The NFL has informed teams that the 2026 salary cap will increase to 301.2M

A $22M increase is good news for your cash-strapped Atlanta Falcons, who have begun the process of creating cap space for the 2026 offseason.

Ian Cunningham has already announced the Falcons will move on from Kirk Cousins, and that will likely be a post-June 1st designated cut, which maximizes the savings from moving on from Cousins, but the money saved can’t be touched until summer. This means the Falcons have to get creative with contracts and explore all available options to achieve cap flexibility.

The team has indicated that they will be moving on from KhaDarel Hodge, a move that saves them $2.6M, which can be used immediately. We expect a handful of other moves that can create space, but nothing will help the team as much as the newfound $22M.

The league is as healthy as ever from a business standpoint; the cap has nearly doubled in the last decade. Players are seeing their contract values rise, so while new cap space is appreciated, the market will adjust. Prepare to see the largest [insert football position] contract ever given updates, along with a pay bump for the league’s middle class, but that doesn’t mean teams won’t still be able to take advantage of the additional space.

This will help teams immensely when it comes to budgeting for the upcoming draft class and structuring extensions with key players.

Ian Cunningham has a lot to navigate in his first season, and this is another piece of the offseason puzzle. The new GM has taken a pragmatic approach to the offseason when discussing potential free agents and re-signings, and we’ll see what kind of spender he is soon.