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The LabEvery contract against the field

Cincinnati BengalsThe cap file

68 contracts count $270M against the 2026 cap. 84% of it belongs to players on the field, 8th of 32. $8.9M is injured and $33.2M is healthy but not playing. The biggest building: defensive line, $79.9M, 4th in the league.

League viewRosterContracts: OverTheCap via nflverse
QB: $41.2M of cap, 91% of it on the field (3 players)QBRB: $7.3M of cap, 79% of it on the field (5 players)RBWR: $32.9M of cap, 83% of it on the field (7 players)WRTE: $13.7M of cap, 76% of it on the field (6 players)TEOL: $39.6M of cap, 84% of it on the field (11 players)OLDL: $79.9M of cap, 88% of it on the field (14 players)DLLB: $7.4M of cap, 45% of it on the field (5 players)LBDB: $40.4M of cap, 80% of it on the field (14 players)DBST: $7.1M of cap, 100% of it on the field (3 players)ST

Bottom line84% of the Bengals cap is on the field (8th of 32). The most money goes to defensive line: $79.9M, 4th in the league.

How to read this chart
The skyline above:
one building per position group, as tall as the cap hit (this season's salary-cap charge) Bengals spend on it, on the same scale as every other team. Lit windows are the share of that money on players who are actually on the field; dark windows are injured or idle money.
The cards below:
the same money in numbers. The bar fills with the share on the field, and "in spend" ranks the team among all 32 for that group.
Quarterbacks$41.2M91% on the field · 7th in spend
Running backs$7.3M79% on the field · 26th in spend
Wide receivers$32.9M83% on the field · 10th in spend
Tight ends$13.7M76% on the field · 14th in spend
Offensive line$39.6M84% on the field · 22nd in spend
Defensive line$79.9M88% on the field · 4th in spend
Linebackers$7.4M45% on the field · 31st in spend
Secondary$40.4M80% on the field · 18th in spend
Specialists$7.1M100% on the field · 8th in spend
Best value on the roster

Earning more than they cost

Barrett CarterLB · $1.3M capPlayed 99th, paid 47th among LBsDohnte MeyersWR · $1.0M capPlayed 74th, paid 34th among WRsDylan FairchildLG · $1.5M capPlayed 86th, paid 52nd among OLs

Bottom lineBest value on the roster: Barrett Carter, played 99th and paid 47th among LBs.

How to read the contract tables
One row = one contract.
2026 cap hit, average per year and years left.
Paid / played bars:
the gold bar is where his pay ranks among players at his position across the league, the green bar where his play ranks (EPA, expected points added, for QB, RB, WR, TE; share of snaps for everyone else). Full bar = top of the league.
Gap:
played rank minus paid rank, in percentile points. Positive (green) means he gives more than he costs; negative (red) means the opposite.
3 contracts

Quarterbacks $41.2M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapEPA
Joe BurrowQB$37.6M$55.0M · 2 yrs left+6+77.3 EPAJoe FlaccoQB$3.3M$6.0M · 1 yr left−61+0.0 EPASean CliffordQB$248K$248K · 1 yr left−4+0.0 EPA
5 contracts

Running backs $7.3M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapEPA
Chase BrownRB$3.7M$1.0M · 1 yr left−53-28.6 EPASamaje PerineRB$2.0M$1.8M · 1 yr left+23+2.8 EPATahj BrooksRB$1.1M$1.1M · 3 yrs left+34-2.1 EPAKendall MiltonRB$248K$248K · 1 yr left−6+0.0 EPAKentrel BullockRB$248K$248K · 1 yr left−6+0.0 EPA
7 contracts

Wide receivers $32.9M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapEPA
Ja'Marr ChaseWR$26.2M$40.3M · 3 yrs left0+41.0 EPAAndrei IosivasWR · injured$3.7M$1000K · 1 yr left−40-8.7 EPAColbie YoungWR$1.3M$1.3M · 4 yrs left−1-0.7 EPADohnte MeyersWR$1.0M$1.0M · 3 yrs left+40+6.4 EPAJordan MooreWR$248K$248K · 1 yr left−7+0.0 EPANoah ThomasWR$248K$248K · 1 yr left−7+0.0 EPAKe'Shawn WilliamsWR$206K$248K · 1 yr left−4+0.0 EPA
6 contracts

Tight ends $13.7M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapEPA
Mike GesickiTE$7.6M$8.5M · 2 yrs left+3+19.2 EPADrew SampleTE$2.9M$3.5M · 1 yr left+1+2.9 EPAErick All Jr.TE · injured$1.3M$1.2M · 2 yrs left+27+3.1 EPAJack EndriesTE$1.1M$1.1M · 4 yrs left+28+1.3 EPACam GrandyTE$657K$1.1M · 1 yr left−20+0.0 EPAJosh KattusTE$248K$248K · 1 yr left−4+0.0 EPA
11 contracts

