2 WAR (56 total HRs). He was an All-Star in each of 2012, and 2013.

Another trip through free agency sent the now 37-year-old to the Bronx, where the Yankees handed Beltran a 3 year, $45 million contract. He remained for 2 ½ seasons, before NY traded him to the Texas Rangers in exchange for two pitchers (Dillon Tate, Erik Swanson).

Beltran would return to Houston in 2017, his age-40 season, on a 1 year, $16 million contract to finish off his illustrious career, hitting 29 doubles, and 14 home runs in 129 games for the Astros.

7 teams, 4 veteran contracts, 3 deadline trades, and 20 MLB seasons combined for $248M earned on the field, and an invitation to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Andruw Jones

Andruw Jones was signed by the Atlanta Braves out of Curacao in 1993 on a $46,000 signing bonus. His contract was selected on August 14th, 1996, and he would remain up for good playing out pre-arbitration salaries through 1999, then arbitration contracts of $3.7M & $8.2M through 2001 before the Braves handed their star center fielder to a 6 year, $75M extension.

Jones’ multi-year contract carried him through his age-30 season in Atlanta, after which he would test free agency for the first time in his career. The Los Angeles Dodgers came calling with a 2 year, $36.2M contract that would turn into a nightmare for both sides. Jones, who had posted a combined 61 WAR in the 12 seasons prior, produced a -1.6 WAR for LAD in 2008, hitting just .158 in 240 plate appearances. With $15M guaranteed to him in 2009, the two sides worked out a compromise that led to LA outright releasing the 32-year-old in exchange for Jones agreeing to defer about $12.8M of the guarantee. The move allowed Jones to find new-life elsewhere, while giving the Dodgers a bit of financial breathing room in order to rebuild a hole in their roster.

Jones never returned to full form, but he did become a formidable option for Texas (1 year, $500,000 in 2009), the White Sox (1 year, $500,000 in 2010), the Yankees (1 year, $1.5M in 2011, 1 year, $2M in 2012).

10 Gold Gloves, 5 All-Star nods, 5 teams, 1 contract buyout, $128M+ earned across 17 MLB seasons, and an invitation to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray

Remaining Contract: 3 years, $125M
Practical Remaining: 2 years, $79M

$39M of Murray’s 2026 salary is already guaranteed. If he’s on a roster March 15th, $19.5M of his 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed. These numbers represent the final early vesting guarantees within the contract. There’s a very real world where Murray remains in this contract through 2026 (either with Arizona or elsewhere), but is released thereafter, with the $19.5M salary owed to him on the way out the door. It’s a messy ending, but one that’s becoming more and more possible as these QB contracts continue to balloon.

Jacoby Brissett, who started 12 games in 2025, is under contract at $5.4M in 2026. $1.5M of that becomes fully guaranteed on March 15th.

Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr.

Remaining Contract: 2 years, $6.8M + 2028 Option
Practical Remaining: 2 years, $6.8M (guaranteed)

Poor play and injury sets back both the production, and the mindset surrounding Penix Jr. as the Kevin Stefanski regime begins in Atlanta. It seems highly likely that he’ll be given the keys to the QB1 job again in 2026, but it also stands to reason that a short leash, and a significant organizational change, could be in the works sooner rather than later.

Kirk Cousins is widely expected to be designated a Post 6/1 release this coming March, but could be brought back on a new deal with mutual interest (Atlanta could offset the $10M bonus owed to Cousins with a new contract).

Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen

Remaining Contract: 5 years. $272M
Practical Remaining: 4 years, $214.5M

Allen has significant, full, early vesting guarantees through the 2029 season, his age 33 season. It’s realistic to assume he and the Bills would begin extension conversations in 2028, assuming all is well and dandy for both parties. Allen has cash payouts of $55M, $53M, & $54M respectively over the next three seasons. For many reasons, this is the most stable QB/contract situation available to Head Coach candidates.

Bills’ QB2 Mitchell Trubisky is a pending UFA this March.

Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson

Remaining Contract: 2 years, $104M
Practical Remaining: 1 year, $52M

Jackson is entering the final guaranteed year of his 5 year contract, $29M of his $52M salary for the upcoming season locked in. Add in $74.5M cap hits each of the next two seasons, and there’s strong reason to believe that the Ravens will be looking to extend their 2-time MVP QB1 in the coming weeks. Jackson carries a 4 year, $250M valuation in our system.

Cooper Rush is the only other QB currently rostered by Baltimore, holding a non-guaranteed $2.1M salary for 2026.

Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders

Remaining Contract: 3 years, $3.3M
Practical Remaining: No Guarantee

Sanders started 7 games for Cleveland, offering largely mixed results, but still figures to be the placeholder QB1 as the calendar flips to 2026. His rookie deal contains no guaranteed salary, making it a year to year (if not week to week) situation. The same can be said for Dillon Gabriel, who holds a non-guaranteed 3 year, $4.2M contract through 2028.

Deshaun Watson, who may very well regain the starting role in 2026, is entering a contract year, set to earn a fully guaranteed $46M for the upcoming season. $131M of total dead cap attached to the deal means it’s extremely likely he remains with the Browns in some capacity.

Las Vegas Raiders: #1 Overall Pick

Projected Contract: 4 years, $55M + Option

Geno Smith struggled mightily through a mess of a 2025 season in Las Vegas, putting the 2 years, $66M remaining on his contract on notice. Fortunately (for him), $18.5M of that is fully guaranteed next season. That figure also represents the total dead cap attached to the deal (the Raiders did not build in a signing bonus to the contract).

Aidan O'Connell enters a contract year in 2026, projected to earn around $3.7M (thanks to a proven performance bonus). It stands to reason that he’ll remain in the mix even with the expected draft selection.

Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa

Remaining Contract: 3 years, $141.4M
Practical Remaining: 1 year, $57M

Tua enters 2026 with a $56.4M cap hit, and $54M of his salary is fully guaranteed. If he’s on the roster March 13th, $3M of his 2027 salary locks in as well, making this a minimum $57M commitment. Dead cap limits Miami’s options for Tua this offseason, but we’ve detailed as many as possible here.

7th-round pick Quinn Ewers started Miami’s final 3 games, and should be in the mix to compete for the gig again in 2026. His contract carries a non-guaranteed $3.3M across the next 3 seasons.

New York Giants: Jaxson Dart

Remaining Contract: 3 years, $7.1M + Option
Practical Contract: 3 years, $7.1M

Dart showed promise in 2025, but comes with a style of play that will lead to more injuries than sunny days in this league. New HC John Harbaugh has plenty of experience keeping an athletic QB as healthy as possible, so there’s plenty to like about this organization, and some of this roster, heading into 2026.

Jameis Winston remains under contract at $4M through 2026, $1.3M of which is already fully guaranteed. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: TBD

Mason Rudolph holds a non-guaranteed $3M in 2026, while 6th-round pick Will Howard carries a non-guaranteed 3 years, $3.3M through 2028. The Steelers will be reloading at this position, potentially via various channels, in the coming weeks.

Tennessee Titans: Cameron Ward

Remaining Contract: 3 years, $15.8M + Option
Practical Contract: 3 years, $15.8M

Relatively speaking, Ward’s debut campaign was a success, making this a fairly attractive landing spot for a coaching candidate looking to hit the ground running. The organization will need to aggressively back fill the roster accordingly, but Ward showed enough promise to warrant at least the beginning stages of a build out this March.

Will Levis missed all of 2025 with a shoulder injury, and now enters a contract year in 2026. $1.24M of his $2M salary is fully guaranteed. 

It’s NBA trade season and that gets us thinking about which players and teams have the best and worst value contracts. We used to think of this in terms of trade value, but trade value has become a very different thing from contract value. The two are still very linked, to be sure. But trade value is very dependent on team needs, the team’s salary cap structure, the player’s production, their age and, of course, the contract itself.

That means rather than presenting this as a straight “Most Tradable” contracts piece, as we’ve done in the past, we’re pivoting a bit. This is now a Best Value list. Inherent in that is trade value, of course. But it’s not just about that, especially when a lot of these guys won’t move via trade. The same will be true of the companion piece that we’ll run for Worst Value contracts.

