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. Today, we’re looking at running backs. The position was the victim of the analytics movement for most of the last 10 years, but recently there’s been a small resurgence of investment at the position. Running back spending is up across the league as the market for the position normalizes, meaning it’s growing along with the salary cap and not stalling or shrinking. It’s still among the smaller chunks of the salary cap pie for most teams. 

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 the league’s running back rooms shake out from most expensive to least expensive: 

Resources:

• Salary information via Over The Cap
• Depth charts via OurLads
• Pro Football Focus grades 

1 – Arizona Cardinals: $22,673,132

• Percentage of total cap: 7.53 percent
• 2025 rank: 8th
• Top cap hit: Jeremiyah Love, $9,640,512 (3.2 percent)
• PFF grade: NA

2 – New Orleans Saints: $21,356,064

• Percentage of total cap: 7.09 percent
• 2025 rank: 5th
• Top cap hit: Alvin Kamara, $10,447,471 (3.47 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Travis Etienne, $5,000,000 (1.66 percent)
• PFF grade: 74.2 

3 – Green Bay Packers: $20,789,061

• Percentage of total cap: 6.9 percent
• 2025 rank: 4th
• Top cap hit: Josh Jacobs, $14,542,647 (4.83 percent)
• PFF grade: 85.8 

4 – Indianapolis Colts: $19,361,913

• Percentage of total cap: 6.43 percent
• 2025 rank: 1st
• Top cap hit: Jonathan Taylor, $15,562,000 (5.17 percent)
• PFF grade: 78.1

5 – Los Angeles Rams: $18,610,796

• Percentage of total cap: 6.18 percent
• 2025 rank: 22nd
• Top cap hit: Kyren Williams, $12,932,500 (4.29 percent)
• PFF grade: 85.2

6 – Minnesota Vikings: $17,838,395

• Percentage of total cap: 5.92 percent
• 2025 rank: 15th
• Top cap hit: Aaron Jones, $10,210,000 (3.39 percent)
• PFF grade: 65.0

7 – Tennessee Titans: $17,576,579

• Percentage of total cap: 5.84 percent
• 2025 rank: 14th
• Top cap hit: Tony Pollard, $9,250,000 (3.07 percent)
• PFF grade: 75.3

8 – New York Jets: $17,530,549

• Percentage of total cap: 5.82 percent
• 2025 rank: 24th
• Top cap hit: Breece Hall, $11,480,000 (3.81 percent)
• PFF grade: 83.5

9 – San Francisco 49ers: $16,544,211

• Percentage of total cap: 5.49 percent
• 2025 rank: 13th
• Top cap hit: Christian McCaffrey, $10,856,472 (3.6 percent)
• PFF grade: 77.2

10 – Philadelphia Eagles: $15,850,740

• Percentage of total cap: 5.26 percent
• 2025 rank: 11th
• Top cap hit: Saquon Barkley, $9,881,100 (3.28 percent)
• PFF grade: 67.9

11 – Pittsburgh Steelers: $15,115,525

• Percentage of total cap: 5.02 percent
• 2025 rank: 23rd
• Top cap hit: Jaylen Warren, $7,033,333 (2.34 percent)
• PFF grade: 81.0

12 – Chicago Bears: $14,219,207

• Percentage of total cap: 4.72 percent
• 2025 rank: 6th
• Top cap hit: D’Andre Swift, $8,803,334 (2.92 percent)
• PFF grade: 83.0

13 – Carolina Panthers: $14,061,354

• Percentage of total cap: 4.67 percent
• 2025 rank: 9th
• Top cap hit: Chuba Hubbard, $7,476,100 (2.48 percent)
• PFF grade: 69.9

14 – New England Patriots: $13,733,989

• Percentage of total cap: 4.56 percent 
• 2025 rank: 12th
• Top cap hit: Rhamondre Stevenson, $7,423,529 (2.46 percent)
• PFF grade: 69.6 (31st)

15 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $13,668,221

• Percentage of total cap: 4.54 percent
• 2025 rank: 29th
• Top cap hit: Kenneth Gainwell, $7,000,000 (2.32 percent)
• Other notable cap hits: Sean Tucker, $3,520,000 (1.17 percent), Bucky Irving, $1,257,888 (0.42 percent)
• PFF grade: 67.8 

