Building the Best Teams Possible Under NFL Salary-Cap Rules
Building an NFL roster is a strenuous undertaking of talent evaluation and balancing funds for franchise cornerstones, veteran placeholders and young players. Maintaining competitiveness year in and year out goes far beyond the gridiron and into the depths of number crunching.
Here, we'll entertain two avenues to reach a final 53-man roster: the expensive quarterback route (listed as Team A) and the inexpensive alternative (Team B) under center.
We didn't apply strict thresholds regarding roster spots for players on rookie contracts (including 2023 draft picks and undrafted free agents), fifth-year options and franchise tags. Players who have outperformed their current contracts were prioritized, and up-and-coming rookies were rewarded to further allocate money toward superstar talent.
All players currently on an NFL roster and under contract (as of cutdown day) were deemed eligible.
The Rules
- Salary cap is set at $224.8 million, this season's non-adjusted maximum for NFL teams.
- Rosters are comprised of 53 players with offensive skill players listed in base 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs), while the defense will be constructed in a 4-3 base. Depth will be listed below each starting group.
- Salary cap figures provided by Over The Cap or Spotrac unless otherwise noted.
Quarterback
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Team A (3): Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs ($39.7M cap hit in 2023)
For the superstar route, Patrick Mahomes is the obvious choice here. The 27-year-old already has two MVPs, a pair of Super Bowl rings and two All-Pro nods under his belt.
The most electric quarterback in the league today, he has the highest individual cap hit on Team A for a reason. You either have your guy under center or you're looking for one, and I'm not getting cute at the most important position on either side of the line of scrimmage.
Backups: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers ($889K); Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cleveland Browns ($835K)
Team B (3): Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles ($6.2M cap hit)
After leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl last season, Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million extension this offseason. His cap hit will begin to soar after this year, but he currently has a smaller cap hit than each of the first-round quarterbacks in this year's draft (Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson).
It's highway robbery to have an MVP-caliber quarterback locked in at that price this year.
Backups: Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers ($3.2M); Sam Howell, Washington Commanders ($960K)
Running Back
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Team A (3): Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers ($3.4M)
It's hard to believe McCaffrey is only 27 years old. The explosive, three-down threat has amassed over 4,700 yards on the ground and 3,700 through the air across his six-year NFL career. Pairing him with Patrick Mahomes wouldn't be fair to opposing defenses.
Few running backs are as good of a threat in the air as they are a ball-carrier, but McCaffrey is the rare exception. His do-it-all skill set helps his offense win matchups on a consistent basis.
Backups: Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans ($1.1M); Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers ($986K)
Team B (3): Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers ($3.6M)
Pairing Harris alongside Jalen Hurts would force defenses to add bodies into the box. A physically overpowering talent with the footwork and burst to run through, around and over opponents, he's quickly become one of the NFL's top young running backs.
Harris has scored 20 total touchdowns from scrimmage in his 20 NFL seasons, setting the stage for what should continue to be a productive career.
Backups: Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars ($3.5M); Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons ($4.0M)
Wide Receiver
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Team A (6): Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins ($12.9M); Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings ($4.2M); CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys ($4.5M)
What do you do if you're facing arguably the NFL's top two wideouts? Both Hill and Jefferson are three-level threats who can snap off a route at a moment's notice and take it for a touchdown.
Hill's world-class speed and Jefferson's ability to marionette any opposing corner would be a tandem unlike anything we've seen before. And having Lamb as the third read in a progression would be unfair to any defense.
Backups: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions ($1.1M); Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers ($2.1M); Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders ($3.4M)
Team B (6): Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders ($11.0M); A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles ($8.6M); Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals ($8.4M)
With less money allocated to quarterback, putting together this starting unit was a treat. McLaurin, Brown and Chase all have unique skill sets compared to the others.
Strong hands, explosiveness before and after the catch and toughness to win inside a phone booth, this group has it all. Deploying man coverage against this group is asking to get beat for six.
Backups: Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers ($4.0M); George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers ($1.5M); Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills ($2.9M)
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Tight End
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Team A (3): Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs ($14.8M)
With Tyreek Hill already on the roster, reuniting the core trio of Mahomes, Hill and Kelce was paramount in this exercise. With just a tick over $10 million in cap allocated to the front five, saving money to pay a talent like Kelce is well worth the investment.
A dynamic flex weapon who can play both the Y/F positions within an offense, Kelce could go down as the best ever to do it at his position.
Backups: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions ($1.7M); Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens ($996K)
Team B (3): Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons ($9.0M)
At 6'6" and 245 pounds, Kyle Pitts ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his pro day in 2021. He's too quick for linebackers and too big for safeties, which gives him unique alignment versatility.