There are a few rules we abide by on the Best Value list:

• No maximum contracts allowed. If a player would be a good value at $80 million per year, of course he’d be a good value at $50-$60 million per season. (Note: max deals can, and will, appear on the Worst Value list.)

• No Rookie Scale contracts. We could make a large chunk of the list out of rookie scale deals. Because they are a fixed cost, no one gets credit for them.

• No Second Round Pick Exception contracts. Similar to rookie scale deals, the vast majority of second-round picks now sign via this exception, if they don’t take a two-way contract. That’s been a huge boon to teams, but they aren’t finding the contract value, since it’s now priced in.

Lastly, Best and Worst Value is highly subjective. Best Value for a team might not be great value for the player. Worst Value for a team is probably pretty good value for the player. We present this from the lens of the team side, because this is mostly about how these contracts fit within the realm of roster building.

Got all that? Good! Let’s take a look at the 25 Best Value deals in the NBA!

1. Deni Avdija - Portland Trail Blazers

Three years, $39.4 million remaining, $13.1 million AAV (declining structure)

Avdija’s deal looked team-friendly when he extended with the Washington Wizards and it’s only gotten more so since. Avdija should be an All-Star this year. He’s been a terrific all-around player and has held up as the Blazers main offensive engine. All of that production has come for basically the Non-Taxpayer MLE, and even less going forward. One thing to note: Because Avdija’s deal ends at just $11.8 million, there’s little to no chance Portland will be able to extend him off that small of a salary. Keep that in mind when analyzing the Trail Blazers moves over the next couple of years.

2. Jalen Brunson - New York Knicks

Four years, $156.5 million, $39.1 million AAV (player option final season)

If Avdija’s deal wasn’t such an incredible value, Brunson would have easily placed first on this list. He’s giving the Knicks All-NBA First Team production and will appear on plenty of MVP ballots. And he’s doing it for far less than the max. A lot was made of Brunson giving up some money (and we wrote about how it was misleading to say Brunson left $113 million on the table), making this a great value contract for New York. Even if Brunson opts out in a few years, the Knicks will have gotten great value from him over the early years of this extension.

3. Derrick White - Boston Celtics

Four years, $125.8 million, $31.5 million AAV (player option final season)

White is just starting this extension with the Celtics and he’s already delivering surplus value for Boston. With Jayson Tatum out to open this season, White has stepped up as Boston’s second-best player behind Jaylen Brown. He’s a tremendous defender, especially with his ability to protect the rim as a guard. White’s shooting has dipped this season, as he’s taking more self-created shots, but he’s proven able to scale up his role. And that’s a big part of where his value lies. When Tatum is back, White will slide back to the third option, which is a role he’s overqualified for. Add it all up and his deal is very valuable as Boston retools their roster after second-apron issues forced changes last summer.

4. Jalen Johnson - Atlanta Hawks

Five years, $150 million, $30 million AAV

Johnson is Atlanta’s post-Trae Young centerpiece. He’s the player the Hawks are building around, and they get to do so on a well-below-max deal. That’s huge for Atlanta’s future flexibility. Johnson’s deal is a flat $30 million per season too, so as the cap goes up, his contract will only become more valuable.

5. Jaden McDaniels - Minnesota Timberwolves

Four years, $107.9 million, $26.9 million AAV

McDaniels is one of the best defensive players in the NBA. His shooting dipped the last couple of seasons, but this year McDaniels has bounced back to 41.5% from behind the arc. He’s improved his off-the-dribble game too. On a Wolves team that is expensive and dancing around the second apron, McDaniels being on such a good contract is a comfort to the front office.

6. Alperen Sengun - Houston Rockets

Five years, $185 million, $37 million AAV (player option final season)

The Rockets did incredibly well to get Sengun signed to a below-max extension. He’s a firm All-Star now and going forward. In addition, Sengun has shown the ability to slide between playing at both the five and the four this season. That’s really good lineup flexibility for Houston. Add in how good Sengun is at creating shots for himself and teammates, and you could argue he might be a little low on this list.

7. Ivica Zubac - LA Clippers

Three years, $58.6 million, $19.5 million AAV

There’s a reason everyone was looking at swiping Zubac when the Clippers were struggling. He’s one of the best anchor defenders in the NBA. You can build your entire defensive system around funneling players to Zubac. He’s also a terrific rebounder and a very good finisher around the rim. For under $20 million AAV, that’s tremendous value.

8. Kevin Durant - Houston Rockets

Three years, $144.7 million, $48.2 million AAV (player option final season)

This is mostly about the two-year, $90 million extension that Durant signed. He’s barely lost a step during his age-37 season. There’s no reason to believe that Durant won’t provide great production for two more years after this one. As long as he’s healthy, having Durant for far less than his max salary will be huge for the Rockets team-building efforts.

9. Mikal Bridges - New York Knicks

Five years, $174.9 million, $34.9 million AAV (player option final season)

The length of this deal is a bit much for a player who will be in his mid-30s when it ends. But in exchange for that, the Knicks get Bridges for roughly 20% of the cap over the life of the contract. That’s a good tradeoff. Bridges is still a top-tier defender, and he’s shown his offensive role is extremely scalable too. He’s also a beloved teammate and a fan favorite. It’s not the steal of a deal that Jalen Brunson is on, but Bridges’ contract is plenty valuable too.

10. Nickeil Alexander-Walker - Atlanta Hawks

Four years, $60.6 million, $15.2 million AAV (player option final season)

It’s rare that a straight-up free agent acquisition will appear on a list like this, especially in Year 1. But that’s how good the Alexander-Walker addition has been for Atlanta. He’s had to start for a lot of the year, and Alexander-Walker has been more than up to the task. He’s maintained his very good defensive impact, while lifting his offensive game to career-high production across the board. On a deal that is just a bit more than the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Atlanta hit a homerun with this signing.

11. Isaiah Stewart II - Detroit Pistons

Three years, $45 million, $15 million AAV (team option final season)

Stewart embodies what the Pistons want to be more than any other player on the roster. He’s tough. He’s physical. He’s nasty. And he’s really good! In terms of per-minute impact, Stewart is up there with most starting big men, while giving the Pistons a lift off the bench. This has turned out to be an A+ extension for Detroit.

12. Ajay Mitchell - Oklahoma City Thunder

Three years, $8.7 million, $2.9 million AAV (partially guaranteed next two seasons and team option on final season)

The Thunder are the defending champs and rolling through this season because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are awesome. Just behind that in importance, they’ve also nailed role player acquisitions, along with their own draft-and-develop players. Mitchell is a good example of the latter. He could start for a bunch of teams and he’s making barely above the minimum. In addition, the Thunder have team control over Mitchell over the next couple of years too. Getting it correct with the stars is huge, but hitting on the other moves is why OKC is in such a great place.

13. Ryan Rollins - Milwaukee Bucks

Three years, $12 million, $4 million AAV, (player option on final season)

The Bucks are having a miserable season, but Rollins has been a real bright spot. You could see Rollins starting to produce last year, but he’s made a huge leap this season. For a contract that is less than half of the Room Exception, that’s great value. Milwaukee has missed on some additions, but Rollins has been a huge win.

14. Payton Pritchard - Boston Celtics 

Three years, $23.3 million, $7.7 million AAV

Had he stayed in the sixth man role, Pritchard still would have shown up on this list. Now that he’s starting every game, Pritchard has become even more valuable. He’s become a very good scorer in all phases. He excels at creating his own shots, even in among the trees in the paint. He’s a knockdown outside shooter. And Pritchard has improved his playmaking too. He’s also a very competitive defender, despite a lack of size. When you are as expensive as the Celtics have been, you have to win with some deals. Pritchard is that for Boston and then some.

15. Andrew Nembhard - Indiana Pacers

Three years, $58.6 million, $19.5 million AAV

You can argue that Nembhard should rank higher than Mitchell, Rollins or Pritchard, and we won’t fight you too much. But he does make two to six times more than all of those guys. Despite that, Nembhard is on a great deal for the Pacers. He can play on- or off-ball and, importantly, can do both equally as well. That’s huge for when Indiana welcomes Tyrese Haliburton back to the lineup next season. Nembhard is an ideal backcourt partner for Haliburton for years to come.

