The NFL announced that the salary cap ceiling will rise by roughly $22 million from the 2025 figure, with the final number expected to land between $301 and $305 million. While that sounds like a significant jump, it doesn’t translate to much relief for the Carolina Panthers.
This increase would place the Panthers’ available cap space somewhere between $14.9 and $19 million — and if that feels low, it’s because it is.
Carolina is projected to carry the third-most expensive offensive line in the league, with a payroll of roughly $145 million out of a projected $301 million in total cap space.