The veteran cuts are already rolling in around the NFL, with Chris Long, Mario Williams, Arian Foster, Antonio Cromartie and Roddy White already among the biggest cap casualties.
Teams still aren’t done trimming the fat.
Here are 10 others who are likely to be cut before the start of the NFL’s new league year:
QB Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins
The Redskins releasing Griffin is a matter of when, not if. Sometime in the next week, Washington will cut the former No. 2 overall pick and save $16.15 million on the 2016 cap—with no dead money involved. The only thing stopping the Redskins from cutting him is their pipe dream of finding a trade partner before March 9.
WR Mike Wallace, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings might pursue a pay cut, but Wallace would be an easy cut if he isn’t willing to play ball on a huge contract restructuring. Dealt from Miami to Minnesota last offseason, he caught just 39 passes with two touchdowns in 2015, and the Vikings can save $11.5 million on the 2016 cap and $23 million over the next two seasons by cutting him now.
KR Devin Hester, Atlanta Falcons
Hester is 33 and coming off major toe surgery. He played in just five games last season, with zero kick or punt returns over 40 yards. The Falcons can save $3 million by releasing him.
WR Andre Johnson, Indianapolis Colts
If Johnson wants to keep playing in 2016, it probably won’t be for the Colts. Releasing him would cost $2.5 million in dead money, but it would also give the Colts an even $5 million in cap savings. Going on 35 years old, Johnson caught just 41 passes with four touchdowns during his first season in Indianapolis.
OLB Trent Cole, Indianapolis Colts
Cole managed just three sacks for the Colts after arriving in Indianapolis from Philadelphia in 2015. He’ll be 34 in October, and the Colts can save over $6 million by releasing him. Old and costly usually makes for easy cap decisions.
WR Dwayne Bowe, Cleveland Browns
Bowe, 31, played in just seven games last season, catching all of five passes for 53 yards and zero touchdowns. He’ll come with a dead money hit of $4.6 million, but the Browns would still save $3.4 million on the 2016 cap.
CB Brandon Carr, Dallas Cowboys
Carr is a good player for a Dallas secondary lacking talent, but he’s scheduled to count $13.8 million on the Cowboys’ cap next season. A best-case scenario is still a restructure, but Dallas can save over $11 million in 2016 by making him a post-June 1st cut.
DT Domata Peko, Cincinnati Bengals
Peko is a declining player who turns 32 years old next season. He’s due over $3.7 million in 2016, but the Bengals can erase the entire charge from the books by releasing him.
OLB Ahmad Brooks, San Francisco 49ers
Brooks will count almost $10 million on the 49ers’ cap in 2016. He’d come with a dead money hit of over $3 million, but San Francisco can soften the blow—and increase the savings—by making him a post-June 1st cut. Brooks, who had 6.5 sacks last season, turns 32 in March.
WR Greg Jennings, Miami Dolphins
Jennings caught just 19 passes over 16 games with the Dolphins last season. He’ll turn 33 in September, and cutting him would save Miami $4 million on the 2016 cap. With Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker at the top of the depth chart, the Dolphins have no need for an overpaid receiver.
All contract and salary cap information provided by Spotrac.
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