To help pass the time from now until the start of training camp, we’ll be looking at where every team ranks in positional spending. We’ve hit each of the individual offensive positions; now it’s time to put it all together for a team-by-team look at which organizations are allocating the most to the defensive side of the ball in 2026. 

One note: rather than count dead money toward the positional groups, we will have it ranked separately in a post of its own. For example, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa‘s $55.4 million dead cap hit won’t count toward Miami’s quarterback spending, but it will be included in their league-leading $179 million dead cap figure. 

Here’s how each team’s offensive spending shakes out from most expensive to least expensive: 

• Salary information via Over The Cap

1 – Pittsburgh Steelers: $195,380,982

• Percentage of total cap: 64.87 percent
• 2025 rank: 1st
• Interior defensive line: 9.89 percent (16th)
• Edge rusher: 22.24 percent (1st)
• Linebacker: 11.97 percent (2nd)
• Cornerback: 15.28 percent (3rd)
• Safety: 5.49 percent (22nd)
• Top cap hit: T.J. Watt, $42,000,000 (13.94 percent)

2 – Baltimore Ravens: $187,411,395

• Percentage of total cap: 62.22 percent
• 2025 rank: 11th
• Interior defensive line: 16.19 percent (6th)
• Edge rusher: 10.92 percent (14th)
• Linebacker: 13.5 percent (1st)
• Cornerback: 14.49 percent (5th)
• Safety: 7.12 percent (12th)
• Top cap hit: Roquan Smith, $32,718,750 (10.86 percent)

3 – Chicago Bears: $177,856,697

• Percentage of total cap: 59.05 percent
• 2025 rank: 4th
• Interior defensive line: 9.87 percent (17th)
• Edge rusher: 17.65 percent (5th)
• Linebacker: 9.38 percent (5th)
• Cornerback: 17.52 percent (1st)
• Safety: 4.63 percent (25th)
• Top cap hit: Montez Sweat, $25,085,294 (8.33 percent)

4 – New York Giants: $174,736,940

• Percentage of total cap: 58.01 percent
• 2025 rank: 2nd
• Interior defensive line: 7.3 (24th)
• Edge rusher: 21.63 percent (2nd)
• Linebacker: 4.36 percent (27th)
• Cornerback: 15.4 percent (2nd)
• Safety: 9.33 percent (5th)
• Top cap hit: Paulson Adebo, $24,199,390 (8.03 percent)

5 – New England Patriots: $168,991,830

• Percentage of total cap: 56.11 percent
• 2025 rank: 5th
• Interior defensive line: 20.07 percent (1st)
• Edge rusher: 7.7 percent (24th)
• Linebacker: 8.73 percent (7th)
• Cornerback: 13.82 percent (7th)
• Safety: 5.72 percent (18th)
• Top cap hit: Milton Williams: $28,500,000 (9.46 percent)

6 – Washington Commanders: $165,818,330

• Percentage of total cap: 55.05 percent
• 2025 rank: 7th
• Interior defensive line: 18.21 percent (3rd)
• Edge rusher: 18.29 percent (4th)
• Linebacker: 5.49 percent (20th)
• Cornerback: 4.96 percent (30th)
• Safety: 8.1 percent (11th)
• Top cap hit: Daron Payne, $27,950,000 (9.28 percent)

7 – Seattle Seahawks: $159,633,961

• Percentage of total cap: 53 percent
• 2025 rank: 26th
• Interior defensive line: 16.22 percent (5th)
• Edge rusher: 15.09 percent (6th)
• Linebacker: 6.83 percent (13th)
• Cornerback: 8.11 percent (20th)
• Safety: 6.76 percent (14th)
• Top cap hit: Leonard Williams, $29,636,250 (9.84 percent)

8 – Kansas City Chiefs: $151,027,128

• Percentage of total cap: 50.14 percent
• 2025 rank: 22nd
• Interior defensive line: 19.07 percent (2nd)
• Edge rusher: 5.87 percent (29th)
• Linebacker: 10.21 percent (3rd)
• Cornerback: 11.18 percent (11th)
• Safety: 3.79 percent (29th)
• Top cap hit: Chris Jones, $44,850,000 (14.89 percent)

9 – Las Vegas Raiders: $147,482,460

• Percentage of total cap: 48.96 percent
• 2025 rank: 9th
• Interior defensive line: 6.22 percent (28th)
• Edge rusher: 20.06 percent (3rd)
• Linebacker: 7.91 percent (9th)
• Cornerback: 8.01 percent (21st)
• Safety: 6.77 percent (13th)
• Top cap hit: Maxx Crosby, $35,791,250 (11.88 percent)

10 – Indianapolis Colts: $146,342,769

• Percentage of total cap: 48.59 percent
• 2025 rank: 3rd
• Interior defensive line: 15.37 percent (7th)
• Edge rusher: 7.74 percent (23rd)
• Linebacker: 3.04 percent (32nd)
• Cornerback: 14.15 percent (6th)
• Safety: 8.29 percent (9th)
• Top cap hit: DeForest Buckner, $26,600,000 (8.83 percent)

