2026 Positional Spending Rankings: Linebackers

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To help pass the time from now until the start of training camp, we’ll be looking at where every team ranks in positional spending. Our last single position group is linebackers. A great linebacker can still have an exponential impact on the success of a defense, but there are fewer great linebackers than ever. The modern NFL is a demanding place for linebackers and college football prepares them less than it used to, leading to a longer learning curve in the league. One note: rather than count dead money toward the positional groups, we will have it ranked separately in a post of its own. For example, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa ‘s $55.4 million dead cap hit won’t count toward Miami’s quarterback spending, but it will be included in their league-leading $179 million dead cap figure. Here’s how the league’s linebacker rooms shake out from most expensive to least expensive: Resources: Salary information via Over The Cap Depth charts via OurLads Pro Football Focus grades 1 – Baltimore Ravens: $40,647,777 Percentage of total cap: 13.5 percent 2025 rank: 1st Top cap hit: Roquan Smith , $32,718,750 (10.86 percent) PFF grade: 67.2 (14th) Starters: Smith, Teddye Buchanan Depth: Trenton Simpson , Jay Higgins IV 2 – Pittsburgh Steelers: $36,043,767 Percentage of total cap: 11.97 percent 2025 rank: 2nd Top cap hit: Patrick Queen , $17,193,334 (5.71 percent) Other notable cap hit: Malik Harrison , $6,790,000 (2.25 percent) PFF grade: 48.3 (31st) Starters: Queen, Payton Wilson Depth: Harrison, Cole Holcomb , Jamin Davis 3 – Kansas City Chiefs: $30,766,746 Percentage of total cap: 10.21 percent 2025 rank: 5th Top cap hit: Nick Bolton , $19,250,000 (6.39 percent) Other notable cap hit: Drue Tranquill , $5,000,000 (1.66 percent) PFF grade: 77.6 (4th) Starters: Bolton, Tranquill Depth: Jeffrey Bassa , Cole Christiansen , Cooper McDonald 4 – San Francisco 49ers: $29,205,048 Percentage of total cap: 9.7 percent 2025 rank: 6th Top cap hit: Fred Warner , $17,865,471 (5.93 percent) PFF grade: 84.7 (1st) Starters: Warner, Dre Greenlaw Depth: Tatum Bethune , Luke Gifford , Nick Martin , Jaden Dugger 5 – Chicago Bears: $28,255,518 Percentage of total cap: 9.38 percent 2025 rank: 3rd Top cap hit: T.J. Edwards , $10,833,333 (3.6 percent) Other notable cap hit: Devin Bush , $5,666,666 (1.88 percent) PFF grade: 78.9 (2nd) Starters: Edwards, Bush Depth: D’Marco Jackson , Noah Sewell , Ruben Hyppolite II , Keyshaun Elliott , Jack Sanborn 6 – Houston Texans: $26,989,279 Percentage of total cap: 8.96 percent 2025 rank: 13th Top cap hit: Azeez Al-Shaair , $8,786,588 (2.92 percent) PFF grade: 70.5 (10th) Starters: Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o Depth: Wade Woodaz , Marte Mapu , Jake Hummel , Jamal Hill , E.J. Speed * *injured 7 – New England Patriots: $26,282,218 Percentage of total cap: 8.73 percent 2025 rank: 7th Top cap hit: Robert Spillane , $12,320,000 (4.09 percent) Other notable cap hit: Christian Elliss , $8,555,000 (2.84 percent) PFF grade: 68.2 (11th) Starters: Spillane, Elliss Depth: K.J. Britt , Namdi Obiazor , Chad Muma , Otis Reese 8 – Jacksonville Jaguars: $24,965,885 Percentage of total cap: 8.29 percent 2025 rank: 12th Top cap hit: Foyesade Oluokun , $17,108,500 (5.68 percent) PFF grade: 73.5 (7th) Starters: Oluokun, Ventrell Miller Depth: Dennis Gardeck , Jack Kiser , Branson Combs , Jalen McLeod 9 – Las Vegas Raiders: $23,826,385 Percentage of total cap: 7.91 percent 2025 rank: 26th Top cap hit: Quay Walker , $9,666,666 (3.21 percent) Other notable cap hit…