Cut Candidates: NFC North

We’ve shifted into offseason mode here at Rotoworld. In a salary-cap league with non-guaranteed contracts like the NFL, the offseason is a time teams rid themselves of players not living up to their pay scale. Every year, handfuls among handfuls of players are asked to take pay cuts or simply released outright. Before free agency opens March 10, I’ll highlight names from each team who may be on the roster bubble. According to several reports, the salary cap is expected to rise to roughly $142 million in 2015. Terms to know are "cap number", "cap savings", "cash savings", and "dead money". Cap number is how much Player X will count against Team X's salary cap. Cap savings is how much Team X will clear in salary-cap space by cutting Player X. Cash savings is how much Team X will save in terms of sheer cash, and it can be formulated by Player X's base salary + bonuses. Dead money is how much Player X will count against Team X's salary cap, even if he is released. I already took a look at the AFC East here, the AFC North here, the AFC South here, the AFC West here, and the NFC East here.

Mensio’s Note: For detailed salary cap and contract information, go check out OverTheCap.com. Salary figures and cap numbers are from them. I’d also like to give a shout-out to self-proclaimed salary cap enthusiast Andrew Cohen for answering several questions for me. Follow him on Twitter here.

CHICAGO BEARS

WR Brandon Marshall
Cap number: $9.575M
Cap savings: $3.95M
Cash savings: $7.7M
Dead money: $5.625M
Jay Cutler doesn’t make this list because the Bears have nothing to gain money-wise by cutting him, as it’d result in a $3M dead-money hit. But Cutler’s longtime pal, Marshall, seems to at least be in some danger after his worst statistical season since his rookie year. Marshall may be in decline at 31 (next month), but an early-season ankle injury and extremely poor quarterback play are the main culprits here. Marshall has a ton of good football left in the tank. And cutting him would be a mistake. There’s some belief that Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are too similar and the Bears need to get a speed complement to Jeffery, their No. 1 receiver of the future. New coach John Fox also doesn’t seem too thrilled about the prospect of Marshall doing Showtime’s Inside the NFL every Tuesday in-season like he did in 2014 under ex-coach Marc Trestman. That could rub Marshall the wrong way. At the NFL Combine, Fox was noncommittal when asked about Marshall’s status. The Bears need to make a call on Marshall before March 12, when his $7.5M salary becomes guaranteed.

LT Jermon Bushrod
Cap number: $8.05M
Cap savings: $1.45M
Cash savings: $5.875M
Dead money: $6.6M
The Bears signed Bushrod to a five-year, $36M deal in March of 2013. He’s started 30-of-32 games in Chicago, but has received extremely poor marks from Pro Football Focus each of the two seasons, giving up nine sacks and 73 QB hurries. That’s a TON of pressure. Bushrod is scheduled to be the 12th-highest-paid left tackle in the league this season, so his compensation falls in line with his level of play. Don’t expect the Bears to cut Bushrod, but I’d bet there are conversations in the Bears front office. New GM Ryan Pace was in New Orleans with Bushrod from 2007-2012. That would seem to be working in Bushrod’s favor.

Editor's Note: For everything NFL, check out Rotoworld's Player News, and follow @Rotoworld_FB and @NickMensio on Twitter.

DETROIT LIONS

RB Reggie Bush
Cap number: $5.278M
Cap savings: $1.722M
Cash savings: $3.5M
Dead money: $3.556M
Bush will turn 30 next month and is coming off a disappointing, injury-plagued season that saw him produce just 550 total yards and two touchdowns after three-straight 1,000-yard campaigns. Joique Bell is locked in as the Lions’ early-down, between-the-tackles runner, and Bush was outplayed by electric “space” RB Theo Riddick in 2014. The Lions want to get Riddick more touches this season, leaving Bush’s roster spot in serious jeopardy. If he wants to remain in Detroit, Bush will have to take a pay cut. More likely, the Lions will release him, as they need every dollar in their effort to lock up free agent Ndamukong Suh on a long-term mega-deal.

LE Jason Jones
Cap number: $3.983M
Cap savings: $3.15M
Cash savings: $3.15M
Dead money: $833K
Jones ruptured his patellar tendon in Week 3 of 2013, but he returned to start all 17 games last season. He didn’t have the same explosion, as patellar tendon injuries are more grueling rehabs than torn ACLs. Jones turns 29 in May. He has versatility with the ability to set the edge against the run and kick inside on passing downs, but, as mentioned above, GM Martin Mayhew needs to clear some money off the books. The Lions have a capable in-house replacement in 2013 fourth-rounder Devin Taylor.

WR Ryan Broyles
Cap number: $1.170M
Cap savings: $892K
Cash savings: $892K
Dead money: $279K
Broyles is one of the most injury-prone players in the league. He tore his ACL in his final season at Oklahoma before tearing his other ACL as a rookie. The 54th pick in the 2012 draft then ruptured his Achilles’ in 2013. Broyles was active just five times last season, catching two passes for 25 yards. He turns 27 in April. After showing signs of being a contributor in the slot early in his career when healthy, Broyles is in danger of falling out of the league. His Dynasty stock is at an all-time low.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

OLB Julius Peppers
Cap number: $12M
Cap savings: $7M
Cash savings: $9.5M
Dead money: $5M
Peppers was a huge get for the Packers last offseason when he signed a three-year, $26M deal. Playing as a stand-up edge rusher opposite Clay Matthews for much of the season, Peppers recorded seven sacks and batted down 11 passes to go along with two pick-sixes. He was a monster upgrade on first-round bust OLB Nick Perry. The Packers would obviously love to keep the 35-year-old, but GM Ted Thompson is going to have to clear some room if he’s to re-sign free agents Randall Cobb, RT Bryan Bulaga, and CBs Tramon Williams and/or Davon House.

