NFL Teams' Updated Salary Cap for 2023 Free Agency After Franchise-Tag Deadline

The deadline to place the franchise tag on players came and went Tuesday, meaning the NFL's attention will now shift to free agency.

The legal tampering period starts on March 13 at 12 p.m. ET, while the new league year and window to sign players begins on March 15 at 4 p.m. ET. Some teams are much better positioned than others when it comes to cap space heading into this key period of the offseason.

With that in mind, here is a look at where every team stands in terms of cap space available, per Spotrac:

1. Chicago Bears, $96.9 million

2. Atlanta Falcons, $62 million

3. Houston Texans, $42 million

4. Las Vegas Raiders, $39.7 million

5. New York Giants, $33.4 million

6. Cincinnati Bengals, $33.3 million

7. New England Patriots, $26.8 million

8. Seattle Seahawks, $24 million

9. Tennessee Titans, $23.6 million

10. Detroit Lions, $23.3 million

11. Kansas City Chiefs, $17.8 million

12. Arizona Cardinals, $16.6 million

13. Green Bay Packers, $14.3 million

14. Washington Commanders, $9.9 million

15. San Francisco 49ers, $7.8 million

16. Indianapolis Colts, $3.4 million

17. Denver Broncos, $1.5 million

18. New York Jets, -$2 million

19. Carolina Panthers, -$3.1 million

20. Pittsburgh Steelers, -$4.8 million

21. Philadelphia Eagles, -$5.4 million

22. Baltimore Ravens, -$9.8 million

23. Los Angeles Rams, -$14.5 million

24. Miami Dolphins, -$16.6 million

25. Minnesota Vikings, -$17.2 million

26. Cleveland Browns, -$17.7 million

27. Buffalo Bills, -$19 million

28. Los Angeles Chargers, -$23.1 million

29. Dallas Cowboys, -$24 million

30. New Orleans Saints, -$29 million

31. Jacksonville Jaguars, -$36.3 million

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, -$48.7 million

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At this point, the Chicago Bears control much of the offseason narrative.

They have the most cap space in the league and have the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft. It is quite a position to be in for a rebuilding team looking to turn things around after a 3-14 campaign, but it is also a spot that should help it immediately bolster the roster at a number of positions.

For one, the Bears already have their franchise quarterback in place in Justin Fields.

That means they don't have to worry about adding a pricey signal-caller in free agency and can trade that No. 1 pick to a quarterback-needy team at a premium price. The draft capital they receive in return can be used to address multiple areas of need, which will be even clearer after free agency.

Chicago's cap space will also allow it to address multiple positions in free agency, and offensive line and wide receiver are two spots that come to mind given the overall importance of surrounding a young quarterback with talent.

Fields took a notable leap from his first to second year and finished with the second-most rushing yards in a season for a quarterback in NFL history (1,143) despite playing with lackluster options at wide receiver and a questionable offensive line. Addressing those spots either through free agency or the draft will be critical if the Bears are going to make noise in the NFC North.

They aren't the only team in an ideal spot based on cap space, and some contenders such as the Cincinnati Bengals stand out in the top 10.

Cincinnati went to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship Game the last two seasons and doesn't need as many pieces as a team like Chicago to remain competitive. Its available cap space means it can pick and choose an elite player or two at certain positions and pay a premium price to bolster a roster that is already capable of competing for championships.

For now, teams will have a handful of days to assess the free-agency market and decide which players they want to pursue.

Once free agency starts, the outlook of the league could change in a matter of hours.