For 12 NFL teams, the focus remains on the playoffs. For the other 20 teams though, it is time to start thinking about the offseason. With a little (ok a lot) of help from Spotrac.com, I went through and determined the players on the 20 teams not in postseason action most likely to be cap casualties this offseason.
Atlanta Falcons
Tyson Jackson, DE
Roddy White, WR
Matt Bryant, K
Jacob Tamme, TE
Total Savings: $13.45 million
The first year of the Dan Quinn era got off to a good start, but there were some veterans on the team who definitely did not contribute to what their pay grade indicates they should have. Tyson Jackson failed to register a sack this season and has a $6.35 million price tag attached to him. Roddy White showed his age and is not worth the 6 million and change it would cost to keep him. Matt Bryant has been good but at age 40 he is reaching the end of his career and Atlanta can find a cheaper option. Tamme is a back up on the team and would save over a million if they cut him.
Baltimore Ravens
Ladarius Webb, CB
Dennis Pitta, TE
Total Savings: $11.5 million
Ladarius Webb just turned 30 and is on the downside of his career. Dennis Pitta has not been able to stay healthy over the past few years and is not worth the $7.2 million he counts against the cap next season. They will probably restructure Joe Flacco’s contract as well, as it would save them over $11 million in cap space. Maybe with the money, Baltimore can invest in a wide receiver.
Buffalo Bills
Mario Williams, DE
Total Savings: $15.5 million
Paying $19.9 million for any player is ridiculous, especially when you can cut him to save that much. Rex Ryan has already made it clear that Williams will not be back. Look for the team to restructure Marcel Dareus’ contract as well to save an additional $6 million.
Chicago Bears
Antrel Rolle, S
Total Savings: $3 million
Rolle is 33 now and the Bears need to infuse some youth on this defense. Chicago actually has a ton of cap space to work with already (roughly $59 million). The Bears could create a ton of room as well if they can restructure Jay Cutler’s deal. It would save them about $13 million in cap space, giving them $75 million to spend.
Cleveland Browns
Dwayne Bowe, WR
Josh McCown, QB
Karlos Dansby, LB
Total Savings: $11.78 million
Cutting Dwayne Bowe doesn’t save a ton compared to what his cap hit was supposed to be, but he was so terrible in 2015, he needs to go. Josh McCown does not have a spot on this team either. Dansby is 34 and saves $5 million in cap space if he is cut. The Browns could rework Joe Haden’s deal to save an extra $7 million as well.
Dallas Cowboys
No one
Total Savings: None
This seems lame but really the Cowboys have no one to cut that will make a huge difference. At least no one they can afford to lose. I think Dallas will restructure Tony Romo’s and Tyron Smith’s deals though in order to free up close to $21.4 million in cap space.
Detroit Lions
Brandon Pettigrew, TE
Rashean Mathis, CB
Total Savings: $5.15 million
With rumors circulating that Calvin Johnson might retire, the Lions could have even more cap room. Eric Ebron has taken over for Pettigrew at tight end and Mathis is 35 already. Detroit desperately needs to infuse some youth and spend some draft picks on their secondary. If Megatron stays, don’t be surprised to see his deal restructured, as it would save the Lions over $12 million.
Indianapolis Colts
Andre Johnson, WR
Trent Cole, OLB
Erik Walden, OLB
Total Savings: $15.25 million
All three of these players are coming off disappointing seasons. Cole and Johnson had the worst seasons of their careers while Walden failed to make much of an impact.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Chris Clemons, DE
Dan Skuta, OLB
Total Savings: $7.6 million
Neither one of these guys has to go and I wouldn’t be surprised if they both stayed. They are just the two most likely players to get cut. Clemons only started seven games this year and registered just three sacks. Skuta was also a spot starter and with both Telvin Smith and Dante Fowler projecting as the starters for next season, he is more of a surplus at this point.
Miami Dolphins
Quinton Coples, OLB
Greg Jennings, WR
Total Savings: $12.75 million
Neither of these players did much in 2015. Jennings has been replaced in the offensive by both Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker. Coples was a midseason signing with no track record. Cutting him costs the Dolphins nothing and saves them $7.75 million. Look for them to rework Ndomakung Suh’s and Ryan Tannehill’s deals to save about $25.1 million.
New Orleans Saints
Marques Colston, WR
Total Savings: $5.5 million
Colston started to show his age this year and will likely not be returning. The Saints won’t cut Drew Brees, most likely, but they will force him to take a pay cut for sure. He counts $30 million against the cap next year and the Saints cannot afford that.
New York Giants
Victor Cruz, WR
Total Savings: $8 million
The Giants can afford to keep Cruz, but at 29 with a long injury history, New York will likely let him walk. The Giants can also restructure Eli Manning’s deal to give them an additional $12.4 in cap space. That would give New York close to $60 million in cap room for the upcoming offseason.
New York Jets
Antonio Cromartie, CB
Breno Giacomini, RT
Geno Smith, QB
Total Savings: $13.5 million
The Jets are very deep in the secondary and with Cromartie already at 31 years old, New York can let him walk. Cutting Giacomini, who has been underwhelming, would let the Jets draft a tackle in the first round to fix that spot. Getting rid of Smith only saves $1 million, but it lets the Jets move on from a terrible draft pick. If the team needs money to make a big deal in free agency, Darrelle Revis’ contract can be reworked to save over $12 million.
Oakland Raiders
Sebastian Janikowski, K
Total Savings: $3.6 million
Janikowski is 37 now and has one of the highest cap numbers for kickers in the league. Like Jacksonville, Oakland doesn’t need to cut him, but if they cut someone, I think he is most likely. The Raiders already have $64 million in cap room.
Philadelphia Eagles
Brent Celek, TE
Total Savings: $5 million
Over the last two years, Brent Celek has clearly become second fiddle to Zach Ertz. He turned 30 this year as well, which doesn’t help his case. I think Philly will rework Byron Maxwell’s deal to save some additional space.
San Diego Chargers
Donald Brown, RB
Total Savings: $3.5 million
With Bradon Oliver, Melvin Gordon and Danny Woodhead already in San Diego, Donald Brown probably gets ruled as excess. Look for San Diego to rework Philip Rivers’ deal to save north of $11 million in cap space too.
San Francisco 49ers
Colin Kaepernick, QB
Erik Pears, RT
Total Savings: $15.5 million
With Anthony Davis potentially coming back in 2016, the 49ers won’t need the 33-year old Pears anymore at right tackle. We’ve also likely seen the last of Colin Kaepernick in the Bay Area. Cutting him will save the Niners $13.4 million in cap space.
St. Louis Rams
No one
Total Savings: None
Similar to Dallas, the Rams don’t have anyone they would like to cut to save money. We could see Robert Quinn’s deal restructured though to save St. Louis about $5.3 million.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vincent Jackson, WR
Logan Mankins, LG
Total Savings: $16.8 million
Over the past two seasons, Vincent Jackson’s production has dropped off. Granted this season he was hurt, but he will be 33 in 2016 and Tampa needs to continue to build a young foundation. Releasing him saves the Bucs almost $10 million. Logan Mankins was great for a stop-gap solution but he is not the long term answer. Rather than keep him on another year, save $7 million and cut him now.
Tennessee Titans
Da’Norris Searcy, SS
Total Savings: $5 million
Searcy is not the answer at safety and the Titans do not need to have him count that extra $5 million against the cap while they find his replacement. The Titans need to draft well to get back into playoff contention.