Top cap casualties for every NFL team in 2024
All cap figures in this article were sourced from Over the Cap. Any number in parentheses is the cap savings created in 2024 by cutting that player.
LG Dennis Daley ($1.6 million)
Daley signed a two-year contract with the Cardinals last offseason but missed the first two months of the year while on injured reserve. He ultimately appeared in just five games. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed two sacks and seven pressures on 95 pass-blocking reps. He received disastrous pass and run-blocking grades.
Should they choose to make a bigger cut, D.J. Humphries may be the first name GM Monti Ossenfort looks at. Humphries suffered a torn ACL late in the 2023 season. He also suffered MCL damage, delaying his surgery and subsequent recovery. After factoring in the likely injury protection benefit Humphries will receive, cutting him would net the Cardinals roughly $7.8 million in cap savings. Kelvin Beachum’s future in Arizona depends on how the Cardinals approach the draft and Humphries’ contract. James Conner played well in 2023. Cutting him would give the Cardinals $5.9 million in cap space, though they would then need to backfill his role via the draft or free agency.
QB Taylor Heinicke ($7 million)
Heinicke was brought in on a two-year deal as the backup to Desmond Ridder last offseason. He eventually took over the starting job but didn’t fare much better than Ridder. Heinicke threw five touchdowns and four picks. His team went 1-4 in his five appearances, four of which were starts. There are worse backups in the league, but there are also far cheaper options.
Slot corner Mike Hughes could also be looking for a new home for 2024. The Falcons can save $3.1 million by cutting PFF’s No. 109-ranked cornerback. Jonnu Smith ($6.5 million) quietly put together a solid season of 50 grabs for 582 yards and three scores. As a backup tight end, the new coaching staff may still view him as expendable.
EDGE Tyus Bowser ($5.5 million)
Only Ronnie Stanley can be cut to save more money for Baltimore than Bowser, and the Ravens aren’t parting with their stud left tackle anytime soon. The Ravens' top three pass-rushers are all set to enter free agency in the offseason and they will need every dollar in their couch cushions to get even two of them back. Bowser, who tallied two sacks in nine games in 2022 before missing all of the 2023 season, is an easy cut. He has one season over two sacks in the past four years.
Patrick Mekari ($4.4 million) started games at both tackle positions and played well when called upon last year. However, he is a backup and the Ravens have starters they want to bring back. The other option would be to elevate him to the starting right tackle role and cut Morgan Moses ($5.5 million). Moses was PFF’s No. 15 graded tackle in 2023, so that option is possible but less likely.
RB Nyeim Hines ($4.7 million)
Hines missed all of the 2023 season because of a knee injury that occurred during a jet ski accident. He took the majority of his snaps on special teams after being traded to the Bills in 2022. Deonte Harty ($4.1 million) is another special teamer who can be cut to save Buffalo a notable chunk of change. With the Bills entering the offseason $43.7 million over the cap, it’s hard to justify that much money going to kick and punt returners.
The Bills have a harder call to make on center Mitch Morse. PFF graded him as their No. 20 center, but they can save a whopping $8.5 million by cutting him.
WR Terrace Marshall ($1.4 million)
Before considering post-June 1st designations, the Panthers have very few players of note worth cutting in the offseason. They are also $28.6 million over the cap to start the new league year, so that’s not a problem. Marshall wouldn’t be cut to save money as much as he would be to free up roster space and reps for other receivers. He was a healthy scratch for all but one of the Panthers’ final eight games. Both sides would be better off with Marshall getting a shot on another team. Ian Thomas ($2.3 million) is a capable blocking tight end but could be a cap casualty as well. He caught five passes and set a career-low in snaps in 2023.
LG Cody Whitehair ($9.2 million)
Whitehair is a Bears lifer, having been drafted by Chicago in 2016, but the team likely knows it’s time to move on from the veteran lineman. He was benched near the end of the 2023 season after struggling primarily at left guard. Whitehair allowed 22 pressures on 454 pass-blocking snaps.