Although his production plummeted last year amidst a lost season for the Falcons, he's an easy selection here with the ninth-highest cap hit among all tight ends this season.
Backups: Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers ($1.6M); Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos ($1.2M)
Offensive Tackle
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Team A (3): LT Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings ($3.6M); RT Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears ($3.8M)
Paying up for San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams wasn't feasible here. But adding two young, athletic, nasty finishers isn't a bad trade-off.
Darrisaw has become one of the league's most dominant blindside protectors, while Wright has the athleticism and technique to win early and often as a rookie in the NFL.
Swing Tackle: Braxton Jones, Chicago Bears ($945K)
Team B (3): LT Kolton Miller, Las Vegas Raiders ($17.7M); RT Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($3.7M)
Miller has allowed only eight sacks in his last 1,353 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, while Wirfs has allowed only seven sacks in his last 2,213 pass-blocking snaps. Wirfs has also become one of the NFL's most athletic movers on the right side of the line.
No matter how talented your group of skill-position players looks on paper, the best way to reach your ceiling on offense is to keep your signal-caller off his back. This tandem checks off a ton of boxes.
Swing Tackle: Zach Tom, Green Bay Packers ($996K)
Guard
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Team A (3): LG Ben Powers, Denver Broncos ($5.3M); RG Mike Onwenu, New England Patriots ($3.0M)
No matter how explosive or unique an offense may be, NFL games are often won and lost in the trenches. Plugging in two veterans who have seen it all makes life that much easier on a quarterback.
I also love the value in Leverett here. The 2020 undrafted free agent didn't allow a sack in 481 pass-blocking opportunities last fall, according to Pro Football Focus.
Backup: Nick Leverett, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($940K)
Team B (3): LG Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns ($6.7M); RG Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons ($13.7M)
Loading up within the lungs of the offensive line will help an offense in all facets. Two of the best in the game, Lindstrom and Bitonio have combined to allow only five sacks over the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.
Backup: Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs ($973K)
Center
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Team A (1): Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs ($1.5M)
A unique interior presence as a left-handed snapper, Humphrey has been nothing short of sensational since entering the NFL as a second-round selection in 2021. He last allowed a sack in the divisional round back in 2021 (889 pass-blocking snaps), per Pro Football Focus.
Team B (1): Ethan Pocic, Cleveland Browns ($2.0M)
It's rare to see 6'6" centers dominate leverage the way Pocic does. He's totaled as many penalties (two) as sacks allowed over the last two seasons, per PFF, and he remains one of the most consistent anchors in the NFL.
Defensive End
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Team A (7): Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys ($4.7M); Haason Reddick, Philadelphia Eagles ($7.2M)
Parsons and Reddick are a pair of hell-raisers off the edge. They combined for a ridiculous 193 pressures and 36 sacks in 2022 alone, per Pro Football Focus.
Good luck to any opposing tackle facing $27.7M worth of cap space for talent working off the edge—the highest of any position group for Team A.
Backups: Josh Uche, New England Patriots ($1.7M); Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions ($8.1M); George Karlaftis, Kansas City Chiefs ($2.7M); Justin Houston, Baltimore Ravens ($2.1M); Baron Browning, Denver Broncos ($1.3M)
Team B (7): Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers ($17.9M); Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins ($3.8M)
A perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate and the highest individual cap hit on Team B, Bosa forces teams to restructure their game script offensively. The 25-year-old will pair well with a rising star in Phillips, who finished second in the AFC in pressures (77) last fall, per Pro Football Focus.
Prioritizing getting after the quarterback was a must with $39.3M in cap space devoted to the edge spot, the highest of any position group for either team.
Backups: Za'Darius Smith, Cleveland Browns ($3.0M); Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers ($4.4M); Josh Sweat, Philadelphia Eagles ($6.0M); Frank Clark, Kansas City Chiefs ($2.3M); Darrell Taylor, Seattle Seahawks ($2.2M)
Defensive Tackle
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Team A (5): Javon Hargrave, San Francisco 49ers ($6.6M); Da'Ron Payne, Washington Commanders ($8.6M)
Gone are the days of static, A- and B-gap run-cloggers. The ability to push the pocket is a trait that teams search high and low for, and few are better than Hargrave and Payne.
The tandem combined for 23 sacks in 2022 and constantly demand double-teams within the interior.
