2026 Potential Cap Cuts For Every Team

By
Logan Ulrich
-

We’ve had our radar up for potential salary cap cuts here at NFL Trade Rumors since the second half of last season. There has been a trickle of moves so far, mostly out of Miami, but expect the floodgates to open soon. The Combine is next week and 90 percent of the league’s decision-makers will all be concentrated in the same geographical area. Plans should start to crystallize with the new league year set to start on March 11. 

Here is a team-by-team look at potential salary cuts updated with the latest information, along with a tracker of who has been cut so far. This will be updated multiple times over the next few weeks as well. 

Contract information is pulled from Over The Cap.

San Francisco 49ers

The only real financial decision of note to monitor for the 49ers is what they do with Huff. He was acquired in a trade with the Eagles last offseason to reunite with former DC Robert Saleh, his coach with the Jets. A sub-package rusher with terrific burst off the ball, Huff started strong before tailing off as injuries forced him into a larger role. He had four sacks, all in the first seven games, and ranked 12th in ESPN’s pass rush win rate. 

The $17.1 million is what the 49ers owe Huff in cash. His actual cap hit would be much smaller thanks to the structure of the deal San Francisco inherited. Most of Huff’s money is in an option bonus that is due March 13. If the 49ers are content with the value, he’ll only count $5.4 million against their cap.

Another potential outcome to watch for is an extension, keeping Huff at a lower rate. His current salary ranks 20th among edge rushers. Saleh’s departure adds another layer to the dynamic, as he was a big advocate for Huff. 

Aiyuk isn’t any ordinary cap casualty but since he’ll be released, he’s included here. San Francisco will likely make Aiyuk a June 1 release, as otherwise it would decrease their available cap space in 2026 by $15 million. A June 1 cut adds $6.3 million in cap space for the summer and leaves behind $23 million in dead money in 2027. 

Chicago Bears

The Bears need to create breathing room to operate in 2026, and if they don’t want to restructure a bunch of contracts, that room will have to come from cuts. Edmunds headlines the list as $15 million is a significant amount of savings and there are minimal strings attached in the form of dead money or guarantees. It would leave a huge void in the middle of Chicago’s defense, but between projected free agents and the draft class, it’s a good year to need a linebacker. 

Edmunds is still just turning 28 this year and had four interceptions last year, so if the Bears do turn him loose, he’ll have a strong market. He might even come out ahead financially. For the Bears, that raises the possibility of an extension as a better course of action, as long as they’re comfortable with his health after he was sidelined for a chunk of this past season. 

The other two potential cuts for the Bears fall in similar buckets of being valued starters but at lower value positions. Kmet is locked in as the No. 2 tight end, which is still not a small role in HC Ben Johnson‘s system. He saw 70 percent of the snaps last year, though that resulted in just 30 catches. It’s not unrealistic to think the Bears could replicate that for a lot cheaper. 

Swift had a career year for the Bears last season, setting new bests in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and yards from scrimmage. The run game is foundational for Johnson’s offense, leading to a lot of speculation last year that he’d try to upgrade from Swift. Nothing ended up coming together, and Swift did nothing on the field to lose his place on the 2026 roster. The only reason this is a consideration is because of the position he plays and because it’s a decent year for free agent backs. If the Bears have a chance to upgrade, cutting Swift can’t be ruled out. 

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are philosophically opposed to contract restructures, and the only deal they’ve done that with in recent memory is DE Trey Hendrickson as part of the compromise that got him back on the field after a contract standoff last summer. That means cuts are the only practical way for them to create cap space. They’re in good shape right now with over $45 million in projected effective cap space but Cincinnati has a long list of needs and that money will go fast. 

Most of those needs are on defense where the Bengals were abysmal last year. They need talent upgrades at all three levels. However, the cuts might not come until the Bengals find a replacement. Take Slaton as an example. Signed to be a run-stuffing nose tackle, Slaton was part of a unit that finished last in the league in run defense with over 2,500 yards allowed. Toast right? Turns out the Bengals were about two yards per carry better with Slaton on the field than off of it. 