Unlike Whitehair, safety Eddie Jackson started all of the games he was active for, but his numbers also took a hit. Jackson played in a dozen games in 2022 and 2023. He logged four interceptions, six pass breakups, and two forced fumbles two years ago. Those numbers plummeted to one pick, five breakups, and no forced fumbles last year. The Bears could save $12.6 million by cutting Jackson, though they have plenty of cap space available if they want to keep the veteran around for another year.
RB Joe Mixon ($5.8 million)
Mixon ranked 52nd in yards after contact per attempt and 27th in rush yards over expected per carry in 2023. He was talked about as a cut candidate last year and didn’t show any reason for the team to keep him around. The Bengals, however, have next to no depth behind him. If they cut him, they would be a sure bet to draft a running back relatively early in the draft.
B.J. Hill remains a solid interior defender, but the Bengals could gain $7.5 million by cutting him. With Tee Higgins an impending free agent and Ja’Marr Chase’s extension coming up among other notable contract dilemmas, there will be some hard decisions made in Cincinnati this offseason.
TE Jordan Akins ($2 million)
The Browns have very few players they can cut to save money. Akins is a solid blocker and red zone threat, but it’s safe to assume Browns GM Andrew Berry will be pinching pennies this offseason as they are currently projected to be $19.5 million over the cap. One under-the-radar cut candidate is Nick Chubb.
GM Andrew Berry said the intention is to bring RB Nick Chubb back for the 2024 season, despite the knee injury, contract situation
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) January 22, 2024
The Browns can save $11.8 million by cutting him before factoring in possible injury protection money. Chubb is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. He is expected to be back at some point during the 2024 season. Given Berry’s comments, I expect the Browns to work out a deal to alter Chubb’s contract while keeping him on the roster.
WR Michael Gallup (Post-June 1st: $9.5 million)
Gallup is set to have the 23rd-highest cap hit for a receiver in 2024. The Cowboys gain less than a million in cap space if they cut him without a post-June 1st designation, but they can’t justify holding onto him at this price. He was platooned with Jalen Tolbert as the team’s WR3 over the second half of the season. Gallup finished the year tied at 68th in yards per route run. He hasn’t been the same since suffering a calf injury and then a torn ACL in 2021. The Cowboys will be forced to part ways with him sooner rather than later.
WR Tim Patrick ($9.5 million)
Patrick hasn’t played since 2021 because of two season-ending injuries that occurred before Week 1. He is a great locker presence and a strong third receiver when healthy, but the Broncos are going to be in cap Hell as they navigate the departure of Russell Wilson. They may be forced to pay someone in draft picks to take on his contract. Denver could also work out a pay cut for Patrick that allows him to gain back some of his money through incentives.
Another contract getting a look this offseason will be that of Justin Simmons. The veteran safety is still playing at a high level. He totaled three interceptions and eight pass breakups last year, but the Broncos can save $14.5 million by cutting him. Given his current level of play, it’s much more likely that the Broncos extend Simmons and reduce his cap hit in 2024, though they could explore a trade as well.
S Tracy Walker ($5.5 million)
Walker signed a three-year, $25 million extension before the 2022 season. He missed most of the year with a torn Achilles and was benched midway through the 2023 season. He was a healthy scratch throughout the Lions’ playoff run. That all but guarantees the Lions will move on from him during the offseason.
LT David Bakhtiari ($20.9 million)
A mainstay of the glory days in Green Bay, a series of knee issues stemming from his 2020 torn ACL have limited Bakhtiari to just 14 games over the past three years. With Bakhtiari unlikely to pass a physical before the team is ready to cut him, his cap number could shift slightly from the $20.9 million figure. The team could also look to trade him or restructure his contract. No matter what, it’s hard to imagine the Packers keeping him around on his current deal in 2024, even if they will incur a $19.1 million dead cap charge by releasing him.
