Defensive tackle Milton Williams carries the biggest salary cap number on the Patriots in 2026 at roughly $28.5 million, ahead of guard Mike Onwenu at about $25 million and cornerback Carlton Davis III at about $22 million. Five of New England’s six largest cap hits are on defense, which is a direct result of how the team spent when it had the most cap room in the league.
The 10 Biggest Cap Hits
| Player | Position | 2026 cap hit |
|---|---|---|
| Milton Williams | Defensive tackle | $28.5 million |
| Mike Onwenu | Guard | $25 million |
| Carlton Davis III | Cornerback | $22 million |
| Christian Barmore | Defensive tackle | $17.1 million |
| Harold Landry III | Edge rusher | $16.3 million |
| Robert Spillane | Linebacker | $12.3 million |
| Hunter Henry | Tight end | $11.7 million |
| Morgan Moses | Offensive tackle | $10.4 million |
| Drake Maye | Quarterback | $9.9 million |
| Will Campbell | Offensive tackle | $9.9 million |
Cap figures are as reported after free agency. They move during the season as bonuses are earned and contracts are restructured, and this list predates the A.J. Brown trade and any Christian Gonzalez extension.
The Contracts Behind the Numbers
Milton Williams signed a four year, $104 million deal with $63 million guaranteed, roughly $26 million a year. New England went and got him after he sacked Patrick Mahomes twice in Super Bowl LIX, including a strip sack that ended Kansas City’s comeback. He is the highest paid player on the roster and the anchor of the interior line.
Carlton Davis III got three years and $60 million with $34.5 million fully guaranteed to play opposite Christian Gonzalez.
Robert Spillane signed for three years and $37.5 million with $20.6 million guaranteed. He is also a team captain.
Morgan Moses came on a three year, $24 million deal that can max out at $28.5 million. He was named a captain for the first time in his career this season.
The Quarterback Is the Bargain
The most important number on this list is the ninth one. Drake Maye is coming off a season in which he threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns, led the NFL in both passer rating and completion percentage, made second team All-Pro and took the team to the Super Bowl. He counts $9.9 million against the cap.
That gap between his production and his price is the entire reason New England could afford to pay Williams, Davis and Spillane and then trade for A.J. Brown. It also has a clock on it. Maye becomes extension eligible after this season, and Spotrac’s own valuation model puts a market deal for him around four years and $240 million. Our Drake Maye contract page has the full breakdown.
Two Numbers That Will Change This List
The first is Christian Gonzalez, and it is no longer hypothetical. On Tuesday, September 8, the Patriots signed him to a four year extension worth $135 million with $102 million guaranteed and a position record $33 million signing bonus. At $33.75 million a year he is the highest paid cornerback in NFL history and the highest paid player in Patriots history, passing Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon, who had set the mark at four years and $132 million.
It does not necessarily vault him to the top of the 2026 table above. Extensions signed this late are usually structured with a modest first year cap charge and the real money landing in later seasons, and the year by year breakdown has not been made public. What is certain is that he leads every future version of this list.
One piece of context on how unusual this is: Gonzalez is the first Patriots first round pick to sign a second contract with the team since Dont’a Hightower in 2015.
The second is A.J. Brown, acquired from Philadelphia in June. His 2026 cap number is comparatively light, but the guarantees attached to his deal come due in the seasons after this one.
Between those two and a Maye extension, the 2027 and 2028 cap sheets will look nothing like this one.
Related
Drake Maye contract and salary · Patriots depth chart 2026 · Patriots captains 2026 · Patriots Super Bowl history · Patriots schedule
The Bottom Line
Milton Williams at $28.5 million is the top cap hit, and defense dominates the list. The team’s franchise quarterback is the ninth largest number on his own roster, which is exactly the window New England is trying to win in before it closes.