16. Tre Jones - Chicago Bulls

Three years, $24 million, $8 million AAV (team option final season)

Jones has been awesome for the Bulls this season. After years as a nice backup, Jones has shown he can produce as a starter too. Jones doesn’t shoot a lot, and when he does, he sticks to shots in and around the paint. Jones is a good playmaker and a solid on-ball defender. For $8 million a year, Chicago has one of the best backup point guards in the league.

17. Trey Murphy III - New Orleans Pelicans

Four years, $112 million, $28 million AAV

Murphy has shown he can be a lead creator/scorer now. He was originally seen a good off-ball guy, but his ability to create shots for himself and others continues to improve. He’s not as good defensively as some of the NBA’s best wings, but if he was, Murphy would be on a max deal. As it is, he provides the Pelicans with tremendous value. That helps offset a couple of other less-valuable contracts that New Orleans is carrying.

18. Luke Kornet - San Antonio Spurs

Four years, $40.7 million, $10.2 million AAV (final two seasons partially- and non-guaranteed)

Kornet is another 2025 free agent signing showing up here, and for good reason. Kornet has fit in perfectly with the Spurs. He’s started when Victor Wembanyama has missed time and has also teamed with Wembanyama in the jumbo-sized “French Vanilla” frontcourt. Kornet doesn’t shoot unless he’s right at the rim, but he’s an extremely effective finisher and vertical spacer. He’s become an outstanding rim protector and screener too. For a deal that only includes $24 million in guaranteed money, the Spurs got outstanding value with Kornet.

19. Neemias Queta - Boston Celtics

Two years, $5 million, $2.5 million AAV (final season partially-guaranteed and team option)

Queta has stepped into the Celtics starting center role and the team has hardly missed a beat. Queta has improved in basically every area of the game, and continues to do so. He’s a good rebounder, especially on the offensive glass. His finishing is getting better, while his passing and screening are already top-tier. Queta is also improving as a defender too. Boston better enjoy it now, because Queta won’t be playing for just above the minimum for much longer.

20. Sandro Mamukelashvili - Toronto Raptors

Two years, $5.3 million, $2.6 million AAV (player option final season)

Mamukelashvili slots in behind Kornet and Queta because he doesn’t start, he’s not a great defender, and this is functionally a one-year deal. Mamu will opt out and get a bigger deal this offseason. That will happen because his production has been outstanding this season. Mamukelashvili is a skilled scorer at all levels. He can handle it enough to take other bigs off the bounce. He plays with terrific energy. Next up is his first non-minimum deal.

21. Aaron Wiggins - Oklahoma City Thunder

Four years, $36 million, $9 million AAV (team option final season)

Much like with Ajay Mitchell earlier, Wiggins is another win for the Thunder’s roster. He could play a much bigger role with several other NBA teams, and his production would likely spike. As it is, Wiggins gives the Thunder great wing depth, consistent scoring and shooting and he does it on a declining deal that will be roughly around the Room Exception over the next few years.

22. Toumani Camara - Portland Trail Blazers

Five years, $83.2 million, $16.6 million AAV

This is about Camara’s four-year, $81 million extension. That’s terrific value for a guy who already made one All-Defensive Team in his career, and will probably make more of them over the life of his new deal. Because Portland has had to play a lot of the year without starter-level point guards, Camara’s efficiency has suffered. Despite that, he’s still been productive on both ends of the floor. He’s an ideal plug-and-play wing/forward for roughly $20 million a year on his extension. That’s a win for the Blazers.

23. Herb Jones - New Orleans Pelicans

Five years, $96.4 million, $19.3 million AAV (player option final season)

This season has been hampered by injuries for Jones. If that’s a thing moving forward, he’ll fall off this list. If it’s a one-time blip, Jones still stick around. He’s probably the best wing defender in the NBA. That’s enough to rank him here. If he shot it better, he’d be even higher on the list. Of course, he’d probably be making more money too. As it is, Jones lands here with hopes that the shooting will improve and he’ll get healthy moving forward.

24. Naji Marshall - Dallas Mavericks

Two years, $18.4 million, $9.2 million AAV

It’s only the short length of Marshall’s deal that keeps him from ranking higher on this list. He’s a versatile defender who can pick up 2-4, while holding his own on switches against point guards and centers. Marshall has become a great finisher around the rim. Like Toumani Camara and Herb Jones, if he shot better, he’d rank higher on the list, but would also be paid more too.

25. Desmond Bane - Orlando Magic

Four years, $163.2 million, $40.8 million AAV

It hasn’t been a perfect transition for Bane to the Magic. Like every player who moves to Orlando, his once ace shooting has fallen off. (That phenomenon has to rank highly on NBA Unsolved Mysteries!) However, Bane has still been very productive. He’s given a very banged-up Magic team consistent scoring and playmaking, along with his typical rugged defense. Bane’s deal is only a hair below the maximum, but it is below the max. For a guy who can provide max-level all-around production, especially if his shooting comes back to form, that’s good value for Orlando.

The Houston Texans finished 2025 with a 12-5 record, good enough for 2nd place in the AFC South, and a 5th seed in the postseason.

Houston enters 2026 with around $13M of cap space against a projected $304M league threshold. This includes 46 contracts, though 3 (Christian Kirk, Denico Autry, & Sheldon Rankins) are set to void in early March. The Texans’ cap table is headlined by Danielle Hunter ($31M), Tytus Howard ($28M) and Nico Collins ($27M).

The Texans have been active in the trade market each of the past few seasons, but they’re currently in line to make 8 draft picks this April. This includes two 2nd-round picks (Washington) and two 4th-round picks (Washington). Future Texans’ Draft Picks

Early Offseason Questions

• C.J. Stroud has now faced two straight “sophomore slump” seasons for Houston. Will the front office continue on full steam ahead with Stroud as the face of the offense, or will there be some consideration to adding a little competition to the QB room this offseason?
• Despite limited cap space, Houston will need to dedicate offseason resources toward the running back/wide receiver positions, as well as a continued effort to bolster the interior of the offensive line.

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac Valuation APY)

G Ed Ingram ($13M)
DL Sheldon Rankins ($7.5M)
WR Christian Kirk ($5M)
OT Trenton Brown ($1.5M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

QB C.J. Stroud

Stroud enters Year 4 with a bit of uneasiness surrounding his immediate future in Houston. To make matters worse, the Texans now have to decide on an estimated $41M 5th-year option for 2027 by May 1st. While a rough postseason performance leaves a bad taste in our mouths, Stroud has still performed well enough overall to be secured at 2 years, $46M through 2027.

ED Will Anderson

As easy a decision as they come, the Texans will run to exercise Anderson’s projected $27M option for 2027, locking him into a 2 year, $32M contract. The reality here though is that the two sides will almost certainly find common ground on a multi-year, blockbuster extension this offseason - likely to the tune of $40M+ per year.

Extension Candidates

OT Tytus Howard

Houston selected Howard #23 overall back in 2019, and he’s really settled into both his role on the right side of the O-Line, and a position of leadership for the organization in recent seasons. The 29-year-old enters a contract year in 2026, set to earn $18M against a $28M cap hit. Tacking on 2 years, $40M or so makes sense for both sides.

K Ka'imi Fairbairn

Fairbairn posted career numbers in 2025, heading into a contract year in 2026 (set to earn $4.5M against a $7M cap hit). Tacking on a few years at a near $6M APY makes sense for all parties here.

ED Danielle Hunter

Age doesn’t appear to be a factor with Hunter, who just finished 2025 with 15 sacks, 54 tackles, and 3 forced fumbles in his age-31 campaign. He enters a contract year in 2026, set to earn $23M against a $31M cap figure. Tacking on a 2 year, $70M extension and moving some of this money around for cap purposes stands to serve everyone well here.

TE Dalton Schultz

Schultz reeled in 82 catches in 2025, and was a clear goto option for C.J. Stroud on a weekly basis. He enters a contract year in 2026, set to earn $11.5M against a $16M cap hit. Tacking on 2 years, $30M or so to provide guarantees to Schultz and cap-flexibilty for Houston seems warranted.

LB Azeez Al-Shaair

Al-Shaair showed his true value to Houston in 2025, becoming one of the league’s best interior defenders (especially against the run), while solidifying the center of the NFL’s best overall defense. He enters a contract year in 2026, set to earn $11.5M against a $15M+ cap hit. He projects toward a 3 year, $39M extension in our system.

