StickToTheModel
NFL Minimum Salary 2026: Rookie and Veteran Minimums
What is the NFL minimum salary in 2026?
The NFL minimum salary is the lowest base salary a team can pay a player on its 53-man roster, set by the CBA for every season. In 2026 it is $885,000 for a rookie and rises with each credited season, to $1,300,000 for a player with seven or more.
Updated Nov. 4, 2026.
How the Rookie Minimum Salary works
Every NFL player, regardless of how they enter the league, must be paid at least the rookie minimum salary. This floor applies to undrafted free agents, late-round picks, and practice squad call-ups alike. The CBA sets these minimums and increases them each year to keep pace with revenue growth.
The rookie minimum differs from veteran minimums, which increase based on years of credited service. A player with zero credited seasons earns the rookie minimum, while veterans with more experience earn progressively higher minimums. This tiered system ensures that even the lowest-paid veterans are compensated fairly relative to their experience.
For salary cap purposes, veterans signed to one-year minimum deals may qualify for the Veteran Salary Benefit, which charges only a portion of their salary against the cap. This incentivizes teams to sign experienced players at minimum deals without the full cap penalty, creating a win-win for cost-conscious roster building.
NFL minimum salary by credited seasons, 2026
| Credited seasons | 2026 minimum base salary |
|---|---|
| 0 (rookie) | $885,000 |
| 1 | $1,005,000 |
| 2 | $1,075,000 |
| 3 | $1,145,000 |
| 4 to 6 | $1,215,000 |
| 7 or more | $1,300,000 |
Rookie Minimum Salary example in the NFL
Many undrafted free agents sign contracts at or near the rookie minimum salary. In 2023, Puka Nacua signed a four-year deal with the Rams as a fifth-round pick with base salaries near the minimum in his early years, then exploded for an NFL-record 105 rookie receptions.
What is the NFL league minimum salary in 2026?
$885,000 for a rookie. The floor rises with credited seasons: $1,005,000 with one, $1,075,000 with two, $1,145,000 with three, $1,215,000 with four to six, and $1,300,000 with seven or more.
What is a credited season?
A season in which a player spent at least three regular-season games on full-pay status: the active roster, injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list. Credited seasons set the minimum salary; accrued seasons (six games) decide free agency.
See It In Action
Category: Draft & Rookies. Part of the StickToTheModel NFL Encyclopedia.