Aaron Jones ($4.7 million) is also a cut candidate. Jones agreed to a pay cut last offseason but may not be willing to do so again. The cap gain of moving on from him is also not nearly as drastic as that of cutting Bakhtiari. Given how well Jones played when finally healthy at the end of the 2023 season, I expect him to stay in Green Bay for at least one more year.
WR Robert Woods ($5 million)
With Tank Dell and Nico Collins both breaking out in 2023, the Texans don’t need much more than some extra depth at wide receiver. Woods, on the other hand, is being paid more than most depth options at wide receiver. He finished the season ranked 84th in yards per route run and struggled through various injuries. For a team that is already set at receiver, it’s hard to justify keeping him.
TE Mo Alie-Cox ($5.9 million)
Alie-Cox was signed to a three-year, $17.5 million contract two offseasons ago. He has amassed just 32 catches for 350 yards and six scores despite playing in all 34 possible games since then. Having invested in four rookie tight ends in their past three drafts, the Colts will be ready to cut bait on Alie-Cox in the spring.
DT Foley Fatukasi ($3.5 million)
Part of the Jags’ 2022 free agent class, Fatukasi hasn’t contributed much as a pass-rusher and his presence on the interior hasn’t led to any improvements in the team’s run defense. Fatukasi didn’t log a sack in 2023 and the Jags ranked 23rd in rush EPA per play allowed. They can save nearly $8 million by releasing him with a post-June 1st designation.
The Jags have bigger decisions to make on their offensive line. Left tackle Cam Robinson ($17.3 million) ranked as PFF’s No. 40 tackle in 2023 and the Jags will only eat a $3.9 million dead cap hit by releasing him. Right guard Brandon Scherff ($9.1 million) was PFF’s No. 20 guard but turned 32 before the end of the season. With his best days behind him, the Jags could use one of their two post-June 1st cuts on him to save $16.5 million in cap space.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($12 million)
Signed as part of the Chiefs’ Money Ball approach to replacing Tyreek Hill two years ago, MVS took a step back in 2023 after an already quiet 2022 debut in Kansas City. He ended the regular season with 21 catches for 315 yards and a lone touchdown. MVS caught more than two passes in just one game. He ranked 89th in yards per route run. Valdes-Scantling’s deep speed helps clear space for Patrick Mahomes’ to pepper Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice with targets, but that type of player can be had for a fraction of the price the Chiefs are set to pay MVS.
WR Hunter Renfrow ($8.2 million)
The Raiders have been looking for a trade partner for Renfrow for over a year but no takers have emerged because of his dreadful contract. The veteran slot receiver has just 51 catches for 585 yards and two scores over the past two seasons. With a new regime taking over in Las Vegas, Renfrow will be released once the new league year starts.
WR Mike Williams ($20 million)
The Chargers are $45 million over the cap as things currently stand. Williams is one of many players who will have their contracts looked at by new Chargers GM Joe Hortiz. Williams suffered a torn ACL in the third week of the season. He will be 30 years old one month into the 2024 season and has topped 900 yards once in his past four years.
The Chargers are *technically* $42 million over the cap for 2024
but flatout cutting Mack, Bosa, Mike Will, Kendricks and SJD puts them nearly $30 million in the positive
Yes, you lose aging stars. But it gives the new HC/GM a way to reset immediately vs spreading the reset… pic.twitter.com/x3RRR1f2Dp— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) December 15, 2023
After going all in to beat the Chiefs, the Chargers also have some hard decisions to make with Joey Bosa ($14.4 million), Keenan Allen ($23.1 million), and Khalil Mack ($23.3 million). If Williams is cut, Allen will almost certainly stay. The EDGE players will be tossed around as trade candidates before any cuts are considered as they have both played at elite levels in LA. Mack was a top-10 pass-rusher by PFF grading last year and Bosa was in 2021.