Bubble Candidates

RB Joe Mixon

Release Candidate

A foot injury forced Mixon to miss all of 2025, setting up his departure in the coming weeks. The Texans can free up $8.5M of cap space with an outright release.

DL Mario Edwards

Release Candidate

Edwards offers a strong depth presence for a very good Houston defense, but it stands to reason that the organization will opt for the $4.5M of cap space to be freed up early in March. A reunion could very well be possible.

WR Tank Dell

Release Candidate

Injuries have been the unfortunate story throughout Dell’s young career, and he heads into a contract year in 2026. Houston can free up over $1.5M of space by moving on.

Potential Cap Conversions

WR Nico Collins’ has 2 years, $43M remaining on his deal. Converting his 2026 salary into signing bonus (plus void years) frees up $16M of cap.

CB Derek Stingley Jr.’s 2026 salary is fully secured. Converting it to bonus opens up $16.8M of room.

Converting CB Jalen Pitre’s 2026 salary into signing bonus (plus void years) can free up $6.7M of cap space.

RELATED LINKS
2026 Texans Salary Cap
Texans 2026 Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guides

Introduced as part of the 2021 MLS Roster Rules, the U22 Initiative encouraged MLS clubs to sign up young players to lucrative deals at a reduced budget charge. 

In 2024, the rules were changed, allowing new roster-building mechanisms for MLS Teams. 

Teams now can decide their own choice of their roster designation: Either 3 Designated Players & 3 U22s per team or the teams could decide to have only 2 Designated Players with 4 U22s with an additional bonus of $2,000,000 in general allocation money for prioritizing younger players which allowed teams further flexibility.

U22 acquisition fees do not count against a team’s Salary Cap, providing enhanced opportunities to domestic and international rising stars.

Here at Spotrac, we’re breaking down the rules & current list of U22 Initiative Players.

U22 Initiative Player Rules

U22 Initiative Roster Slots

Number of Slots

Each MLS team will have either three or four U22 Initiative roster slots available, with each occupying one of the 20 existing Senior Roster Slots. The number of U22 Initiative Slots available to each team will be based on the roster construction model they choose at the beginning of a respective season. For 2025, clubs had to choose their roster construction path by the Roster Compliance Date on Feb. 21.

Eligibility for U22 Initiative Slot

Age: A player must be twenty-two years old or younger in the first year he is eligible to play in an MLS game (e.g., not eligible for 2026 if he turns 23 in 2026). A player who signs at age 22 or younger may continue to occupy a U22 Initiative Slot through the year in which he turns 25, provided that for non-Homegrown players, such player is on his initial contract. A Homegrown player may continue to occupy a U22 Initiative Slot through the year in which he turns 25, provided he must be on his first or second contract and the applicable contract must have been signed at age 22 or younger.

Contract: A player is eligible to occupy a U22 Initiative Slot if signing his first contract with MLS, provided that player meets age and compensation requirements, as either a Homegrown player, or, as an international or domestic player playing outside of MLS. A player will be eligible to occupy a U22 Initiative Slot during his second contract provided that he meets the age and compensation requirements and signed his first contract with MLS as either a Homegrown or SuperDraft player.

Compensation: A player’s salary may not exceed the Maximum Salary Budget Charge in any given year, including option years. A Homegrown or SuperDraft player on his second contract may earn up to $200,000 above the Maximum Salary Budget Charge in any given year, including option years.

In addition, clubs may pay, without limit, additional amounts in the form of acquisition fees (i.e. transfer or loan fees).

U22 Initiative Slot Budget Charge

Players occupying a U22 Initiative Slot will have a Salary Budget Charge that mirrors that of a Young Designated Player:

• Ages 20 and younger: $150,000
• Ages 21-25: $200,000

All such amounts above the first $150,000 or $200,000 accounted for on the Salary Budget will be paid on a discretionary basis by the club.

Transfer of Player

In the event a player occupying a U22 Initiative Slot is transferred outside of the League, 95% of the proceeds of the sale (after out-of-pocket amounts are recouped) will be paid to the club and such amounts may be converted to General Allocation Money.

To remove a U22 Initiative Slot classification, a club may: transfer the player out of MLS, remove the player from a U22 Initiative Slot using Targeted Allocation Money or General Allocation Money, loan the player outside of MLS, utilize one of its two Buyouts, or transition the player to a Designated Player slot.

If the contract of a player occupying a U22 Initiative Slot is renegotiated prior to its conclusion, the League will not reclassify the player and he may continue to occupy a U22 Initiative Slot until his initial contract would have otherwise expires depending on compensation.

Salary Limitation in Options and Years 26+

If a player’s contract includes Options, compensation during the Options may exceed the Maximum Salary Budget Charge only if it is in a year the player is no longer required to occupy a U22 Initiative Slot. These players would not be eligible to occupy a U22 Initiative Slot in the Option year regardless of age if the compensation exceeds the Maximum Salary Budget Charge.

If a player’s contract covers years in which he is no longer eligible to occupy a U22 Initiative Slot (i.e., the seasons of his 26+ birthday), the player’s compensation may exceed the Maximum Salary Budget Charge provided it is during an Option year.

As of January 18, 2026, there have been 158 total U22 Initiative Players in MLS history. Currently, there are 83 Active U22 Initiative Players in MLS.

Active U22 Players & their 2025 guaranteed salaries

Quick Caveat: All Salaries are based on the information provided on the MLSPA Salary Guide (as of October 1, 2025). 

Players that are new to MLS and have recently been signed to U22 deals will be listed but will have their salary as N/A. Players that have been signed to U22 deals and have previously played in MLS will have their last recorded salary listed.

Reminder: Players occupying a U22 Initiative Slot will have a Salary Budget Charge that mirrors that of a Young Designated Player: (Ages 20 and younger: $150,000 & Ages 21-25: $200,000)