Hill still had some juice as a pass rusher, though the Bengals need more. Burks provides experience and special teams acumen. Karras is still a solid blocker and leads a group where chemistry is important. Unless the Bengals land clear upgrades in the draft and free agency, these players could be back. 

The most likely cut is Ford who didn’t seize a chance at a big role and will probably be cycled out for someone younger and cheaper. Meanwhile, Gesicki had a solid finish to the year after returning from a pectoral injury. He’s only making around $5 million in cash so it’s likely he’s back for another season. 

Buffalo Bills

The Bills have work to do to get under the salary cap and beat off the attrition that’s starting to sap away at the roster. Knox headlines the potential cuts. He’s still a useful player but the Bills cannot justify paying over $11 million in cash for a No. 2 tight end who played less than 60 percent of the snaps and had just 36 catches, not when they have two other tight ends on rookie contracts who can do everything Knox can do and possibly better. It’s past time for former first-round TE Dalton Kincaid to have a bigger role, and 2025 fifth-round TE Jackson Hawes saw 43 percent of the snaps as a rookie because he was such a good blocker it was hard to keep him off the field. 

Had Samuel’s 2025 salary not already been guaranteed, he likely would have been cut this past offseason. He had just seven catches this past season. Injuries have been a theme of his career. Samuel has topped 50 percent of the snaps five times in nine seasons. 

The savings from cutting Bass and Rapp wouldn’t be much but the Bills are in a spot where they’ll be counting pennies this year. Both are in danger of being replaced by younger, cheaper and healthier players. Bass missed the whole 2025 season with an injury. There are younger safeties already behind Rapp on the depth chart and the position could be revamped under new DC Jim Leonhard.

Denver Broncos

Denver will shed the last of the Russell Wilson dead money, in theory freeing up more space to operate with, though they’ve already structured plenty of contracts to take advantage of that. The Broncos are well over the cap and don’t have to make any moves, but there are some tweaks they could consider to optimize the books. 

Powers missed half the season with a torn biceps, though he was able to return in December for the stretch run. Alex Palczewski held up in his absence, though Pro Football Focus had a pretty substantial grade difference between the two. He’s set to be a restricted free agent at 27 while Powers is entering a contract year and will be 30. If the Broncos’ internal grades for Palczewski are less harsh, they could tender him, cut Powers, redirect the savings and look for a guard in the draft. 

Greenlaw was one of the Broncos’ top free agent targets last year but played just eight games and had to rotate even in the ones he did play in thanks to persistent soft tissue injuries. Denver has to decide if it wants to roll the dice on his health again, even if he’ll be just 29 still in 2026. There’s a soft deadline of March 15 when $2 million of Greenlaw’s salary becomes guaranteed. 

Engram already has almost half of his $11.5 million 2026 compensation guaranteed. He was less impactful than hoped for, even though he was third on the team in targets (75), catches (50) and yards (461). His fate might depend on whether the Broncos feel like they can get a similar player, either in free agency or the draft.  

Offensive line depth is important and $3.2 million isn’t huge savings in context, but if the Broncos feel like they can easily replicate Peart’s contributions for less, he’s a cut candidate. 

Cleveland Browns

Because of the way the Browns prefer to structure their contracts, there are hardly any cuts they can make to free up substantial cap space. The biggest possible cut would be CB Denzel Ward, and even then that would only save a little more than $3 million against the cap. Lucas is listed here because he turns 35 next year and the Browns are expected to revamp their offensive tackle group which has been steadily deteriorating for a couple of years now. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Another losing season and missed postseason could lead to big changes in 2027. For now, the Buccaneers will likely bring back the bulk of a team they thought could be a true contender in the NFC. Big-name players like DT Vita Vea and S Antoine Winfield Jr. have potential outs in their contract this year (big base salaries, no guarantees). It would be shocking if the team took those outs, though, especially after keeping HC Todd Bowles.

