Five big-name NFL players who could be cut soon

While fans and most of the NFL realm turn toward the future as the NFL Scouting Combine gets underway, the cut dominoes have started falling in a big way.

With teams looking to save cap space and think about the future, major names such as Jamaal Charles and Adrian Peterson headline the recently released list.

Those former league-best running backs are just the beginning.

Below, let’s take a look at a few major names who could find themselves on the free-agent market soon, in large part thanks to bloated contracts, though a decrease in performance doesn’t hurt.

Haloti Ngata, NT, Detroit Lions

Haloti Ngata was a big signing for the Detroit Lions in 2015. As weird as it was to see Ngata in something other than the purple and black of the Baltimore Ravens, he was a good way to help the Lions get over Ndamukong Suh.

Until he wasn’t.

Ngata’s performance fell off a cliff last season, which makes sense considering he’s now 33 years old and entered the league back in 2006. At Pro Football Focus, he ranked 43rd among defensive tackles while only ranking 28th in snaps.

The Lions owe Ngata $7.7 million in 2017, money the front office can better apply elsewhere while plugging in a younger guy who can offer similar production. Ngata’s career isn’t over, but he’ll need to take a pay slash.

Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin could be the next major former star to see his name on the cut list.

Not that it would come as much of a surprise. The Buccaneers have remained noncommittal on Martin for the past few years. He had a rebound year in 2015 with 1,402 yards and six scores, but only managed to suit up in eight games in 2016.

Thanks to a suspension, none of Martin’s contract in 2017 is guaranteed, so it is a good time for the Buccaneers to dump the 28-year-old back if they choose to go in another direction. With cheap veterans on the market and a deep rookie class coming up, it seems a sure thing Martin will slip to free agency.

Martin won’t have a wildly difficult time finding work, but his days of being an every-down starter are over.

Clay Matthews, LB, Green Bay Packers

Here’s a controversial option.

Clay Matthews is one of the faces of the Green Bay Packers. The positives, though, mostly end there.

Matthews is now going on 31 years old in May. He has a base salary of $10.1 million in 2017, a cap hit of more than $15 million. Yet in 2016 he ranked 47th on a list of 59 outside linebackers at PFF, generating just four sacks and 20 quarterback hurries. Granted, the Packers have moved Matthews around over the years, but even in 2015 he hardly cracked the top 25 inside linebackers.

With Green Bay looking to get Nick Perry and Datone Jones more snaps as rushers, the front office could decide Matthews is too expensive as a rotational guy, especially given his production. Grabbing a rookie or cost-effective free agent could give the Packers more cash to play with elsewhere, even if it wouldn’t be the most popular move with the fan base.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are in an interesting situation with quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

After getting a prove-it deal, Taylor somewhat did in 2016 by throwing for 3,023 yards and 17 touchdowns against six interceptions.

Bad quarterback market or not, the Bills haven’t exactly shown confidence in Taylor as the quarterback of the future. Buffalo still hasn’t decided whether it will pick up his option, which will pay him more than $30 million over the next two years.

This seems like a scenario where the Bills could throw up their hands and roll with a rookie. Taylor is costly and has had two years to prove he can uplift the roster around him. He’ll already be 28 in August and the Bills may decide to go with a younger option as the franchise heads in a different direction. Keep in mind the Bills could also go the opposite direction, should they somehow find themselves in the hunt for a veteran like Tony Room.

Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle Seahawks

A team parting with a 30-year-old tight end due a $2 million roster bonus on March 11 on top of a $10 million salary isn’t the most ridiculous thing in the world.

The fact this is Jimmy Graham and the Seattle Seahawks is where this runs into some problems.

Alas, Graham missed five games in 2015 and had a nice comeback this past season, posting 923 yards and six touchdowns, the former his highest mark since 2013.

But Graham’s numbers started to fade as the season went on and the Seahawks better incorporated breakout star Tyler Lockett. If the front office thinks the offense can remain productive while not shelling out so much cash to a player going on 31 years old, Graham could be on the outs. He’s on the last year of his deal, and usually Seattle doesn’t let what it views as key pieces to get to that point.

Alas, here we are. Graham getting cut wouldn’t be the first time he’s come up in an unexpected transaction.