NFL salary cap for 2022 increases by nearly $26M to $208.2M

The NFL's salary cap for 2022 will be $208.2 million, a healthy increase from the previous, pandemic-impacted years.

The cap is going up from $182.5 million, which was down by nearly $10 million from the 2020 season.

Adding in benefits attached to the cap, teams will be allowed to have a total player cost of $284.367 million.

Quarterbacks, of course, will have the highest franchise tag hit at $29.7 million. The 32 teams have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to apply franchise tags, and some clubs already have done so. The deadline for franchise-tagged players to reach a long-term contract with a team is July 15.

Free agency officially begins Wednesday, March 16, though teams can negotiate with player representatives beginning Monday. Most big deals get done in the two days before the league year officially starts.

The second-highest tag price is for linebacker at $18.7 million, followed closely by wide receivers ($18.4 million), and defensive ends ($17.85 million). Then come defensive tackles ($17.39 million), cornerbacks ($17.28 million), offensive linemen ($16.66 million), safeties ($12.91 million), tight ends ($10.93 million), running backs ($9.57 million) and kickers ($5.22 million).

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