1. Gabriel Pirani - $791,700

2. Kevin Kelsy - $752,804

3. Dor Turgeman - $740,000

4. Joeng Sang-bin - $737,458 

5. Dominik Marczuk - $735,500 

6. Luca Langoni - $732,283

7. Hugo Picard - $731,244

8. Julian Fernández - $724,300

9. Nectarios Triantis - $722,665

10. Lucas Sanabria - $694,800

11. Jovan Mijatović (on loan at OH Leuven) - $687,500

12. Kerwin Vargas - $683,750

13. Jalen Neal - $681,250

14. Dje D’Avilla - $660,490

15. Ahmed Qasem - $650,000

16. Igor Jesus - $616,684

17. Artem Smolyakov - $613,297

18. Samuel Gidi - $611,050

19. Hennadii Synchuk - $606,000

20. Alexis Manyoma (on loan at Colorado Rapids from Estudiantes de La Plata) - $592,950

21. Agustín Ojeda - $577,833

22. Ilay Feingold - $575,000

23. Antony - $555,342

24. Lawrence Ennali - $549,250

25. Mateo Silvetti - $547,078

26. Patrick Yazbek - $531,013

27. Ibrahim Aliyu - $526,375

28. David Martinez - $525,000

29. Chris Durkin - $520,000

30. Quinn Sullivan - $518,000

31. Wiktor Bogacz - $516,240

32. Diego Luna - $499,833

33. Noah Eile - $493,200

34. David Ayala - $477,000

35. Jonathan Perez - $470,956

36. Tomas Aviles - $467,492

37. Nikola Petković - (on loan at Charlotte FC from Seattle Sounders) - $466,250

38. Fallou Fall - $462,419

39. Nicolas Romero - $457,500

40. Ted Ku-Dipietro - $456,000

41. Idan Toklomati - $452,700

42. Tomas Angel - $443,750

43. Owen Gene - $430,100

44. Edier Ocampo - $428,299

45. Kim Joon-Hong - (on loan at Suwon Samsung Bluewings) - $427,000

46. Nelson Palacio (on loan at FC Zürich) - $423,167

47. Dennis Gjengaar - $418,769

48. Ender Echenique - $414,180

49. Gilberto Flores - $411,664

50. Sunusi Ibrahim - $410,000

51. Caden Clark - $407,000

52. Jack McGlynn - $399,320

53. Geovane Jesus - $397,000

54. Kenji Cabrera - $390,053

55. Enes Sali - $370,000

56. Julian Aude - $360,000

57. Josh Atencio - $350,000

58. Mateja Djordjevic - $347,500

59. Leonardo Barroso - $345,000

60. Cassius Mailula - $341,003

61. Ariath Piol - $336,859

62. Telasco Segovia - $335,000

63. Viktor Radojević - $307,000

64. Nicolás Dubersarsky - $297,986

65. Olwethu Makhanya - $288,875

66. Jake Girdwood-Reich - $281,027

67. Pedro Soma - $275,453

68. Nelson Quiñónes - $272,894 

69. Baye Coulibaly - $269,500

70. Patrickson Delgado - $260,280 

71. Owen Wolff - $221,600

72. Kaick - $201,900

73. Nicolas Rodriguez - (on loan at Atletico Nacional) - $200,500

74. Reed Baker-Whiting - $158,000

75. Brooklyn Raines - $143,063

76. Noel Buck - $115,000

77. Tiago Souza - Salary N/A

78. Ezekiel Alladoh - Salary N/A 

79. Tomás Jacob - Salary N/A

80. Luis Otávio - Salary N/A

81. Puso Dithejane - Salary N/A

82. Mbekezeli Mbokazi - Salary N/A

83. Ran Binyamin - Salary N/A

U22 Player History by Club

Quick Caveat: The below list indicates players who have had their contract assigned as a U22 Initiative Player (U22) contract during their time in MLS. Players may have not always had a U22 contract, or have later had their contract negotiated to a U22 level.

Former MLS Sides Miami Fusion, Tampa Bay Mutiny, & CD Chivas USA were dissolved prior to the introduction of the U22 Initiative, hence their non-involvement in this article.

Players in bold are currently signed to a U22 contract by their club.

Atlanta United FC

• Franco Ibarra (2021-24)

• Santiago Sosa (2021-24)

• Thiago Almada (2022-24)

• Edwin Mosquera (2022-25

• Tomás Jacob (2026 - Present)

Austin FC

• Rodney Redes (2020-23)

• Moussa Djitte (2021-24)

• Zan Kolmanic (2021 - Present)

• Mateja Djordjevic (2025 - Present)

• Nico Dubersarsky (2025 - Present)

• Owen Wolff (2021 - Present)

Charlotte FC

• Vinicius Mello (2022-24)

• Kerwin Vargas (2022 - Present)

• Idan Toklomati (2024 - Present)

• Nikola Petkovic (2024 - Present)

• Baye Coulibaly (2024 - Present)

Chicago Fire FC

• Jhon Duran (2022-23)

• Georgios Koutsias (2023-25)

• Federico Navarro (2021-24)

• Brian Gutiérrez (2020-25)

• Dje D’Avilla (2025 - Present)

• Leonardo Barroso (2025 - Present)

• Viktor Radojević (2025 - Present)

• Puso Dithejane (2026 - Present)

• Mbekezeli Mbokazi (2026 - Present)

FC Cincinnati

• Isaac Atanga (2021-23)

• Alvaro Barreal (2020-25)

• Gustavo Vallecilla (2021-22)

• Marco Angulo (2023-24)

• Kevin Kelsy (2024)

• Ender Echenique (2025 - Present)

• Dominik Marczuk (2025)

• Samuel Gidi (2025 - Present)

• Gilberto Flores (2025 - Present)

Colorado Rapids

• Lucas Esteves (2021-22)

• Gustavo Vallecilla (2022-23)

• Max Alves de Silva (2022-23)

• Sidnei Tavares (2023)

• Alexis Manyoma (2025 - Present)

• Theodore Ku-Dipietro (2025 - Present)

• Cole Bassett (2025)

Columbus Crew

• Alexandru Matan (2021-24)

• Marino Hinestroza (2024)

• Hugo Picard (2025 - Present)

• Ibrahim Aliyu (2025 - Present)

FC Dallas

• Szabolcs Schon (2021-22)

• Joshue Quinonez (2022)

• Jose Mulato (2022-24)

• Geovane de Jesus (2023 - Present)

• Enes Sali (2024 - Present)

• Kaick (2025 - Present)

• Patrickson Delgado (2025 - Present)

• Ran Binyamin (2026 - Present)

D.C. United

• Chris Durkin (2016-20)

• Ted Ku-DiPitero (2022-24)

• Gabriel Pirani (2024 - Present)

• Caden Clark (2025 - Present)

• Kim Joon-Hong (2025 - Present)

Houston Dynamo FC

• Thiago Rodrigues (2022)

• Ibrahim Aliyu (2023-25)

• Nelson Quinones (2023 - Present)

• Lawrence Ennali (2024 - Present)

• Jack McGlynn (2025 - Present)

Inter Miami CF

• Leonardo Campana (2022-24)

• Benjamin Cremaschi (2022 - Present)

• Emerson Rodriguez (2022-25)

• Tomas Aviles (2023 - Present)

• Diego Gomez (2023-24)

• Facundo Farias (2023-25)

• Federico Redondo (2024-25)

• Mateo Silvetti (2025 - Present)

• Telasco Segovia (2025 - Present)

• David Ayala (2026 - Present)

Sporting Kansas City 

• Marinos Tzionis (2022-24)

• Robert Voloder (2022-25)

• Logan Ndenbe (2022-25)

• Owen Gene (2025 - Present)

• Nicolas Romero (2025 - Present)

• Nectarios Triantis (2025 - Present)

Los Angeles Galaxy

• Efrain Alvarez (2019-23)

• Julian Araujo (2019-23)

• Dejan Joveljic (2021-24)

• Julian Aude (2023 - Present)

• Matheus Nascimento (2025)

• Lucas Sanabria (2025 - Present)

Los Angeles FC

• Diego Palacios (2019-23)

• Jose Cifuentes (2020-23)

• Francisco Ginella (2019-24)

• Stipe Biuk (2023-24)

• Cristian Olivera (2023-25)

• David Martinez (2024 - Present)

• Tomas Angel (2024)

• Omar Campos (2024-25)

• Igor Jesus (2025 - Present)

• Andy Moran (2025)

• Artem Smolyakov (2025 - Present)

Minnesota United FC

• Bongokuhle Hlongwane (2022 - 2025)

• Jeong Sang-bin (2023-25)

• Owen Gene (2025 - Present)

• Nicolas Romero (2025 - Present)

CF Montréal

• Sunusi Ibrahim (2021 - Present)

• George Campbell (2023-25)

• Robert Thorkelsson (2021-24)

• Matko Miljevic (2021-24)

• Joaquin Sosa (2024)

• Jalen Neal (2025 - Present)

• Hennadii Synchuk (2025 - Present)

Nashville SC

• Patrick Yazbek (2024 - Present)

• Dru Yearwood (2024)

• Jonathan Perez (2025 - Present)

• Ahmed Qasem (2025 - Present)

New England Revolution

• Dylan Borrero (2022-24)

• Luca Langoni (2024 - Present)

• Ilay Feingold (2025 - Present)

• Dor Turgeman (2025 - Present)

• Brooklyn Raines (2026 - Present)

New York City FC

• Nicolas Acevedo (2020-24)

• Thiago Andrade (2021-24)

• Santiago Rodriguez (2023-25)

• Monsef Bakrar (2023-25)

• Julian Fernandez (2023 - Present)

• Jovan Mijatovic (2024 - Present)

• Agustin Ojeda (2024 - Present)

Red Bull New York

• Dru Yearwood (2020-23)

• Lucas Monzon (2021-22)

• Andres Reyes (2021-24)

• Dennis Gjengaar (2024 - Present)

• Noah Eile (2024 - Present)

• Wiktor Bogacz (2025 - Present)

Orlando City SC

• Andres Perea (2020-22)

• Gaston Gonzalez (2022-24)

• Cesar Araujo (2022-25)

• Ramiro Enrique (2023-25)

• Heine Gikling Bruseth (2024)

• Nicolas Rodriguez (2025 - Present)

• Luis Otavio (2026 - Present)

• Tiago Souza (2026 - Present)

Philadelphia Union

• Quinn Sullivan (2021 - Present)

• Olwethu Makhanya (2023 - Present)

• Ezequiel Alladoh (2026 - Present)