11 – Tennessee Titans: $145,768,751

• Percentage of total cap: 48.4 percent
• 2025 rank: 17th
• Interior defensive line: 10.46 percent (15th)
• Edge rusher: 14.31 percent (7th)
• Linebacker: 5.69 percent (19th)
• Cornerback: 11.43 percent (9th)
• Safety: 6.51 percent (16th)
• Top cap hit: Jeffery Simmons, $22,060,843 (7.32 percent)

12 – Carolina Panthers: $145,488,057

• Percentage of total cap: 48.3 percent
• 2025 rank: 21st
• Interior defensive line: 15.07 percent (8th)
• Edge rusher: 9.87 percent (20th)
• Linebacker: 4.93 percent (26th)
• Cornerback: 9.6 percent (17th)
• Safety: 8.83 percent (8th)
• Top cap hit: Trevon Moehrig, $21,270,000 (7.06 percent)

13 – Cincinnati Bengals: $141,513,960

• Percentage of total cap: 46.98 percent
• 2025 rank: 29th
• Interior defensive line: 17.61 percent (4th)
• Edge rusher: 10.17 percent (18th)
• Linebacker: 4.04 percent (30th)
• Cornerback: 8.54 percent (19th)
• Safety: 6.63 percent (15th)
• Top cap hit: Boye Mafe,  $17,000,000 (5.64 percent)

14 – Denver Broncos: $138,403,188

• Percentage of total cap: 45.95 percent
• 2025 rank: 13th
• Interior defensive line: 13.95 percent (11th)
• Edge rusher: 6.6 percent (27th)
• Linebacker: 5.31 percent (22nd)
• Cornerback: 10.69 percent (12th)
• Safety: 9.4 percent (4th)
• Top cap hit: Zach Allen, $16,477,000 (5.47 percent)

15 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $137,615,922

• Percentage of total cap: 45.69 percent
• 2025 rank: 19th
• Interior defensive line: 14.79 percent (9th)
• Edge rusher: 8.27 percent (21st)
• Linebacker: 6.12 percent (17th)
• Cornerback: 4.62 percent (31st)
• Safety: 11.89 percent (2nd)
• Top cap hit: Antoine Winfield Jr., $27,466,000 (9.12 percent)

16 – Jacksonville Jaguars: $136,667,049

• Percentage of total cap: 45.37 percent
• 2025 rank: 8th
• Interior defensive line: 13.54 percent (13th)
• Edge rusher: 12.83 percent (8th)
• Linebacker: 8.29 percent (8th)
• Cornerback: 5.92 percent (27th)
• Safety: 4.8 percent (24th)
• Top cap hit: Josh Hines-Allen, $23,400,000 (7.77 percent)

17 – Detroit Lions: $136,058,798

• Percentage of total cap: 45.17 percent
• 2025 rank: 25th
• Interior defensive line: 13.65 percent (12th)
• Edge rusher: 6.72 percent (26th)
• Linebacker: 7.21 percent (10th)
• Cornerback: 11.9 percent (8th)
• Safety: 5.7 percent (20th)
• Top cap hit: Alim McNeill: $28,966,000 (9.62 percent)

18 – Dallas Cowboys: $131,811,351

• Percentage of total cap: 43.76 percent
• 2025 rank: 14th
• Interior defensive line: 14.43 percent (10th)
• Edge rusher: 6.56 percent (28th)
• Linebacker: 3.98 percent (31st)
• Cornerback: 9.74 percent (15th)
• Safety: 9.05 percent (6th)
• Top cap hit: Quinnen Williams, $21,632,353 (7.18 percent)

19 – Los Angeles Chargers: $129,777,542

• Percentage of total cap: 43.09 percent
• 2025 rank: 27th
• Interior defensive line: 6.64 percent (27th)
• Edge rusher: 11.94 percent (11th)
• Linebacker: 5.28 percent (23rd)
• Cornerback: 5.87 percent (28th)
• Safety: 13.35 percent (1st)
• Top cap hit: Derwin James, $24,606,495 (8.17 percent)

20 – Arizona Cardinals: $127,698,142

• Percentage of total cap: 42.4 percent
• 2025 rank: 10th
• Interior defensive line: 8.11 percent (20th)
• Edge rusher: 11.22 percent (12th)
• Linebacker: 6.58 percent (16th)
• Cornerback: 7.46 percent (22nd)
• Safety: 9.03 percent (7th)
• Top cap hit: Budda Baker, $19,216,250 (6.38 percent)

21 – Green Bay Packers: $123,548,003

• Percentage of total cap: 41.02 percent
• 2025 rank: 16th
• Interior defensive line: 10.99 percent (14th)
• Edge rusher: 10.55 percent (16th)
• Linebacker: 6.68 percent (14th)
• Cornerback: 6.9 percent (24th)
• Safety: 5.9 percent (17th)
• Top cap hit: Micah Parsons, $19,201,706 (6.38 percent)

