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The 2026 Los Angeles Chargers salary cap hits are headlined by a lopsided trio at the top, with Justin Herbert, Derwin James and Rashawn Slater combining for over 30% of the team’s cap in 2026. The NFL Salary Cap for the 2026 season rose to an all-time high of $301.2 million. This is an increase of $22 million from the 2025 season. The NFL’s salary cap has increased by nearly $46 million in the last two seasons. The salary cap hit is a combination of salary, signing bonus money, and roster and workout bonuses. Salary counts in the year it was paid. Roster and workout bonuses count for the season in which they are earned. Signing bonuses can be divided equally across the contract term, up to 5 years. A big downfall of this bonus money is that if a player is waived or traded, any remaining bonus money that has not yet counted against the cap immediately accelerates to the team’s cap for the current season. This is commonly referred to as ‘dead money.’ Top Los Angeles Chargers Salary Cap Hits (Chargers among the NFL’s top 500 in 2026 salary) | NAME | TEAM | Position | Salary Cap Hit | % of Cap ($301.2M) | | Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers | Quarterback | $46,345,675 | 15.39% | | Derwin James | Los Angeles Chargers | Safety | $24,606,495 | 8.17% | | Rashawn Slater | Los Angeles Chargers | Left Tackle | $23,800,000 | 7.90% | | Khalil Mack | Los Angeles Chargers | EDGE/Outside Linebacker | $18,000,000 | 5.98% | | Joe Alt | Los Angeles Chargers | Left Tackle | $9,043,894 | 3.00% | | Donte Jackson | Los Angeles Chargers | Cornerback | $8,500,000 | 2.82% | | Elijah Molden | Los Angeles Chargers | Safety | $7,916,666 | 2.63% | | Dalvin Tomlinson | Los Angeles Chargers | DL/DT | $6,800,000 | 2.26% | | Tuli Tuipulotu | Los Angeles Chargers | EDGE/Outside Linebacker | $6,211,797 | 2.06% | | Teair Tart | Los Angeles Chargers | DL/DT | $6,020,000 | 2.00% | | Cameron Dicker | Los Angeles Chargers | Kicker | $5,725,000 | 1.90% | | Cole Strange | Los Angeles Chargers | Guard | $5,250,000 | 1.74% | | Quentin Johnston | Los Angeles Chargers | Wide Receiver | $4,514,611 | 1.50% | | Charlie Kolar | Los Angeles Chargers | Tight End | $4,333,333 | 1.44% | The Chargers’ top three salary cap hits, Herbert, James, and Slater are making a combined $94+ million this season. The team has a veteran roster, but still has over $41 million of cap space prior to the start of the season. That number rises to $59 million for 2027, which will change depending on potential roster cuts and player contract extensions. Two veteran edge rushers, Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree, are free agents at the end of this season, and if the team cuts ties with the duo, the Chargers would save a combined $24 million for 2027. - 2017: $167.0 million - 2018: $177.2 million - 2019: $188.2 million - 2020: $198.2 million - 2021: $182.5 million ( COVID) - 2022: $208.2 million - 2023: $224.8 million - 2024: $255.4 million - 2025: $279.2 million - 2026: $301.2 million Top Los Angeles Chargers Salary Cap Hits: Guaranteed Money | Player | Pos | Guarantee at Sign | | Justin Herbert | QB | $133,738,376 | | Rashawn Slater | LT | $56,000,000 | | Derwin James | S | $41,000,000 | | Joe Alt | RT | $33,160,944 | | Akheem Mesidor | ED | $20,456,392 | | Khalil Mack | ED | $18,000,000 | | Omarion Hampton | RB | $17,774,464 | | Charlie Kolar | TE | $17,000,000 | | Teair Tart | DL | $15,000,000 | | Tyler Biadasz | C | $15,000,000 | | Quentin Johnston | WR | $14,188,778 | | Elijah Molden | CB | $13,500,000 | | Ladd McConkey | WR | $9,185,943 | | Cameron Dicker | K | $8,735,000 | | Cole Strange | G | $7,000,000 | | Donte Jackson | CB | $7,000,000 | | Dalvin Tomlinson | DL | $5,690,000 | | Jake Slaughter | C | $5,614,493 | | Tre Harris | WR | $5,578,246 | | Keaton Mitchell | RB | $5,000,000 | | Trey Pipkins | RT | $4,575,000 | | Del’Shawn Phillips | ED | $4,000,000 | | Tuli Tuipulotu | ED | $3,577,887 | | Alec Ingold | FB | $3,560,000 | | Trevor Penning | G | $3,500,000 | | JK Scott | P | $3,150,000 | | Bud Dupree | ED | $2,495,000 | | Trey Lance | QB | $2,000,000 | | Josh Harris | LS | $1,815,000 | | Troy Dye | LB | $1,500,000 | | Deane Leonard | CB | $1,402,500 | | Tony Jefferson | SS | $1,400,000 | | Brenen Thompson | WR | $1,252,136 | | Jamaree Caldwell | DL | $1,231,464 | | Junior Colson | LB | $1,203,276 | | Travis Burke | T | $1,163,872 | | Genesis Smith | S | $1,027,688 | | Daiyan Henley | LB | $942,124 | | Kyle Kennard | DL | $930,564 | | David Njoku | TE | $850,000 | | Justin Eboigbe | DL | $839,012 | | Derius Davis | WR | $711,932 | | Nick Barrett | DL | $543,120 | | Isaiah World | T | $534,000 | | Denzel Perryman | LB | $500,000 | | KeAndre Lambert-Smith | WR | $408,004 | | Tarheeb Still | CB | $375,720 | | Oronde Gadsden II | TE | $374,036 | | Cam Hart | CB | $363,928 | | Kayode Awosika | G | $300,000 | | Nadame Tucker | ED | $287,500 | | Logan Taylor | G | $270,768 | | Avery Smith | CB | $267,500 | | Lander Barton | LB | $264,500 | | Alex Harkey | G | $259,608 | | R.J. Mickens | S | $174,280 | | Scott Matlock | FB | $172,296 | | Nikko Reed | CB | $40,000 | | Devonte Ross | WR | $35,000 | | Sincere Brown | WR | $30,000 | | Eric Rogers | CB | $20,000 | | Evan Svoboda | C | $13,000 | | Jerand Bradley | TE | $12,000 | | Devin Grant | S | $10,000 | | Gregory Desrosiers | RB | $10,000 | | Jacob Spomer | C | $10,000 | | Jacobian Guillory | DL | $10,000 | | Jahmeer Carter | DL | $10,000 | | Terry Webb | DL | $10,000 | | Noah Avinger | S | $8,000 | | Rodney Shelley | CB | $5,000 | | Marlowe Wax | LB | $3,000 | More NFL News: 2026 NFL Head Coach Rankings: The Hot Seat Awaits The Los Angeles Rams Have No Concerns at Quarterback Quarterback Baker Mayfield Promises Bounce-Back Season for Buccaneers Offense in 2026 More NFL Salary Cap Hit News: Vikings Salary Cap Hits in 2026 Dominated by Justin Jefferson and Brian O’Neill Top Cincinnati Bengals Salary Cap Hits in 2026: Burrow, Higgins and Chase Combine for $80 Million Defensive Stars at the Top of Jacksonville Jaguars Salary Cap Hits in 2026 Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images