The NFL Players Association typically meets in Indianapolis prior to the start of the NFL Scouting Combine. They talk about a multitude of different topics during this meeting, but there was one big takeaway that has taken social media by storm.

According to a report by EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline, several teams will need to spend and additional $50 million on player contracts to meet their three-year requirement set by the CBA.

Many fans on social media are confused as to why teams like the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and the Tennessee Titans must spend $50 million this offseason, so I’m here to break down one of the NFL’s lesser-known rules.

Why Do These Teams Need to Spend $50 Million?

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According to the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was ratified in 2020, teams are required to spend 90 percent of the salary cap from 2024-2026. The seven teams Pauline named have not met that 90 percent threshold, and with just one year left in the stated time period, they must spend over $50 million each to meet the CBA’s requirement.

For the Titans, Chargers, Raiders, Jets and Seahawks, this won’t be a problem. All of these teams have well over $50 million in cap space to spend this offseason, so they can just sit back and have a good time this free agency.

For the Rams, it won’t be much of a problem either. They currently have $44 million in cap space, and with just a few restructures or cuts, they can clear enough space to meet the requirement.

For the Saints, it’s a bit trickier. They currently have negative $8 million in cap space, meaning they have to clear $58 million dollars before they can start spending. Luckily, they don’t have many long-term commitments and have over $150 million in 2027, so they can move money around and clear the space as well. It’ll just take a little bit more work.

Fan bases are always excited for free agency, because it means their team can go out and add some new players, but for these seven fanbases, excitement should be at an all-time high. Your team is literally forced to spend the money, so kick back, relax, and enjoy the show.

These Seven Teams Were Frugal in 2024 & 2025

In 2024, the Jets didn’t make any big signings. The most money they gave out was a one-year, $10 million contract to Mike Williams. Other than that, they didn’t sign any other player to a deal worth more than $10 million per season. It was much of the same in 2025. Justin Fields and Brandon Stephens received $20 million and $12 million per season respectively, but other than that, it was a lot of cheap deals. Now, with $80 million in cap space, they can go on a spending spree.

The Saints also were not big spenders in 2024 or 2025. During that time frame, they gave out four deals worth more than $10 million per season, and three of them were for $13 or less. Only Chase Young’s $17 million extension topped that mark.

Surprisingly, the Super Bowl champions also haven’t spent a whole lot in free agency recently. Outside of Sam Darnold’s $33 million deal, only one other player (Leonard Williams) has topped the $15 million per year mark.

The Raiders paid Christian Wilkins $27.5 million per year in 2024, but have given out just two other contracts worth more than $10 million since. Those were Gardner Minshew ($12 million) and Malcom Koonce ($11 million).

The Chargers have been one of the most conservative teams since Jim Harbaugh arrived. The only player they’ve paid more than $10 million per season to is Mekhi Becton, who signed for exactly $10 million per year in 2025.

The other Los Angeles team has also been pretty conservative with their money. They gave Davante Adams $22 million in 2025, but have given out just one other $10+ million per year deal since 2024, which was Jonah Jackson ($17 million) in 2024.

Finally, we have the Titans. They spent a good bit in 2024, signing Calvin Ridley, Lloyd Cushenberry and Chidobe Awuzie to $12+ million deals, but they were much quieter in 2025, handing out just one $10+ million deal to Dan Moore.

These seven teams have been quite frugal in recent years, but now it’s time to spend. I’m excited to see how each of these teams decides to spend their money, because if they use it correctly, it could change the course of their franchise.