ILB A.J. Hawk
Cap number: $5.1M
Cap savings: $3.5M
Cash savings: $3.5M
Dead money: $1.6M
Hawk has been in Green Bay since he was selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2006 draft. The past couple years, he’s re-worked his deal to help the Packers free up cap space. But his time finally may be running out. Hawk played just over 30 percent of the snaps over the second half of last season and doesn’t do anything particularly well at 31 years old. The Packers are high on 2013 seventh-round ILB Sam Barrington and used a 2014 fourth-rounder on ILB Carl Bradford. GM Ted Thompson will be looking to upgrade the position this offseason.

ILB Brad Jones
Cap number: $4.694M
Cap savings: $3.694M
Cash savings: $3.75M
Dead money: $1M
Jones should be joining Hawk on the streets. He earned a three-year, $11.75M extension in March of 2013 after a strong finish to the 2012 season. Jones proceeded to face-plant in 2013 as a 13-game started and was yanked out of the starting lineup altogether last year. He turns 29 in April.

OLB Nick Perry
Cap number: $2.386M
Cap savings: $1.413M
Cash savings: $1.413M
Dead money: $974K
The former No. 28 overall pick is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has just nine career sacks across 32 games. He’s yet to play a full 16-game season. Perry underwent wrist surgery as a rookie and broke his foot as a sophomore before missing all of last spring with an undisclosed injury and failing his pre-camp physical. If not for being a former first-round pick, Perry likely wouldn’t have lasted this long in Green Bay. Perry drew some pre-draft comparisons to former mega-bust Vernon Gholston.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

RB Adrian Peterson
Cap number: $15.4M
Cap savings: $13M
Cash savings: $13M
Dead money: $2.4M
All Day’s 2014 child-abuse issue is well-documented. He missed all but one game last season and remains suspended, though he’s expected to be reinstated by April 15 at the very latest. The NFLPA has filed a lawsuit to have Peterson’s suspension overturned by March 10. The entire Vikings organization has come out to voice its support for Peterson’s return to the club in 2015, but GM Rick Spielman declined to comment on A.D.’s contract status when asked at the NFL Combine. Most are assuming Peterson will be back in Minnesota this season, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter continues to insist the money remains a large issue. Peterson is a freak athlete and should be fresh as ever, but he’ll turn 30 next month. If we’re to have any confidence in a 30-year-old running back, it’s going to be Peterson. It remains to be seen if Peterson will be open to a pay cut. The Vikings have a ton of cap room, but they’re likely going to want to reduce the former MVP’s salary.

WR Greg Jennings
Cap number: $11M
Cap savings: $5M
Cash savings: $9M
Dead money: $6M
Nobody liked the deal the Vikings gave Jennings two offseasons ago when they signed him to a five-year, $45M deal. He’ll be 32 next season and is set to count $11M against the cap each of the next thee seasons as arguably one of the most-overpaid players in the league. Jennings doesn’t stretch the field anymore and predictably has seen a sharp statistical decline since leaving Aaron Rodgers. The Vikings found themselves a new No. 1 receiver in Charles Johnson last season and may use the No. 11 pick in April on a receiver. Cordarrelle Patterson and Jarius Wright are also in the fold in Minnesota. Jennings will likely be asked to take a pay cut. If he declines, the Vikings could designate Jennings a post-June 1 cut and save $9M against the 2015 cap.

WLB Chad Greenway
Cap number: $8.8M
Cap savings: $7.1M
Cash savings: $7.1M
Dead money: $1.7M
Greenway has been an iron man for the Vikings; he didn’t miss a game from 2007-2013 before sitting out four contests last season with a broken hand, broken ribs, and a sprained MCL. He just turned 32 in January and is starting to slow down big time. Due $8.8M in salary and bonuses, Greenway will have to take a sizable pay cut to return to Minnesota. He acknowledged that reality after the season and seems open to the idea. Greenway is entering the final year of his $40.6M deal.

QB Matt Cassel
Cap number: $4.75M
Cap savings: $4.75M
Cash savings: $4.75M
Dead money: $0
Cassel opened the season as the Vikings’ starter before suffering a broken foot in Week 3. He broke several bones and may not be ready for the start of OTAs. During Cassel’s absence, Teddy Bridgewater took over at quarterback and steadily improved throughout his rookie season. He’s locked in as the starter, so the Vikings will have to decide if they want to pay Cassel close to $5M to be the backup. They’ll likely make a call on Cassel before he’s due a $500K roster bonus next month.

LG Charlie Johnson
Cap number: $2.5M
Cap savings: $2.5M
Cash savings: $2.5M
Dead money: $0
Johnson, 31 in May, has started 61-of-64 games for the Vikings the past four seasons, but he’s nothing more than a replacement-level player. The left side of the Minnesota offensive line with Johnson and LT Matt Kalil is sure to be shored up this offseason. Johnson should be an easy cut.