Backups: Dalvin Tomlinson, Cleveland Browns ($4.3M); Quinton Jefferson, New York Jets ($2.0M); Karl Brooks, Green Bay Packers ($803K)
Team B (5): Quinnen Williams, New York Jets ($6.4M); Jeffrey Simmons, Tennessee Titans ($6.4M)
The straw the stirs the drink up front for the Jets, Williams can play all over the defensive front with over 200-plus career snaps recorded in both the A and B-gaps, and as a 5-tech outside the shoulder of the offensive tackle.
A maneuverable piece who demands attention when setting protections, Williams' presence coupled with Simmons' blend of Herculean strength and pass-rushing repertoire would make them a hassle to counter for a full 60 minutes.
Backups: Justin Madubuike, Baltimore Ravens ($3.0M); Morgan Fox, Los Angeles Chargers ($2.5M); Adetomiwa Adebawore, Indianapolis Colts ($949K)
Linebacker
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Team A (5): Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers ($9.0M); Dre Greenlaw, San Francisco 49ers ($5.5M); Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville Jaguars ($2.9M)
Success on defense starts at the core, and there isn't a better tandem in the NFL than Warner and Greenlaw.
Pairing two alphas with a playmaker like Lloyd makes life that much easier in the trenches and within the secondary.
Backups: Willie Gay, Kansas City Chiefs ($1.7M); Trenton Simpson, Baltimore Ravens ($983K)
Team B (5): Matt Milano, Buffalo Bills ($7.1M); Germaine Pratt, Cincinnati Bengals ($5.4M); Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs ($1.6M)
This is the type of trio that flat-out gets after people from the opening whistle. While their athleticism, instincts and coverage ability (specifically Pratt) stand out, their football intelligence is off the charts.
Having hree defenders who can wear the green play-caller dot within the middle of a defense never hurts.
Backups: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland Browns ($1.8M); Jack Sanborn, Chicago Bears ($873K)
Cornerback
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Team A (6): Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens ($20.0M); Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos ($5.7M); Tyson Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars ($2.5M)
It's a case of pick your poison when it comes to attacking either Humphrey or Surtain. Man, zone, sticking their face in the mud against the run—whatever you choose, you'll probably lose.
The duo combined for five interceptions last fall and would present an electric corner trio with Campbell, a long, explosive stalwart who can play inside-out.
Backups: Duke Shelley, Las Vegas Raiders ($1.2M); Martin Emerson, Cleveland Browns ($1.2M); Kader Kohou, Miami Dolphins ($880K)
Team B (6): Sauce Gardner, New York Jets ($7.6M); Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers ($10.8M); Tariq Woolen, Seattle Seahawks ($953K)
Gardner, the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has quickly become one of the league's most impressive corners. The same goes for Woolen, who was taken 149 selections after Gardner. Two elite-level athletes with the size, length, and mirroring skills to make life miserable for opposing wideouts.
Paying up for Alexander to complete the unit was a no-brainer. He allowed a minuscule 66.2 QB rating against in 2022, per PFF, which was the lowest in his career thus far.
Backups: Deonte Banks, New York Giants ($2.5M); Michael Carter II, New York Jets ($1.0M); DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys ($946K)
Safety
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Team A (4): Grant Delpit, Cleveland Browns ($2.4M); Ryan Neal, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($1.1M)
Injuries hampered the early portions of Delpit's career, but he broke out last season. He finished with four interceptions, five pass breakups and a 62.9 completion percentage against, according to PFF.
Neal remains one of the more underrated pure cover guys in the NFL. He allowed only five catches on 14 targets in his final six starts last season, per PFF.
Backups: Tashaun Gipson, San Francisco 49ers ($2.1M); Darrick Forrest, Washington Commanders ($1.0M)
Team B (4): Talanoa Hufanga, San Francisco 49ers ($1.0M); C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Detroit Lions ($4.5M)
Hufanga is one of the more instinctive, downhill defenders in the NFL. He would complement Gardner-Johnson's ball production (six interceptions in 2022) well.
Although they're both under the age of 26, they already have six NFL campaigns between them.
Backups: Rodney McLeod, Cleveland Browns ($1.1M); Rodney Thomas II, Indianapolis Colts ($894K)
Specialists
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Kicker
Team A: Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers ($870K)
Team B: Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals ($1.0M)
Punter
Team A: Tommy Townsend, Kansas City Chiefs ($2.6M)
Team B: Riley Dixon, Denver Broncos ($1.1M)
Long Snapper
Team A: Josh Harris, Los Angeles Chargers ($1.4M)
Team B: Luke Rhodes, Indianapolis Colts ($1.2M)
Core Special Teamer
Team A: Kene Nwangwu, Minnesota Vikings ($1.1M)
Team B: Marcus Jones, New England Patriots ($1.2M)
Ryan Fowler covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @_RyanFowler_.
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