According to Pro Football Talk, the NFL has informed teams that the 2023 salary cap will be set at $224.8 million, a $16.6 million increase from the 2022 season's salary cap.
"That's up from $208.2 million for the current season and reflects the uptick in revenue that the league will enjoy from new broadcasting deals that kick in during the 2023 season," wrote Josh Alper. "It also shows that the league has rebounded well from the drop to a $182.5 million salary cap in 2021 due to the impact of COVID on attendance and other revenues."
OverTheCap.com already lists the San Francisco 49ers owning $16.4 million of cap space under the new $224.8 million figure. The increased salary cap could help the team extend the contract of defensive end Nick Bosa, retain others, and potentially bring in new contributors.
Bosa is entering his fifth NFL season and remains under contract through 2023, thanks to the team's fifth-year option on the talented pass rusher. He is set to earn a guaranteed $17.86 million during the upcoming season.
Below is a 10-year breakdown of the NFL salary cap, including 2023's figure. The only salary cap decrease during that span occurred from 2020 to 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2014: $133 million
- 2015: $143.28 million
- 2016: $155.27 million
- 2017: $167 million
- 2018: $177.2 million
- 2019: $188.2 million
- 2020: $198.2 million
- 2021: $182.5 million
- 2022: $208.2 million
- 2023: $224.8 million
The new league year begins on March 15, which kicks off free agency.