Portland Timbers

• Santiago Moreno (2021-25)

• David Ayala (2022-25)

• Antony (2023 - Present)

• Kevin Kelsy (2025 - Present)

Real Salt Lake

• Diego Luna (2022 - Present)

• Braian Ojeda (2022-26)

• Carlos Andres Gomez (2023-24)

• Nelson Palacio (2023 - Present)

• Dominik Marczuk (2024 - Present)

• Ariath Piol (2025 - Present)

St. Louis City SC

• Isak Jensen (2023-24)

• Jake Girdwood-Reich (2024 - Present)

• Chris Durkin (2024 - Present)

• Jeong Sang-bin (2025 - Present)

• Fallou Fall (2025 - Present)

San Diego FC

• Tomas Angel (2025 - Present)

• Heine Gikling Bruseth (2025-26)

• Pedro Soma (2025 - Present)

San Jose Earthquakes

• Marcos Lopez (2019-22)

• Cade Cowell (2019-24)

• Noel Buck (2025 - Present)

Seattle Sounders FC

• Josh Atencio (2020-24)

• Leo Chu (2021-24)

• Reed Baker-Whiting (2021 - Present)

• Nikola Petkovic (2026 - Present)

Toronto FC

• Ayo Akinola (2018-24)

• Cassius Mailula (2023 - Present)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

• Pedro Vite (2021-25)

• Deiber Caicedo (2021-25)

• Caio Alexandre (2021-25)

• Edier Ocampo (2024 - Present)

• Kenji Cabrera (2025 - Present)

U22 Initiative Player History by Nation

Quick Caveat: Players are listed by their birth nation. They are NOT listed by what national team they represent / represented

United States: (23) Ayo Akinola, Josh Atencio, Julian Araujo, Cole Bassett, Noel Buck, George Campbell, Caden Clark, Cade Cowell, Benjamin Cremaschi, Chris Durkin, Brian Gutierrez, Theodore Ku-Dipietro, Diego Luna, Jalen Neal, Matko Miljevic, Jack McGlynn, Andres Perea, Jonathan Perez, Brooklyn Raines, Pedro Soma, Quinn Sullivan, Reed Baker-Whiting, Owen Wolff

Argentina: (19) Thiago Almada, Efrain Alvarez, Julian Aude, Tomas Aviles, David Ayala, Alvaro Barreal, Nico Dubersarsky, Ramiro Enrique, Facundo Farias, Julian Fernandez, Gaston Gonzalez, Franco Ibarra, Tomas Jacob, Luca Langoni, Federico Navarro, Agustin Ojeda, Nicolas Romero, Mateo Silvetti, Santiago Sosa, 

Brazil: (16) Antony, Caio Alexandre, Max Alves, Thiago Andrade, Leo Chu, Lucas Esteves, Geovane Jesus, Igor Jesus, Kaick, Vinicius Mello, Lucas Monzon, Matheus Nascimento, Luis Otavio, Gabriel Pirani, Thiago Rodrigues, Tiago Souza

Colombia: (16) Dylan Borrero, Deiber Caicedo, Jhon Duran, Carlos Andres Gomez, Marino Hinestroza, Alexis Manyoma, Edwin Mosquera, Santiago Moreno, Jose Mulato, Edier Ocampo, Nelson Palacio, Andres Reyes, Emerson Rodriguez, Nicolas Rodriguez, Nelson Quinones, Kerwin Vargas 

Ecuador: (8) Marco Angulo, Leonardo Campana, Jose Cifuentes, Patrickson Delgado, Diego Palacios, Joshue Quinonez, Gustavo Vallecilla, Pedro Vite

Uruguay: (7 ) Nicolas Acevedo, Cesar Araujo, Francisco Ginella, Cristian Olivera, Santiago Rodriguez, Lucas Sanabria, Joaquin Sosa

South Africa: (5) Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Puso Dithejane, Olwethu Makhanya, Cassius Mailula, Mbekezeli Mbokazi

Australia: (4) Jake Girdwood-Reich, Ariath Piol, Nectarios Triantis, Patrick Yazbek

Israel: (4) Ran Binyamin, Ilay Feingold, Idan Toklomati, Dor Turgeman

Paraguay: (4) Gilberto Flores, Diego Gomez, Braian Ojeda, Rodney Redes

Serbia: (4) Mateja Djordjevic, Jovan Mijatovic, Nikola Petkovic, Viktor Radojević 

Venezuela: (4) Ender Echenique, Kevin Kelsy, David Martinez, Telasco Segovia, 

Ghana: (3) Isaac Atanga, Ezequiel Alladoh, Samuel Gidi

Germany: (2) Lawrence Ennali, Robert Voloder

France: (2) Owen Gene, Hugo Picard

Nigeria: (2) Ibrahim Aliyu, Sunusi Ibrahim

Norway: (2) Heine Gikling Bruseth, Dennis Gjengaar

Poland: (2) Wiktor Bogacz, Dominik Marczuk

Portugal: (2) Leonardo Barroso, Sidnei Tavares

Senegal: (2) Moussa Djitte, Fallou Fall

South Korea: (2) Kim Joon-Hong, Jeong Sang-bin

Sweden: (2) Noah Eile, Ahmed Qasem

Ukraine: (2) Artem Smolyakov, Hennadii Synchuk

United Kingdom: (2) Tomas Angel, Dru Yearwood

Algeria: (1) Monsef Bakrar

Belgium: (1) Logan Ndenbe 

Bosnia & Herzegovina: (1) Dejan Joveljic

Canada: (1) Enes Sali

Côte d’Ivoire: (1) Dje D’Avilla

Croatia: (1) Stipe Biuk

Cyprus: (1) Marinos Tzionis

Denmark: (1) Isak Jensen

Greece: (1) Georgios Koutsias

Hungary: (1) Szabolcs Schon

Iceland: (1) Robert Thorkelsson

Ireland: (1) Andrew Moran

Japan: (1) Kenji Cabrera

Mali: (1) Baye Coulibaly

Mexico: (1) Omar Campos

Peru: (1) Marcos Lopez

Romania: (1) Alexandru Matan

Slovenia: (1) Žan Kolmanič

Spain: (1) Federico Redondo

The Chicago Bears finished 2025 with an 11-6 record, good enough to capture the NFC North division and a 2 seed in the playoffs.

The Bears enter 2026 with around $5M of cap space (against a $304M league projection), including 38 contracts currently on the books. The table is headlined by WR D.J. Moore ($28.5M) and ED Montez Sweat ($25M).

Chicago currently holds 6 draft picks in 2026, including the Rams’ selection in the 4th round. Bears’ Future Draft Picks

Early Offseason Questions

• The Bears’ front office hasn’t been prone to utilizing the “void year” system that allows bonuses, salary conversions, etc, to prorate over the max 5-years. Will that philosophy change now that they’re on the cusp of contention?
• With limited draft capital early on, will the Bears look to identify a currently rostered player or two to dangle on the trade block this March, in hopes of shoring up an extra pick or two?
• Will the Bears quick turn-around, and Ben Johnson’s attractive offensive scheme, make Chicago a destination for free agents this spring, helping to keep bottom-line costs down for the organization?

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac Valuation APY)

CB Nahshon Wright ($16M)
S Jaquan Brisker ($10M)
S Kevin Byard ($7.8M)
OT Braxton Jones ($5M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

RT Darnell Wright

The 2023 1st-rounder has been both reliable, and steadily improving on the right side of Chicago’s line, setting up an elongated tenure (and potential extension) in the near future. For now, Wright’s 5th-year option salary projects to around $20M, and his current valuation in our system ($19.5M) lives right around that number as well.

Extension Candidates

RB D'Andre Swift

With back-to-back seasons of 1,300+ yards from scrimmage, and maybe his best overall campaign to date in 2025, Swift is certainly in the conversation to continue his role in Chicago for the coming years. He’s due an unprotected $7.5M in the final year of his contract, projecting toward a 2 year, $18M extension in our system.

ED Montez Sweat

Sweat remains the Bears’ top defensive lineman, and just finished a 10 sack, 50+ tackle, 3 forced fumble campaign in 2025. He’s got 2 years, $42M remaining on his current contract right now, so there’s not an immediate urgency to shake things up. But back to back $25M+ cap hits in 2026, 2027 could become problematic as the team continues to build out. An extension (currently projected at 3 years, $66M) can lower the initial cap figures, and lock in Sweat to a multi-year guarantee structure.

