The NFL cap space has surged for a second season in a row. And with more money flooding the league, record-breaking deals will likely follow.

It’s become the annual trend. Players ask for more money than the last guy got, and sometimes it’s significant enough to reset the entire market. While free agents get most of the attention, as they switch teams, it’s usually the young stars entering the final years of their rookie deals who get the biggest paydays. So who’s resetting the market in 2026?

5. OL Tyler Linderbaum

Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum is set to hit free agency. Linderbaum, only 25-years-old, has been one of the best, if not the best, centers since entering the league. It’s rare for any player at the top of their position to hit free agency, and there’s likely going to be a bidding war for the young Pro Bowler.

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Through four seasons, Linderbaum has missed two games and has been the definition of reliability and consistency. Despite this, the Ravens are likely letting him walk due to a regime change. Baltimore fired long-time head coach John Harbaugh after a 9-8 season in 2025.

There’s also the question of positional value. The center is often referred to as the least important position on the offensive line, therefore making less money. The highest-paid center in the NFL makes $10 million less than the highest-paid tackle.

Speaking of the highest-paid center, that title belongs to Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey, who makes $18 million a year. Humphrey signed his deal in 2024.

With plenty of teams in need of a center, Linderbaum will get the full free agency experience. A bidding war will likely take place, and he is up to resetting the market.

4. CB Christian Gonzalez

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez is coming off his best season as a pro. Opposing quarterbacks targeted Gonzalez 84 times in 2025, with the star cornerback allowing just 45 completions. Gonzalez played even better in the Super Bowl with all eyes on him, cementing himself as one of the league’s best young corners.

Just a year ago, Derek Stingley Jr. became the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL in his first year of being eligible for an extension. Stingley’s time at the top didn’t last long, though. The New York Jets gave Sauce Gardner an even bigger deal that same offseason.

Gardner is in the second year of a four-year, $120.4 million contract, making $30.1 million a year, exactly $100k more than what Stingley signed.

With a year between, Gonzalez will be looking to top Gardner’s deal. He is a core piece to the Patriots’ defensive core and was a big part of their Super Bowl run. New England will likely treat their star player well, and he’ll be looking to reset the market.

3. WR Puka Nacua

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has been at the top of his position since entering the NFL. Over the last three seasons, only one player in the league has more receiving yards: Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase.

Nacua entered the league on fire, breaking Chase’s record for receiving yards by a rookie. Despite following that season with a bit of a fall off (990 yards), he got right back on track in 2025, catching 129 passes for 1,715 yards.

The wide receiver market is notorious for constantly being topped. Justin Jefferson was the highest-paid wideout in 2024, but Chase came along and topped his deal by over $5 million just a year later. The Bengals receiver is making $40.25 million annually, making it hard to top.

But if there’s any receiver that could keep up with Chase, it’s Nacua. They have been neck-and-neck since the Rams receiver entered the league.

Unlike other players on this list, Los Angeles has to work out a deal with their star wideout soon. Nacua was a fifth-round pick, meaning the Rams don’t have the option to pick up a fifth-year option. The longer they wait, the price for the third-year receiver will only go up.

2. DT Jalen Carter

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter has been dominant since entering the league. The former first-round draft pick was taken 9th overall in 2023, and somehow, it still feels like he was taken too late in the draft.

Carter has been feared since he stepped foot on an NFL field. The Eagles’ defensive tackle faces a double-team rate over 70%, with the only other interior defensive lineman earning that respect being Chris Jones.

Speaking of Jones, he’s the current highest-paid interior lineman, earning $31.8 million a year. The 6x All-Pro is by far the highest paid of his position in the league, with Milton Williams being the second, making nearly $6 million less. Despite such a discrepancy, Carter will demand Jones-like money, and someone will pay it to him.

The 6-foot-3 defensive tackle is a unicorn. He’s a dominant combination of athleticism, size, and production that not many players in the NFL can match. Along with only being 24 years old, the Eagles would be foolish not to hand Carter a blank check.

1. RB Bijan Robinson

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson may not just be the best running back in the NFL, but the best player.

Despite splitting carries, Robinson rushed for 1,478 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2025 on an efficient 5.2 yards per carry. He was the bright spot on a poorly run Falcons offense. Atlanta doesn’t have a surefire quarterback on its roster, and its offense has suffered from it. Despite this, they finished with the eighth-best rushing offense.

Robinson has cemented himself as a top running back in the league and will be demanding to be paid like one. Saquon Barkley is the current highest-paid running back, earning $20.6 million a year. Christian McCaffrey is a close second with $19 million.

Resetting the market is tough; while Robinson is seeking a new contract, he is only three years into his career, and the Falcons can pick up his fifth-year option. While it’s to everyone’s benefit for Atlanta to secure their best player on a contract that exceeds his rookie contract, they aren’t forced to.

Robinson would also be competing with fellow 2023 draftee Jahmyr Gibbs. Players often wait for others of their position to agree to a deal before agreeing to theirs. This allows them to top their contract and earn a little more.

Robinson is one of the best players in the entire NFL, and at just 24 years old, he will likely demand a big payday.