Veteran WR Chris Godwin would be a cut candidate after his health was an issue in 2025 but his his $22 million base salary in 2026 is guaranteed, so that’s not an option. There aren’t many other candidates. Nelson stands out as he’s due $4 million in cash and half that could be saved on the cap. Edge rusher is a position the Buccaneers need to revamp this year. 

Arizona Cardinals

Big changes are in store for the Cardinals this offseason. They’ve already swapped out Jonathan Gannon for new HC Mike LaFleur and there remains a high chance they move on from QB Kyler Murray in some form or fashion in the next month. While GM Monti Ossenfort remains, he’s already acknowledged some mistakes by cutting one former big free agent acquisition, DT Justin Jones, in a move that saved nearly $9 million.

Nichols and Murphy-Bunting were signed that same year and injuries have impacted the production of all three. They’re obvious cuts, along with Tomlinson. He’s about to turn 32 and this past season made it clear he’s well past his prime as a run stuffer. 

Conner is a little more up in the air. He went down with a foot injury in Week 3 and his lack of leadership and consistency was definitely felt as things spiraled for the Cardinals. However, 31-year-old running backs due $8 million don’t have a good track record of avoiding being laid off. The new coaching staff on offense is a major variable that could work against him, too. The bright side for Conner is that he has a $1 million roster bonus in March, which hurts the Cardinals’ leverage if they were to try and squat on him for a pay cut. 

LaFleur retained DC Nick Rallis, who was a linebacker coach before he landed his current job, so that could end up helping Davis-Gaither and Wilson. Neither ranked all that well by PFF, however, and the Cardinals’ defense was atrocious, so it would not be surprising to see either or both let go for upgrades. 

Brown can play both center and guard, and he made 11 starts for the Cardinals this past year. Ideally, though, he’s a depth player, and if he’s a depth player, his $5 million salary is a bit of a premium for that role. 

Los Angeles Chargers

The sense out of Los Angeles has been pessimistic about Becton coming back for another season with the Chargers, with the team likely to revamp the interior of its offensive line with new OC Mike McDaniel arriving. None of the $10 million due to him in 2026 is guaranteed, though a $2.5 million roster bonus is owed on March 13 which should prompt an early decision. The highs with Becton are strong but consistency and health still elude him as he enters Year 7. 

McDaniel’s hiring should also finally prompt the Chargers to move on from Bozeman, a limited athlete who was a favorite of former OC Greg Roman. Dissly slid down the depth chart this year and is another strong cut candidate. 

Jackson is probably underrated, as while far from a lockdown cover corner, he’s been a solid No. 2 option for a long time. He turns 31 this year, though, and health has always been a concern given his lack of size. If the Chargers decide they want to radically upgrade at cornerback, $6 million is not insignificant savings even if the team isn’t pressed for cap space. 

The Chargers like Dupree as the fourth edge rusher and a rotation piece off the bench. He had two sacks last season and 16 total tackles in 40 percent of the snaps. Is that worth $3.5 million? The Chargers might wait until camp to answer that. 

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs restructured QB Patrick Mahomes and knocked out two-thirds of a $60 million salary cap deficit they had to dig out of. More big moves are coming. Cutting Taylor would get the Chiefs the rest of the way to cap compliance and pave the way for OT Jaylon Moore, who signed for $15 million per year last free agency, to enter the starting lineup. 

Danna has been a solid player but the Chiefs need to get more dynamic up front. He had just one sack this past season and his career high is only 6.5. A pay cut would be another option, especially since the Chiefs would likely value Danna more than any other team. 

Fulton was another big signing last year but played just eight games, even though those were backloaded. Half of his $10 million 2026 salary is already guaranteed. If the Chiefs don’t see him as a starter next year, they have to move on regardless. 

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts rank in the top half of the league in available cap space this offseason. However, a big crop of pending free agents headlined by QB Daniel Jones and WR Alec Pierce will eat up all that space and more. Some level of cost-cutting feels inevitable even though this is a big year for GM Chris Ballard and HC Shane Steichen.