Bubble Candidates

LB Tremaine Edmunds

Release Candidate

The 28-year-old is entering a contract year in 2026, set to earn an unprotected $15M this season. The 2018 1st-round pick by Buffalo just completed his 8th-straight season with 100+ tackles, while also intercepting 4 passes in 2025. Edmunds has certainly done enough to warrant a return in 2026, but teams generally don’t keep off-ball linebackers at higher compensation for too long without resetting the process. It’s possible that’s where Chicago falls this March, freeing up $15M of space in moving on.

TE Cole Kmet

Release Candidate

Kmet’s role & targets have decreased since the Bears brought Colston Loveland into the picture, putting the 2 years, $20M remaining on notice. Chicago can free up $8.4M of cap space by moving on before a $1M roster bonus is due March 15th.

Potential Cap Conversions

WR D.J. Moore’s 2026 salary is already fully guaranteed. Processing a simple salary conversion (no void years) can free up $17.4M. That can increase to $18.5M saved by adding a void year.

OL Joe Thuney’s 2026 salary is already fully guaranteed. Converting most of it to bonus can free up $7.3M. Those savings can increase to $11.7M with the use of void years.

Most of DL Grady Jarrett’s 2026 salary is guaranteed. Converting it to bonus frees up $6.9M of cap. That figure increases to $10.8M with the use of void years.

RELATED LINKS
Bears 2026 Salary Cap Table
2026 Bears Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guide

The San Francisco 49ers finished 2025 12-5, tied for 2nd place in the NFC West, and good enough for a 6th seed in the playoffs.

They enter 2026 with an estimated $39M of cap space (against a projected $304M league threshold), including 44 contracts (3 of which are set to void in March). The Niners table is headlined by Nick Bosa ($42M), and Trent Williams ($38.8M).

San Francisco currently boasts 8 draft picks, including three 3rd-rounders (two projected compensatory picks). They sent a 5th-round pick to Philly in exchange for LB Bryce Huff. Future 49ers Draft Picks

Early Offseason Questions

• With Aiyuk certainly on his way out, Jennings slated for free agency, and Kittle a TBD as he recovers from an Achilles tear, how aggressive will the front office be in dedicating starter-level talent around Brock Purdy in 2026?
• Trent Williams has announced a return, but his timeline is (obviously) dwindling. Will there be a concerted effort in locating his heir apparent this offseason?
• What is it going to take to keep this roster relatively healthy for 20+ weeks?

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac Valuation APY)

WR Jauan Jennings ($22.6M)
K Eddy Pineiro ($5.5M)
OL Spencer Burford ($3.5M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Extension Candidates

TE Jake Tonges

Tonges is slated for restricted free agency this, and the Niners may need to slap a higher tender on him to keep him away from an offer sheet (a 2nd-round tender could cost around $5.8M in 2026), but both sides may be poised to just skip that step and lock in a multi-year guarantee instead. Noah Gray’s 3 year, $18M extension in KC seems a likely starting point.

OT Trent Williams

Williams will be 38-years-old when the 2026 regular season kicks off, but he’s already confirmed his intent to return. With that said, the future HOFer currently carries a $38.8M cap hit against $33M cash, which likely forces San Francisco to adjust things in some manner. The Niners could opt to tack on a year, convert a little more base salary into bonus, and set themselves up to run Williams back in 2026 on a comfortable number, then consider his retirement as a Post June 1st scenario thereafter.

Bubble Candidates

WR Brandon Aiyuk

Release Candidate

For lack of a better term, Aiyuk quit on this organization in 2025 after fully recovering from his 2024 ACL injury. He’s reportedly healthy, and capable of playing football, but both sides decided to shut things down late this season, setting up a sure divorce in the coming months. While $26.15M of salary guarantee in 2026 has been voided, the contract still carries $29.5M of dead cap (stemming from a 2024 signing bonus, and a 2025 option bonus). San Francisco is likely to attempt to recoup a large portion of this, but they’ll take the hit to move on this March. Designating Aiyuk a Post June 1st release splits that into $8.3M for 2026, $21.2M in 2027.

QB Mac Jones

Trade Candidate

With $4.6M cash against a very tenable $3.9M cap hit in 2026, the Niners don’t have to do a thing with Jones - who filled in admirably for an injured Brock Purdy for 8 2025 starts. But there’s no question that a few QB-needy teams will be sniffing around this contract in the coming weeks, with a trade offer or two likely to come. An early offseason trade leaves behind $1.8M of dead cap, freeing up $2.1M of space.

CB Deommodore Lenoir

Trade Candidate

The entire SF secondary faced injury problems and overall inconsistent play in 2025, which should force the front office to prioritize upgrades this coming offseason. Lenoir still has 4 years, $68M remaining on his deal, but none of it is currently protected ($16M locks in April 1st). With $13M of dead cap against an $8.8M cap figure this season, the Niners probably give this one more year before considering their options.

Potential Cap Conversions

DE Nick Bosa’s 2026 compensation is fully secured. Converting salary to signing bonus can free up nearly $22M of cap.

In lieu of an extension, the Niners could opt to convert OT Trent Williams’ 2026 salary into signing bonus, freeing up as much as $17.4M of cap space.

RELATED LINKS
2026 49ers Salary Cap Table
49ers 2026 Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guide

The Los Angeles Chargers finished 2025 with an 11-6 record, good enough for 2nd place in the AFC West, and a 7th seed in the playoffs, before bowing out in the Wild Card round by New England.

LAC enters 2026 with a league-high $110M of estimated cap space according to our data, with 36 contracts currently on the books, led by QB Justin Herbert’s $46.3M figure.

The Chargers currently boast 5 draft picks, having sent their 5th round pick to Baltimore (Alohi Gilman), and a 7th round pick to Tennessee (Elijah Molden). Chargers Future Draft Picks

Early Offseason Questions

• How can this team find a way to keep star players healthy enough to compete when it matters most?
• LA’s success was focused around 34-year-old Khalil Mack & 33-year-old Keenan Allen, both of whom are pending free agents. Will they run it back?
• With a bounty of cap space to begin the offseason, how aggressive will this front office be in attempting to push the franchise into a true contention window.

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac Valuation APY)

ED Odafe Oweh ($19.3M)
ED Khalil Mack ($18.4M)
G Zion Johnson ($11.2M)
OL Jamaree Salyer ($9.8M)
WR Keenan Allen ($6.8M)
DL Teair Tart ($5.4M)
RT Trey Pipkins ($5M)
DL Da'shawn Hand ($4M)
RB Najee Harris ($3M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

WR Quentin Johnston

A 2023 1st-rounder out of TCU, Johnston has now put together back-to-back solid - but not necessarily strong seasons in LA, including 8 TD catches in each. He finished 3rd on the team in targets (Allen, McConkey), furthering the notion that he may never be a true #1 option in the league. With that said, it remains likely that LAC declines the upcoming $16M 5th-year-option for 2027.

Extension Candidate

S Derwin James

The 29-year-old enters a contract year in 2026, set to earn $17.5M against a $24.6M cap hit. The 2018 1st-rounder out of Florida State remains reliable, productive, and dominating still at times, currently projecting towards a 4 year, $76M extension in our system.

Bubble Candidates

G Mekhi Becton

Release Candidate

Self-admittedly never found comfort in Greg Roman’s offensive structure this past season, making it highly unlikely that the Chargers retain him for 2026. LA can free up $10M by moving on before a $2.5M roster bonus is due March 13th.

TE Will Dissly

Release Candidate

Saw his role reduced mightily in 2025 (including a healthy scratch midseason), setting up a likely release out of the 1 year, $4M remaining. LAC can free up that amount of cap space by moving on before a $1M roster bonus is owed March 15th.

ED Bud Dupree

Dupree signed a 1 year, $6M extension back in June that put him under contract through 2026, but he found himself available for less than 400 snaps this past season. The Chargers can free up $3.5M of space by moving on before a $1M roster bonus is due March 13th.