LT Joe Noteboom ($5 million)
Noteboom was extended in 2022 but has only started 14 games since putting pen to paper. Injuries have limited his playing time but he was also benched for Alaric Jackson this past season. Noteboom can play either guard or tackle position, just not at a high level. Having Noteboom as a depth option is nice, but his $20 million cap hit is hard to stomach.
EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah ($13.7 million)
With Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb suffering season-ending injuries in 2023, it will be hard to move on from Ogbah. With nearly $52 million in cap space to clear up, the Dolphins have to make some moves. Cutting Ogbah, who was a backup for nearly the entire 2023 season, would only charge Miami with a $4 million dead cap. The Dolphins could move on from him and spend light on a pass-rusher or two who can hold things down until Chubb and Philips are healthy.
Cornerback Xavien Howard is another cut candidate for the Dolphins. Miami would save $18.5 million by designating PFF’s No. 79 ranked corner as a post-June 1st cut. Howard’s play has fallen off in recent years and injuries have cost him a handful of games.
DT Harrison Phillips ($6.5 million)
Phillips started all 17 games for the Vikings last year but managed just three sacks and two TFLs. Two seasons into a three-year contract with Minnesota, Phillips has failed to live up to the deal he signed in 2022. Though the Vikings aren’t tight on cap space to start the offseason, an extension for Justin Jefferson and possibly a new contract for Kirk Cousins will take a toll on their finances.
CB J.C. Jackson ($14.4 million)
The Pats have the third-most cap space entering the offseason, so they don’t have many cuts to make. One player who will not be back with the team next year is J.C. Jackson. The Patriots swapped late-round picks with the Chargers to acquire the free agent bust midseason. The move didn’t work out and Jackson ended the year on the reserve/NFI list. His contract doesn’t carry any dead cap charge.
S Marcus Maye ($1.2 million)
The Saints have already started kicking the can down the road with contract restructures for Marshon Lattimore and Jameis Winston. They are expected to do the same with Derek Carr’s contract. Before looking at post-June 1st numbers, there aren’t deals the Saints can easily move on from. Maye is among those who will likely be considered for a post-June 1st designation as doing so bumps their savings from $1.2 million to $7.3 million. Maye’s play fell off in 2023 and he only appeared in seven games. He has played 23 games over the past three years.
Michael Thomas' new deal is effectively 1 year due to future roster bonuses of $31.7M, $28.7M and $58.6M that would be triggered if he's still on the roster by a certain date. That effectively acts as a poison pill to facilitate his release or a renegotiated contract next year
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) March 21, 2023
Michael Thomas signed a two-year extension last offseason that was functionally a one-year deal with a mechanism to bring both sides back to the negotiating table if things went well for Thomas. The former All-Pro receiver didn't find much chemistry with Carr and only appeared in 10 games. Given his lack of production over the past four years, I fully expect the team to move on from him for a measly $1.2 million in savings via a post-June 1st designation.
TE Darren Waller ($6.7 million)
The Giants may give Waller another shot after spending a third-round pick on him a year ago, but it would be understandable for them to take the money gained by cutting him and spend it elsewhere. Waller has appeared in 28 games over the past three seasons and went for just 552 yards in his first year with the Giants. He will turn 32 at the start of the 2024 season.
Darius Slayton was arguably the Giants’ best receiver in 2023, but they could save $6.2 million with only a $1.8 million dead cap hit by cutting him. They have reportedly explored trade options for him in the past and his deep speed isn’t the best fit for Daniel Jones’s style.
TE C.J. Uzomah ($5.3 million)
Uzomah was graded by Pro Football Focus as one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the league last year but offers nothing as a pass-catcher. He caught just eight passes across 12 games in 2023. The Jets can save north of $5 million by cutting either Uzomah or Tyler Conklin. Conklin’s ability as a receiver should be enough for the Jets to keep him over Uzomah.
