NFL Teams Spend More Than $1B on Contracts in First 90 Minutes of 2026 Free Agency

NFL teams committed to more than $1 billion in player salaries in the first hour and a half of 2026 free agency negotiations, according to ESPN's Pat McAfee Show.

Teams have been able to officially negotiate with players since noon ET on Monday.

Multiple blockbuster contracts had already been agreed to as of 1:30 p.m. ET the same day.

That includes the Indianapolis Colts' Alec Pierce, who set a free-agent record for wide receivers with his reported four-year, $116 million deal.

Other reported major contracts in the early stages of free agency include:

• Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens (three-year, $81 million deal)
• Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins (three-year, $67.5 million deal)
• Jaelan Phillips, Philadelphia Eagles (four-year, $120 million deal)
• Laremy Tunsil, Washington Commanders (two-year, $60.2 million deal)
• Michael Pittman Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers (three-year, $59 million deal)
• Jaylen Watson, Los Angeles Rams (three-year, $51 million deal)
• Isaiah Likely, New York Giants (three-year, $40 million deal)
• Coby Bryant, Chicago Bears (three-year, $40 million deal)
• Dre'Mont Jones, New England Patriots (three-year, $39.5 million deal)

• Montaric Brown, Jacksonville Jaguars (three-year, $33 million deal)
• David Edwards, Buffalo Bills (four-year, $61 million deal)
• Jalen Nailor, Las Vegas Raiders (three-year, $35 million deal)
• Travis Etienne, New Orleans Saints (four-year, $52 million deal)
• Wan'Dale Robinson, Tennessee Titans (four-year, $78 million deal)

NFL teams can start officially signing players when the league year opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

The fast start to free agency comes shortly after the NFL told teams the league's salary cap would rise to a record $301.2 million in 2026.

That represented a $22 million jump from the 2025 season, and an increase of more than $100 million since 2021.

Pierce's deal with the Colts wasn't the only move that made financial history for the NFL on Monday.

The Dolphins were active before free agency opened by announcing that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would be released by Wednesday.

That move resulted in the Dolphins taking on in $99 million in dead cap, the largest such hit in NFL history.

The Dolphins have since signed former Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis, while the Atlanta Falcons are expected to pursue Tagovailoa in free agency, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Texans have been the most active team in NFL free agency between 2020 and 2025, followed by the Panthers, Jaguars and Dolphins, per Over the Cap's Jason Fitzgerald.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens and Packers have been the least active teams in free agency over that same period, per Fitzgerald.

All teams will have to make sure they are in compliance with the 2026 salary cap by the time the league year starts Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.