Potential Cap Conversions

QB Justin Herbert’s 2026 salary is already fully guaranteed. Processing a simple salary conversion (plus 1 void year) frees up $18.2M.

LT Rashawn Slater’s 2026 salary is fully guaranteed. A salary conversion with 1 void year opens up $13.4M of cap.

Also of note: An extension for S Derwin James should lower his $24.6M cap figure for 2026.

RELATED LINKS
2026 Chargers Salary Cap
Chargers Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guide

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished 2025 with a 10-7 record, capturing the AFC North, before a Wild Card loss to Houston ended the season.

They enter 2026 boasting a projected $65M of cap space against an estimated $304M league threshold. This figure includes 38 contracts, led by T.J. Watt ($42M) & WR D.K. Metcalf ($31M).

The Steelers currently hold 12 draft picks according to our projections, including three third-round selections (their own, Dallas, and a compensatory pick), and two fourth-rounders. Steelers Future Draft Picks

Early Offseason Questions

• How will Pittsburgh address another offseason without a clearcut QB1? Is 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers the favorite to return? Will the Steelers dedicate a Top 100 draft pick toward the position? Will they be in the mix for Daniel Jones, Malik Willis, Mac Jones, Kyler Murray, etc…?
• The Steelers made a splash for WR DK Metcalf last offseason, but still lack a consistently potent attack. Will they double down on bringing in experienced talent, or use their ample draft capital to replenish the pool?

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac’s Valuation APY)

QB Aaron Rodgers ($10.6M)
G Isaac Seumalo ($9.6M)
WR Calvin Austin ($5M)
RB Kenneth Gainwell ($3M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

OT Broderick Jones

Jones has split time at both right and left tackle through 2+ seasons, but finished off 2025 on the IR due to a neck injury. The Steelers may have found a viable replacement for him in Dylan Cook in the meantime, which could very well impact their looming decision on what projects to be a $20M 5th-year option salary for 2027.

Extension Candidate

K Chris Boswell

Boswell remains one of the most reliable legs in football, and is headed toward a contract year in 2026. The 34-year-old is set to earn $3.1M against a $4.7M cap hit, and currently projects toward a 3 year, $20M extension.

OLB Nick Herbig

A 4th-round pick out of Wisconsin, Herbig has now posted back-to-back strong seasons, and is widely considered to be a rising star in the league. He enters a contract year in 2026, and is now extension-eligible for the first time, currently projecting toward a 4 year, $54 million deal in our system.

Bubble Candidates

LB Patrick Queen

Release Candidate

Queen remains a tackling machine in the center of the Steelers defense, but the overall resume may no longer be worth the $13M+ price point he’s been costing them for two seasons. Pittsburgh can free up $13.3M of cap by moving on in some fashion before a $2.5M roster bonus is due on March 13th.

DL ​​Cameron Heyward

Retirement Candidate?

The 36-year-old continues to perform at a very high level, and his $14.25M salary for 2026 isn’t necessarily bad value for a player who saw more than 70% of the snaps this past season. But Heyward and the Steelers battled all offseason for a contract adjustment that amounted to a small incentive package being added. Will he be looking for a pot sweetener again? Is he ready to hang up the cleats instead? There’s a $12.95M roster bonus due on March 12th that will make this an early decision, one way or another.

TE Pat Freiermuth

Release Candidate

The 27-year-old signed a 4 year, $48M extension in early 2024, but his role has been largely reduced of late, putting an unprotected 3 years, $27M remaining on notice. Freiermuth has a $1.5M roster bonus due March 13th, and an early offseason release can free up $4.9M of cap.

TE Jonnu Smith

Release Candidate

Still a viable option in the passing game, it stands to reason that at least one of Freiermuth & Smith will be moved on from this coming offseason. The 30-year-old’s cap hit doubles to $10.8M in 2026, and there’s $7M of cap to be saved with a trade or release.

Potential Cap Conversions

OLB T.J. Watt’s 2026 salary is already fully guaranteed. Processing a simple salary conversion on it (plus two void years) can free up $24.5M.

WR D.K. Metcalf’s 2026 salary is no longer guaranteed (2025 suspension), but converting it to bonus still makes business sense for the Steelers. There’s a maximum of $19M to be freed up here by doing so.

RELATED LINKS
2026 Steelers Salary Cap
Steelers 2026 Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guides

The Philadelphia Eagles finished 2025 with an 11-6 record good enough to secure the NFC East title, and a 3-seed in the postseason, where they were eliminated by the 49ers in the Wild Card round.

Philly steps into 2026 with around $22M of projected cap space, against a $304M league projection. This figure includes 49 contracts currently on the books, but 10 of those are set to void in early March. The Eagles (will) continue to push out salary cap by way of option bonus, cap conversions, and void/dummy years, offering them an opportunity to maintain a deep roster year in and year out.

The Eagles currently boast 8 draft picks, including 3 projected compensatory draft picks, in the upcoming draft. Eagles Future Draft Picks

Early Offseason Questions

• Is there enough fire with the smoke surrounding A.J. Brown’s discontent to see him move on this offseason?
• Will the early playoff exit spark change among the coaching staff in some way, shape, or form?
• Was Dallas Goedert’s 2-TD performance against SF a swan song for his Philly career?

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac’s Valuation APY)

ED Jaelan Phillips ($17M)
LB Nakobe Dean ($8M)
S Reed Blankenship ($7M)
TE Dallas Goedert ($6M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

DL Jalen Carter

When available, he’s one of the best young IDLs in football, as is evident by his 2 Pro Bowl nods. Those honors escalate his 2027 5th-year-option salary price to an estimated $27.5M, which exceeds his current $21M valuation by quite a bit.

ED Nolan Smith

Smith missed 7 weeks of 2025 with an arm injury, which limited his ability to build off of what was a nice breakout campaign in 2024 (7 sacks, 40 tackles, 1 forced fumble). There’s plenty to like here, but it might be difficult for Philly to justify a near $19M guaranteed salary exercise.

Extension Candidate

DL Jordan Davis

A 1st-round pick out of Georgia (of course) back in 2022, Davis produced career numbers this past season, putting an immediate focus on his financial future. The 26-year-old holds a guaranteed $13M option salary for 2026, and currently projects toward a 4 year, $82M extension in our system.

Bubble Candidates

WR A.J. Brown

Trade Candidate

Neither Brown, nor the Eagles, have ever confirmed a rift between the two sides, and the 28-year-old still found his way to 78 catches, 1000+ yards, and 7 TDs this season, but it sure feels like there’s room to take a trade call or two in the coming weeks. Brown’s contract has 4 years, $113M remaining on it, including $29M fully guaranteed in 2026. $4M of his 2027 salary locks in this March, making this a 2-year, $50M contract for all intents and purposes.

Here’s the problem: 4 signing/option bonuses later, Brown’s contract holds $43,515,106 of dead cap if traded before June 1st, meaning the Eagles would take a $20M cap bath to move their WR1 before the upcoming draft. Waiting until after June 1st can free up $7M of space. If the Eagles were to bite the bullet and trade Brown early this offseason, they’d be taking on the 4th largest single season dead cap hit in NFL history (and making a heck of a lot more financial trouble for themselves as well).

OT Lane Johnson

Retirement Candidate

A pillar of reliability, consistency, and productivity, Johnson missed almost half of 2025 due to injury, and as he approaches 36-years-old, is certainly heading toward the backside of his illustrious career. Contractually, Johnson holds 3 years, $60M remaining but none of it is currently protected. With $40.2M of dead cap against a $24M cap figure currently, any sort of transaction would likely be processed after June 1st, when a little over $9M to be saved.

CB Michael Carter II

Trade/Release Candidate

Acquired from NYJ at the deadline, $1.4M of Carter’s $10.25M salary for 2026 is currently guaranteed. Another $4M locks in this March. The Eagles most likely eat that $1.4M to move on and free up $8.8M of cap space (especially with the salary containing offset language that they’ll benefit from in 2027).

Potential Cap Conversions

None. The only Eagles players containing salary that could potentially be converted to bonus are:

DL Jordan Davis ($12.9M) who is very likely to be extended.
CB Michael Carter II who is likely to be traded/released.

That’s it. That’s the list.

RELATED LINKS
2026 Eagles Salary Cap Table
Eagles 2026 Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guide