Pittman’s fate could be linked to Pierce. The younger wideout has more yards and touchdowns than Pittman over the last two years on dramatically fewer targets and catches. If the Colts keep Pierce, whether on a long-term deal or the tag, it might force them to do something with Pittman to rebalance the budget. Regardless, $24 million in savings for a player that hasn’t topped 1,000 yards in two years is eye-catching. 

Stewart is 32-years-old and was noticeably less productive this past season. Eight figures for a two-down player would be a lot of savings for the Colts to turn down. Franklin is another aging defender, turning 30 in July, who could be at risk. He’s been one of the most prolific tackling linebackers in football, averaging 173 a year from 2022-2024 and leading the NFL once in that span. But that number dipped to 125 in 2025, and at any rate, total tackles are one of the least valuable stats or most misleading stats. Franklin has has issues in coverage for a while. 

Blackmon qualified for the Proven Performance Escalator to raise his salary to $3.6 million, but that could work against him if the Colts don’t see him as a piece going forward. The escalator is based on playing time and is not guaranteed, so it’s not uncommon to see late-round picks and UDFAs play a lot due to injuries, qualify for the PPE, then get forced into a pay cut at the threat of release in August when the job market is less robust. 

Washington Commanders

Commanders DT Daron Payne was listed here previously, as a release would have saved Washington nearly $17 million. Reporting from the beat since then has indicated he’s more likely to be extended than released. Washington will still get abundant savings by moving on from Lattimore, which is arguably overdue by a year. The veteran struggled once again in 2025 before tearing his ACL, which puts his career on the ropes given he turns 30 in May. 

Harris is a favorite of HC Dan Quinn’s, but is on the wrong side of 30 which puts him in the danger zone. His salary would not be prohibitive as a depth piece, though. Allegretti came up in some trade rumors this year, and the Commanders could gain a little bit of cap space by moving on this offseason. His contract also isn’t expensive for a backup if they don’t. 

Dallas Cowboys

Judging by some of the early team comments and reporting coming out of Dallas, the Cowboys are likely to lean more on restructures rather than cuts ahead of an offseason that could be more active than some recent seasons. Dallas has to get out of $37 million in the red, plus add another $30 million to fit a franchise tag for WR George Pickens.

Ordinarily cutting DT Kenny Clark for $21.5 million in savings would be an obvious move but owner Jerry Jones has a lot invested in Clark as a key piece of the return in the Micah Parsons trade. It’s more likely they extend Clark despite him turning 31 this year. 

Veterans like Wilson, Hooker, Anger and Thomas are more likely to be released. They play lower-value positions or roles that teams are more likely to churn through to save a buck if necessary. Hooker turns 30 in April and safety is a spot where reliable veterans can be found for cheap. There will be plenty of linebackers available in the draft and the Cowboys have a ton of picks. Thomas is a rotational lineman who might be less of a fit for new DC Christian Parker. Anger is 37 and at the age where specialists have to worry about fending of competition from younger, cheaper alternatives.

The Cowboys will also have to seriously think about moving on from veteran RT Terence Steele, even though he’s been a solid starter at a position where teams often struggle to find even average production. However, the savings are notable and Dallas toyed with benching Steele last year, suggesting they’re thinking about life after he’s gone. 

Miami Dolphins

Miami became the first team to make cuts this offseason, announcing Hill, Daniels and Westbrook-Ikhine had been officially released this past week, with Chubb to follow at some point as a potential June 1 designation. None of these were unexpected. Hill was due a mountain of cash and coming off a dislocated knee. Even if he was healthy, he would have been cut as the Dolphins embraced a rebuild.

Releasing Daniels saves $8 million in cash which is more important than the short-term drop in cap space. Cash over cap is key to the Chubb release as well, as without a June 1 designation, the move frees up an ordinary amount of $7 million. The cash savings top $20 million, though, and that’s money that didn’t make sense to pay to an edge rusher turning 30. 