16 – Baltimore Ravens: $13,305,896

• Percentage of total cap: 4.42 percent
• 2025 rank: 10th
• Top cap hit: Derrick Henry, $5,589,000 (1.86 percent)
• PFF grade: 80.4

17 – Atlanta Falcons: $12,531,810

• Percentage of total cap: 4.16 percent
• 2025 rank: 20th
• Top cap hit: Bijan Robinson, $6,986,810 (2.32 percent)
• PFF grade: 86.6

18 – Denver Broncos: $12,401,259

• Percentage of total cap: 4.12 percent
• 2025 rank: 30th
• Top cap hit: J.K. Dobbins, $6,000,000 (1.99 percent)
• PFF grade: 68.4

19 – Las Vegas Raiders: $12,332,642

• Percentage of total cap: 4.09 percent
• 2025 rank: 17th
• Top cap hit: Ashton Jeanty, $8,158,139 (2.71 percent)
• PFF grade: 70.4

20 – Buffalo Bills: $12,178,297

• Percentage of total cap: 4.04 percent
• 2025 rank: 21st
• Top cap hit: James Cook, $5,880,000 (1.95 percent)
• PFF grade: 80.4

21 – Dallas Cowboys: $12,022,492

• Percentage of total cap: 3.99 percent
• 2025 rank: 27th
• Top cap hit: Javonte Williams, $3,891,176 (1.29 percent)
• PFF grade: 75.3

22 – Detroit Lions: $11,471,842

• Percentage of total cap: 3.81 percent
• 2025 rank: 3rd
• Top cap hit: Jahmyr Gibbs, $5,677,999 (1.89 percent)
• PFF grade: 85.6

23 – Los Angeles Chargers: $11,157,984

• Percentage of total cap: 3.7 percent
• 2025 rank: 16th
• Top cap hit: Omarion Hampton, $4,039,651 (1.34 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Keaton Mitchell, $3,125,000 (1.04 percent)
• PFF grade: 77.3 

24 – Seattle Seahawks: $11,037,146

• Percentage of total cap: 3.66 percent
• 2025 rank: 26th
• Top cap hit: Jadarian Price, $3,051,590 (1.01 percent)
• Other notable cap hit: Zach Charbonnet, $2,187,843 (0.73 percent)
• PFF grade: NA

25 – Kansas City Chiefs: $10,736,346

• Percentage of total cap: 3.56 percent
• 2025 rank: 28th
• Top cap hit: Kenneth Walker, $5,683,333 (1.89 percent)
• PFF grade: 91.4

26 – Cincinnati Bengals: $10,733,586

• Percentage of total cap: 3.56 percent
• 2025 rank: 25th
• Top cap hit: Chase Brown, $3,745,539 (1.24 percent)
• PFF grade: 75.1

27 – Houston Texans: $9,506,608

• Percentage of total cap: 3.16 percent
• 2025 rank: 2nd
• Top cap hit: David Montgomery, $3,300,000 (1.1 percent)
• PFF grade: 75.3

28 – Washington Commanders: $8,487,345

• Percentage of total cap: 2.82 percent
• 2025 rank: 7th
• Top cap hit: Rachaad White, $2,000,000 (0.66 percent)
• PFF grade: 80.9

29 – Miami Dolphins: $8,269,464

• Percentage of total cap: 2.75 percent
• 2025 rank: 32nd
• Top cap hit: De’Von Achane, $3,154,627 (1.05 percent)
• PFF grade: 89.2

30 – New York Giants: $8,071,093

• Percentage of total cap: 2.68 percent
• 2025 rank: 18th
• Top cap hit: Devin Singletary, $2,550,000 (0.85 percent)
• Other notable cap hits: Cam Skattebo, $1,273,260 (0.42 percent), Tyrone Tracy Jr., $1,146,588 (0.38 percent)
• PFF grade: 69.5

31 – Jacksonville Jaguars: $7,688,819

• Percentage of total cap: 2.55 percent
• 2025 rank: 19th
• Top cap hit: Chris Rodriguez, $2,245,000 (0.75 percent)
• PFF grade: 66.0

32 – Cleveland Browns: $7,494,031

• Percentage of total cap: 2.49 percent
• 2025 rank: 31st
• Top cap hit: Quinshon Judkins, $2,591,390 (0.86 percent)
• PFF grade: 66.6