22 – Houston Texans: $121,813,580

• Percentage of total cap: 40.44 percent
• 2025 rank: 6th
• Interior defensive line: 5.8 percent (29th)
• Edge rusher: 12.12 percent (10th)
• Linebacker: 8.96 percent (6th)
• Cornerback: 9.77 percent (14th)
• Safety: 3.79 percent (30th)
• Top cap hit: Danielle Hunter, $16,140,000 (5.36 percent)

23 – New York Jets: $120,614,129

• Percentage of total cap: 40.04 percent
• 2025 rank: 28th
• Interior defensive line: 6.81 percent (26th)
• Edge rusher: 10.52 percent (17th) 
• Linebacker: 7.03 percent (12th)
• Cornerback: 10.11 percent (13th)
• Safety: 5.58 percent (21st)
• Top cap hit: Brandon Stephens, $13,970,000 (4.64 percent)

24 – Atlanta Falcons: $119,564,200

• Percentage of total cap: 39.7 percent
• 2025 rank: 18th
• Interior defensive line: 3.75 percent (32nd)
• Edge rusher: 8 percent (22nd)
• Linebacker: 5.95 percent (18th)
• Cornerback: 11.32 percent (10th)
• Safety: 10.68 percent (3rd)
• Top cap hit: Jessie Bates III, $24,770,000 (8.22 percent)

25 – San Francisco 49ers: $115,020,636

• Percentage of total cap: 38.19 percent
• 2025 rank: 24th
• Interior defensive line: 4.45 percent (30th)
• Edge rusher: 12.46 percent (9th)
• Linebacker: 9.7 percent (4th)
• Cornerback: 7.3 percent (23rd)
• Safety: 4.28 percent (28th)
• Top cap hit: Nick Bosa, $22,990,988 (7.63 percent)

26 – Cleveland Browns: $114,004,688

• Percentage of total cap: 37.85 percent
• 2025 rank: 15th
• Interior defensive line: 6.87 percent (25th)
• Edge rusher: 5.28 percent (31st)
• Linebacker: 5.34 percent (21st)
• Cornerback: 14.61 percent (4th)
• Safety: 5.75 percent (19th)
• Top cap hit: Denzel Ward, $30,893,412 (10.26 percent)

27 – Los Angeles Rams: $110,427,135

• Percentage of total cap: 36.66 percent
• 2025 rank: 31st
• Interior defensive line: 8.35 percent (19th)
• Edge rusher: 6.84 percent (25th)
• Linebacker: 4.34 percent (28th)
• Cornerback: 9.01 percent (18th)
• Safety: 8.13 percent (10th)
• Top cap hit: Quentin Lake, $11,691,176 (3.88 percent)

28 – Minnesota Vikings: $106,199,504

• Percentage of total cap: 35.26 percent
• 2025 rank: 12th
• Interior defensive line: 4.13 percent (31st)
• Edge rusher: 10.14 percent (19th)
• Linebacker: 7.04 percent (11th)
• Cornerback: 9.6 percent (16th)
• Safety: 4.35 percent (26th)
• Top cap hit: Andrew Van Ginkel, $19,250,000 (6.39 percent)

29 – Buffalo Bills: $105,118,393

• Percentage of total cap: 34.9 percent
• 2025 rank: 23rd
• Interior defensive line: 7.94 percent (22nd)
• Edge rusher: 11.15 percent (13th)
• Linebacker: 5.1 percent (24th)
• Cornerback: 6.56 percent (26th)
• Safety: 4.16 percent (28th)
• Top cap hit: Ed Oliver, $13,660,000 (4.54 percent)

30 – New Orleans Saints: $101,440,603

• Percentage of total cap: 33.68 percent
• 2025 rank: 30th
• Interior defensive line: 9.18 percent (18th)
• Edge rusher: 10.67 percent (15th)
• Linebacker: 4.16 percent (29th)
• Cornerback: 4.39 percent (32nd)
• Safety: 5.29 percent (23rd)
• Top cap hit: Chase Young, $9,610,000 (3.19 percent)

31 – Philadelphia Eagles: $83,500,305

• Percentage of total cap: 27.72 percent
• 2025 rank: 32nd
• Interior defensive line: 7.41 percent (23rd)
• Edge rusher: 5.85 percent (30th)
• Linebacker: 5.05 percent (25th)
• Cornerback: 6.61 percent (25th)
• Safety: 2.81 percent (32nd)
• Top cap hit: Zack Baun, $7,638,000 (2.54 percent)

32 – Miami Dolphins: $82,025,038

• Percentage of total cap: 27.23 percent
• 2025 rank: 20th
• Interior defensive line: 8.01 percent (21st)
• Edge rusher: 4.61 percent (32nd)
• Linebacker: 6.64 percent (15th)
• Cornerback: 5.12 percent (29th)
• Safety: 2.85 percent (32nd)
• Top cap hit: Zach Sieler, $11,419,000 (3.79 percent)