The Dolphins are reportedly trying to trade Fitzpatrick, and if that doesn’t pan out, there’s a good chance he will be released as well. Fitzpatrick turns 30 this year and is due $15.6 million. That combination doesn’t make sense for the team’s window. Miami’s trying to trade QB Tua Tagovailoa but if that doesn’t happen, it seems like they’re bracing to release him with a June 1 designation, splitting an NFL-record $99.1 million dead money hit. Fitzpatrick is also a candidate to be cut with a June 1 tag. 

The fact that Sanders and Ingold weren’t included in the initial wave of cuts would seem to be promising for their status. Ingold is one of the league’s best fullbacks and should remain part of the scheme after assistant Bobby Slowik was promoted to offensive coordinator. Sanders missed this entire year with an injury but is still just 30 — plenty young for a kicker. There’s a lot of offseason still to go for both, though. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Because of the way the Eagles structure their contracts, they’ve already maxed out most of their theoretical cap space for 2026. The exception is Carter, a contract they acquired via trade from the Jets. He finished the year with more snaps in New York than Philadelphia despite being dealt before midseason due to being benched. 

A minor note: Carter has the equivalent of a minimum salary guaranteed for 2026. However, that is almost certainly subject to offsets and the Eagles will be credited for it if Carter signs with another team. 

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons and QB Kirk Cousins reached an agreement that essentially allows the team to cut Cousins with a June 1 designation, lessening the dead money hit to the books in 2026, while still reaping significant savings. Cousins lowered his base salary from $35 million to $2.1 million in exchange for a massive roster bonus that will force the Falcons to set him free. He’ll still earn his $10 million roster bonus which Atlanta allowed to vest into a full guarantee last spring. 

Cousins might come back if he doesn’t like what free agency has to offer, as he and new HC Kevin Stefanski had a good rapport when they were in Minnesota and 2025 starting QB Michael Penix Jr. might not be recovered from his torn ACL in time for Week 1. 

Mooney and Woerner were two of the biggest underperformers on offense last season. Woerner was signed to be a blocking specialist but was a liability in that role and saw his snaps cut. Mooney broke his collarbone in camp and seemed out of sync with the offense when he returned. 

Phillips qualified for the PPE, raising his salary for 2026 without a guarantee. That leaves him at major risk for a pay cut, especially considering he appeared in only one game last season. 

New York Giants

Expect new Giants HC John Harbaugh to continue to shake things up in New York with major roster changes over the next several months, even if GM Joe Schoen remains with the team. There could be a surprise move or two in there, including Lawrence. 

Just a year ago, Lawrence was viewed as one of the elite defensive tackles in football with rare pass-rushing ability in a nose tackle’s 340-pound frame. He finished with just half a sack in 2025, though, and was startlingly unproductive. His effort was even questioned at points in the season. While he’s owed $20 million in cash in 2026, there have been rumblings that Lawrence wants an updated contract with two years left on his deal. That might be a hard sell for Harbaugh, who also has a famously tough conditioning program. Nothing might be imminent but the fit here bears watching as the offseason nudges along. 

Runyan and Okereke are two other notable veterans worth watching. Both have been locked into the lineup as starters but are getting older and could be targeted for younger, cheaper replacements. 

The rest of the potential cuts here won’t be controversial. Hudson was signed as a swing tackle but established more of a reputation for losing his temper and committing penalties than being reliable. Singletary was a favorite of former HC Brian Daboll and might end up with him in Tennessee. Gano’s body appears to be breaking down at 38 years old, and he hasn’t played a full season since 2022. Robertson-Harris is in danger of falling below the threshold of being replaced by a minimum contract player. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

New Jaguars GM James Gladstone has been busy facilitating both arrivals and departures over his first season, which means not only do the Jaguars have a lot of new contracts on the books but also over $40 million in dead money from players they’ve traded or cut. They are projected to be $15.7 million in the red, so some restructures are likely coming to buy some wiggle room. 