Offensive line $39.6M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapSnaps
Orlando Brown Jr.LT$19.3M$16.0M · 2 yrs left−10100% snapsTed KarrasC$4.5M$5.0M · final year+999% snapsAmarius MimsRT$4.2M$3.8M · 2 yrs left+798% snapsDalton RisnerLG$3.7M$3.3M · 1 yr left+1599% snapsDylan FairchildLG$1.5M$1.6M · 3 yrs left+34100% snapsConnor LewC$1.4M$1.4M · 4 yrs left−480% snapsBrian Parker IIC · injured$1.2M$1.2M · 4 yrs left−400% snapsJalen RiversLT$1.1M$1.2M · 3 yrs left01% snapsJavon FosterLT$1.0M$1.0M · 1 yr left+142% snapsMyles HintonLT$885K$1.1M · 3 yrs left−210% snapsJacob BayerC$885K$885K · 1 yr left+162% snaps
14 contracts

Defensive line $79.9M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapSnaps
Boye MafeED$17.0M$20.0M · 3 yrs left076% snapsDexter Lawrence IIIDL$15.3M$28.0M · 1 yr left−369% snapsB.J. HillIDL$12.1M$11.0M · 2 yrs left−4128% snapsJonathan AllenIDL$9.8M$12.5M · 2 yrs left−163% snapsT.J. Slaton Jr.IDL$9.2M$7.0M · 1 yr left−2933% snapsShemar StewartED$4.3M$4.7M · 3 yrs left−406% snapsMyles MurphyED$4.0M$3.1M · 1 yr left+2069% snapsCashius HowellED · injured$3.0M$3.0M · 4 yrs left−435% snapsKris Jenkins Jr.IDL$2.1M$2.0M · 2 yrs left−1122% snapsLandon RobinsonIDL$1.1M$1.1M · 4 yrs left−360% snapsCedric JohnsonED$1.1M$1.0M · 2 yrs left+1322% snapsIsaiah FoskeyED$330K$330K · 1 yr left−150% snapsHoward Cross IIIIDL$248K$248K · 1 yr left−60% snapsGarmon RandolphED$248K$248K · 1 yr left−60% snaps
5 contracts

Linebackers $7.4M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapSnaps
Oren BurksLB$2.7M$2.5M · 1 yr left−1911% snapsDemetrius Knight Jr.LB$2.0M$2.3M · 3 yrs left+1983% snapsBarrett CarterLB$1.3M$1.3M · 3 yrs left+52100% snapsJack KiserLB$726K$1.0M · 1 yr left+161% snapsSwayze BozemanLB · injured$707K$1.1M · 1 yr left+110% snaps
14 contracts

Secondary $40.4M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapSnaps
Dax HillCB$12.7M$2.9M · final year−297% snapsBryan CookS$10.7M$13.4M · 3 yrs left−1280% snapsDJ Turner IICB$4.0M$1.5M · 1 yr left+1195% snapsJordan BattleS$3.9M$1.3M · 1 yr left+1999% snapsTacario DavisCB$1.8M$1.8M · 4 yrs left−1913% snapsJalen DavisCB · injured$1.5M$1.6M · 1 yr left−723% snapsKyle DuggerS$1.3M$1.4M · 1 yr left−78% snapsDJ IveyCB$1.2M$980K · 1 yr left+2037% snapsJosh NewtonCB$1.2M$1.1M · 2 yrs left+1224% snapsPJ JulesS$1.0M$1.0M · 1 yr left+179% snapsJa'Sir TaylorCB · injured$565K$1.2M · 1 yr left−160% snapsTrikweze BridgesS$248K$248K · 1 yr left−50% snapsBeau BradeS$206K$248K · 1 yr left−30% snapsEmany JohnsonS$165K$248K · 1 yr left−10% snaps
3 contracts

Specialists $7.1M

Player2026 capPer yearPaid / playedGapSnaps
Evan McPhersonK$5.0M$5.5M · 1 yr left+218% snapsRyan RehkowP$1.1M$1.0M · 1 yr left+1513% snapsWilliam WagnerLS$1.0M$992K · 2 yrs left+2813% snaps

Gold bar: where the player's pay ranks among his position group league-wide. Green bar: where his play ranks (EPA for skill players, share of snaps for everyone else). Gap = played minus paid, in percentile points.