NFL teams were given surprise financial leeway on Wednesday when the league announced a significant salary cap boost. ESPN’s Dan Graziano broke the news that the 2025 cap will be between $277.5 million and $281.5 million per team.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons quickly reacted to the news on X.

Parsons is up for a huge contract extension by the Cowboys.

The new figure is a huge leap from last season’s $255.4 million cap. Teams will notice their available space increase by $22.1 million to $26.1 million from last season. The two-year boost is more than $53 million.

Since 2011, when the cap was at $120.375 million, only the COVID-affected 2021 season experienced a decline. The $15.7 million decrease that year was temporary, as the league recovered by $25.7 million the next season.

The raised cap provides diverse opportunities throughout the league. The New England Patriots rank first among all teams with $119.8 million of available space. The Las Vegas Raiders ($92.5 million) and Washington Commanders ($75.2 million) combined to fill the top three spots.

On the other end, the New Orleans Saints have the largest challenge at $54.1 million under the cap. The Cleveland Browns (-$30.2 million) and Buffalo Bills (-$14.2 million) must also make significant adjustments to come into compliance.

The Dallas Cowboys are still $2.8 million above the estimated cap. They are among seven other teams now above the cap.

This money influx comes at an important juncture for teams considering free agents. The Cincinnati Bengals have a decision to make on tagging wide receiver Tee Higgins. The Minnesota Vikings have a similar decision regarding quarterback Sam Darnold.

Teams projected to have significant cap space now enjoy even more flexibility. The Arizona Cardinals ($71.3 million), Los Angeles Chargers ($63.4 million) and Chicago Bears ($63 million) are in strong positions.

The increase surpassed previous expectations. NFL Network estimated a span of $265 million to $275 million in December. Every team will receive at least $5 million more than those estimates.

This jump represents the second year in a row of large increases. The $30.6 million gain from 2023 to 2024 was a record-breaker, spurred by new television contracts and restored attendance following