S Kevin Byard ($13 million)
The Eagles bought low on Byard for pennies on the dollar during the 2023 season. He was a serviceable defender for them but nothing more, logging just one interception and three pass breakups over 10 regular season games in Philly. Because Byard will only count $1.4 million against the team’s cap if cut, it’s safe to assume they will take the money and move on from him.
WR Allen Robinson ($10 million)
Robinson is among the most obvious cut candidates in the league. He ranked last among all wide receivers in yards per route run and cutting him will only cost the Steelers a $1.9 million dead cap charge. With Calvin Austin showing some play-making ability in 2023, the Steelers have every reason to move on from Robinson.
RT Colton McKivitz ($3.1 million)
The 49ers hardly have any cut candidates. They are top-to-bottom the best roster in the NFL and are only projected to be $3.7 million over the cap at the start of the offseason. San Francisco needs to make a bit more room for their incoming rookies, but a few restructures can cover all of their financial minimums. Dre Greenlaw initially held this spot for San Francisco. He was a long-shot to be cut but was one of the easier ways the team had to clear up cap space if they wanted to make a splash signing. After suffering a torn Achilles in the Super Bowl, making his release far less likely.
McKivitz is a more realistic but less impactful cut for San Francisco. The move would save $3.1 million in cap space with next to no dead cap charge. McKivitz was a replacement-level tackle and cutting him would likely leave the 49ers in need of a similar player in free agency or a gamble via the draft.
TE Will Dissly ($7 million)
Dissly signed a three-year, $24 million extension last year. The deal was questionable at the time and has proven to be a poor decision after a year. Dissly was less involved by both target share and snap share last year, with both Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson seeing more work than him. With offensive coordinator Shane Waldron gone and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in need of more snaps, Dissly’s role will continue to dissipate if he is on the roster in 2024. Instead, the team will likely part ways with him.
Will Dissly has the 5th highest cap hit of any TE in the NFL this season, directly behind George Kittle.
Despite missing just one game, he's played fewer snaps than both Fant and Parkinson.
Seattle has a $9 million cap hit on a player who's the TE3 as receiver AND blocker.— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) January 2, 2024
Geno Smith has been floated as a cut candidate as well. The Seahawks would save $13.8 million but incur a $17.4 million dead cap hit by releasing him. Unless they are willing to fully commit to a rookie quarterback with the No. 16 pick, Seattle will hold onto Smith for another year while they work on a plan for the future.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR Russell Gage ($6.3 million)
Gage joined the Bucs in 2022 and had a relatively quiet season as the team’s third receiver. He then missed the entirety of the 2023 season with a knee injury. As long as the Bucs bring Mike Evans back, they will be set at receiver including Trey Palmer as a capable No. 3.
Cornerback Carlton Davis is the only other player on the roster that the Bucs can save more than $2 million via cutting (before considering the post-June 1st designation). Davis is a few years removed from his best season and was only able to play in a dozen games in 2023.
Tennessee Titans
LT Andre Dillard ($2.9 million)
Dillon was brought in as an experiment in free agency. The former first-round pick spent nearly his entire time in Philly as a backup, but signing him gave the Titans a shot at a talented player who couldn't find a spot on his first team. Instead, the Eagles were right to keep him on the bench and the Titans would go one to make the same decision mid-season. The Titans will eat a hefty dead-cap charge by cutting Dillard, but it’s hard to justify keeping him on the roster at all. They can boost the savings to $6.5 million by designating him as a post-June 1st release.
Washington Commanders
TE Logan Thomas ($6.5 million)
Thomas’s career year came in his first season with the Commanders all the way back in 2020. His numbers have fallen off since then because of declining efficiency and health issues. He rebounded in 2023 but still came up short of 500 receiving yards. The Commanders could give John Bates and Cole Turner—both of whom are on their rookie contracts—a crack at the starting gig by cutting the 32-year-old Thomas.