There could be a few cuts as well. All three of the players listed were productive last season and played a part in the Jaguars reaching the playoffs. However, the team has to decide if they’re worth the investment going forward. Oluokun remains a quality starter, but his running mate, LB Devin Lloyd, is on an expiring contract. The Jaguars share philosophic roots with the Rams, who have de-emphasized the position, but it’s still hard to let good players walk for nothing. So rather than pay big money to two off-ball linebackers, would the Jaguars cut Oluokun and put the savings toward re-signing the younger Lloyd? 

Armstead had 5.5 sacks while playing 60 percent of the snaps to lead all Jaguars defensive tackles, and Jacksonville was the league’s No. 1 run defense. He will be 33, though, and due $14.5 million in cash next season. Hamilton is owed about $8.5 million, turns 29 in 2026 and was second on the roster with 44 percent of the snaps. Cutting either would create a fairly big need for Jacksonville on the interior. 

New York Jets

Cutting Fields doesn’t create much cap space since half of his $20 million salary next year is already guaranteed. It does save $10 million in cash, however, which makes it an inevitability sometime soon. New York will try to trade Fields but it’s hard to see them having any success since teams know the predicament they’re in. 

The Jets would save $7.5 million by cutting DT Harrison Phillips but he’s one of the players it seems like HC Aaron Glenn is going to lean on to turn the culture around. That’s the only other even theoretical departure as the Jets already cut things pretty much down to the studs last year. 

Detroit Lions

Whether the Lions release him or Decker makes the decision to stop playing and retire at the age of 33, there’s a pretty decent chance this past season was Decker’s last in Detroit. The only reservation might be the lack of a clear successor on the roster. Tackle is a high-priority need for the Lions this offseason. 

Glasgow is much more likely to be released, as this past season showed he’s probably past his effectiveness. He’s another candidate to hang up the cleats, turning 34 years old in July. 

Key Lions decision-makers have praised Montgomery for how he handled getting fewer touches last year as fellow RB Jahmyr Gibbs ascended to superstar status. They also talked about doing right by him for the next step in his career. Both are foreboding signs regarding a possible return to Detroit. He’s due $6 million in cash next year and will be 29 years old in June. 

Green Bay Packers

The Packers face big decisions with several key veterans this offseason who have significant base salaries and aren’t coming off their best season. Green Bay is also right at the cap and any move it hopes to make in free agency or the trade market will likely require a cut or restructure of one of these veteran players. 

Jenkins was a model of reliability for the vast majority of his Packers career. The two-time Pro Bowler played all five positions on the offensive line for Green Bay at various points, but is coming off a lower leg fracture that limited him to a little over half the season. There was also friction over his contract last year, meaning he’s unlikely to be amenable to a pay cut. The $20 million in savings would be a lot for the Packers to turn down, however an extension might be an alternative to lower his cap hit. 

Gary is also under the microscope. None of his 7.5 sacks last year came in the final 10 games when the Packers really needed him, especially once Parsons tore his ACL. For the Packers to pay big bucks to two edge rushers, they need big production from both, and it’s tough to say Gary has paid up to his $19.5 million price tag. 

Banks didn’t live up to what was one of the biggest free agent contracts the Packers ever gave out last year. However, it does not seem like GM Brian Gutekunst is ready to give up after giving Banks almost $20 million a year, even if the deal has an exit hatch before March 13. After that, Banks is owed a $9.5 million roster bonus and for all intents and purposes is locked into the team’s plans. 

Gutekunst won’t be able to ignore his mistake with Hobbs who was a total flop last season. Cornerback is an area the team has to revamp. The cap space savings aren’t major but cutting Hobbs before his roster bonus is due on March 13 would save a little over $9 million in cash. 

Carolina Panthers

Robinson has been a quality hit as a free agent signing with eight sacks in two years for the Panthers, as well as some solid run defense. However, he’s turning 31 and making $10.5 million in 2026, which is a tick expensive considering Carolina’s other financial commitments on the defensive line and on the roster as a whole. This would be the definition of a cap cut, as it would be strictly about his salary, not his performance. 

