With the Ravens and the rest of the NFL descending on Indianapolis for the scouting combine this week, it’s a reminder that the start of the new league year is right around the corner.
The NFL hasn’t yet set the salary cap for 2026, but Baltimore currently projects to have $22 million in space based on a cap of $303.5 million, according to OverTheCap.com. That ranks 17th in the NFL and won’t go terribly far with the Ravens having multiple roster needs, just 48 players under contract right now, and 19 unrestricted free agents scheduled to hit the open market next month.
Of course, how general manager Eric DeCosta addresses Lamar Jackson’s $74.5 million cap number and $51.25 million salary for 2026 is the overwhelming variable that’ll impact roster flexibility. However, the status of two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike — who carries a 2026 cap number just south of $31 million — will be another major factor in determining what Baltimore will be able to do with its roster.
Beyond those two major questions, there’s a short list of roster cut candidates to create cap space, but there’s always the danger of creating new roster holes in addition to the ones already present. Cap savings are attractive in March, but every move carries potential on-field consequences by the fall.
Below are the candidates for a release or pay cut for cap purposes with the savings listed in parentheses:
CB Marlon Humphrey ($7.3 million before June 1 or $19.25 million after June 1)
Skinny: At first glance, a cap number north of $26 million makes it seem like a no-brainer decision to part with a cornerback entering his age-30 season and coming off a poor 2025 campaign. But the amount of dead money left from previous restructures and void years wouldn’t create a ton of cap flexibility relative to the $19.25 million in cash saved from Humphrey’s release, which could prove to be the deciding factor anyway. A post-June 1 release would clear much more cap space, but that wouldn’t come until later in the offseason when it’s too late to make dynamic moves. There’s also the question of how you go about replacing Humphrey as Baltimore would need to add a starting-caliber corner to play opposite Nate Wiggins. The optimal outcome for the Ravens might be Humphrey agreeing to a pay cut to see if he can rebound with a new coaching staff and get back to where he was in 2024, which was one of the best seasons of his career. Such a scenario could also leave open the possibility of Humphrey seeing more time at safety, which could be the better fit for the remainder of his career.
DT Broderick Washington ($4.01 million)
Skinny: Though often complimented for his work ethic over the years, Washington didn’t blossom into the impact player the Ravens envisioned when signing him to a three-year, $15.75 million extension before the 2023 season. And with the 29-year-old missing most of last season after undergoing Achilles tendon surgery, you wonder whether DeCosta will deem his $4.01 million salary too expensive after such underwhelming play the previous two seasons. Of course, Washington returning at a cheaper rate wouldn’t be out of the question, especially if Madubuike’s future remains in doubt.
8
RB Justice Hill ($3.1 million)
Skinny: It’s no secret that Todd Monken valued Hill as a third-down back with skills in pass protection and as a receiver out of the backfield, but a November neck injury and the emergence of a healthy Keaton Mitchell — who’s a restricted free agent — leave you wondering if the salary owed Hill would be better spent elsewhere. Of course, that could depend on how new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle views the depth behind starting running back Derrick Henry.
QB Cooper Rush ($453,000)
Skinny: The savings are next to nothing, but it’s difficult to envision a scenario where Rush returns for 2026 after that signing proved to be a complete bust last year.
G Andrew Vorhees (around $3.5 million)
Skinny: Via the proven performance escalator program, Vorhees will receive a sizable bump in pay for 2026, and that salary isn’t guaranteed. However, with two other starting interior offensive linemen — Tyler Linderbaum and Daniel Faalele — scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next month, it’d be quite surprising if the Ravens didn’t want to see how Vorhees responds to new offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford this spring and summer. If Vorhees doesn’t earn a starting job by the end of the preseason, you could certainly seem the Ravens moving on at that point.
