The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, with teams racing to upgrade their roster for the stretch run and the postseason.
When making trades, however, teams must consider more than just how the acquisition fits into their roster. New players must also fit into the structure of the teams salary cap.
Unlike in the NBA, which puts different taxes on teams that go over, that is not possible in the NFL. The cap is the cap, and teams must remain compliant throughout the season. Because of this, teams that are tight up against the cap will be restricted in who they can target on the trade market. Teams with more cap space have more flexibility.
But it’s not simple ad…
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, with teams racing to upgrade their roster for the stretch run and the postseason.
When making trades, however, teams must consider more than just how the acquisition fits into their roster. New players must also fit into the structure of the teams salary cap.
Unlike in the NBA, which puts different taxes on teams that go over, that is not possible in the NFL. The cap is the cap, and teams must remain compliant throughout the season. Because of this, teams that are tight up against the cap will be restricted in who they can target on the trade market. Teams with more cap space have more flexibility.
But it’s not simple addition and subtraction to figure it out. When a team signs a player in free agency, that player’s cap hits are calculated by adding base salary and bonuses for each season. When a team trades for a player, however, the team is only responsible for the money that has not yet been paid out, meaning traded players are cheaper for their new team.
Teams that are tight against the cap can negotiate with a trading partner to have that team take on some of the remaining salary. But the more salary a team takes on in a trade, the higher the return price will be.
This is why NFL teams can’t just add whichever player fills what the team needs from a football perspective. The NFL is known for its parity, and the salary cap is a driving force in creating an even playing field.
— Video narrated by Daniel Popper. Produced by Daron Taylor and Jayne Orenstein.
Nov 3, 2025
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Daniel Popper is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Los Angeles Chargers. He previously covered the Jacksonville Jaguars for The Athletic after following the New York Jets for the New York Daily News, where he spent three years writing, reporting and podcasting about local pro sports. Follow Daniel on Twitter @danielrpopper