Jones missed most of this past season with a back injury and the Panthers have identified edge rusher as a position they want attack this offseason. It would make a lot of sense for the two sides to work out a pay cut down to $1.75 million, which is the guaranteed portion of his salary. 

The savings for Tremble seem like a lot for a player who had just 27 catches, 249 yards and two touchdowns. However, the market for No. 2 tight ends who block and do a lot of dirty work is right in line with this. Ultimately, the Panthers could look for an extension or restructure to lower his cap hit and create savings instead. 

New England Patriots

Would it be shocking to see the Patriots cut Diggs coming off a 1,000-yard season as their leading receiver in a Super Bowl run? Probably but something has to give next year. He’s owed $22.5 million in salary and it’s tough to be confident about him being worth that much at 32 years old. Diggs only has $1.7 million in guarantees, so there should be incentives for both sides to come to the negotiating table and figure out a new deal that works for both.

Still, it’s easy to see an accomplished and proud player like Diggs not wanting to take a pay cut. When Patriots HC Mike Vrabel told reporters a little after the Super Bowl that there could be some hard decisions related to money this offseason, this was the kind of situation he was referring to. 

Henry could be another. He’s been a solid and reliable tight end for years but it’s easy to see the Patriots wondering if they could get younger and more dynamic at the position. Henry will be 31 this year and set to make over $9 million. 

Not only does Bradbury’s salary make him a potential cut target, but the Patriots’ performance in the Super Bowl could lead to some offensive line shakeups. In that regard, Bradbury is the most vulnerable. New England could shift third-round G Jared Wilson over to center to replace Bradbury and help Wilson find a better fit. 

Jennings was a fixture on the trade block all year and the Patriots will be able to move on with no strings attached this offseason. Gibson tore his ACL last season and the Patriots may have been interested in finding an upgrade at kickoff returner and No. 3 back regardless. 

Las Vegas Raiders

It’s at least a little interesting that new Raiders HC Klint Kubiak initially said last year he came to Seattle because he wanted to coach Smith. The Seahawks obviously traded Smith and signed Darnold and won a Super Bowl, and coaches say a lot of things in press conferences. The Raiders are paying Smith $18.5 million no matter what in 2026, but cutting him would save $8 million in cash. Unless he’s willing to back up the eventual No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza, he’s probably headed elsewhere. 

Cappa was a cap cut by the Bengals last year who was quickly scooped up by the Raiders. They should have left him alone it turns out. He lost snaps as the season went along and the Raiders will focus a lot of resources on getting better up front this offseason. 

Butler has $2.25 million of his $5.25 million salary in 2026 guaranteed already. However, he’s 32 years old and the Raiders might want to give his snaps to younger options.  

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams have admitted they need to invest more resources in their cornerback group which was a major weakness all season. Williams turns 33 in March and was a part-time player this past season. It feels like his Los Angeles tenure is about to hit an expiration date.  

Baltimore Ravens

Humphrey is the big name to watch here. He’s due $19.25 million this upcoming season, $4 million of which comes early in a March 15 bonus. He’s also turning 30 in July. Opponents were able to have some success going after him last year, but he also still had four picks, 13 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a sack, so he made at least as many plays as he gave up. Teams get skittish with aging and expensive cornerbacks, but one thing working in Humphrey’s favor might be the decision to hire HC Jesse Minter, his position coach at one point. 

Washington played just three games last season and Baltimore’s defensive tackle room needs a makeover. 

New Orleans Saints

Kamara has come up as a potential cut since he’ll be 31 years old this upcoming season, due $11.5 million in cash and coming off easily his worst year as a pro even before he got hurt after 11 games. The cap savings are minimal and Kamara has $3 million of his salary guaranteed, but that still leaves $8.5 million in cash savings if the Saints want to go in a different direction. 

Cutting Shepherd wouldn’t free up much cap space either. It would save the Saints well over $4 million, though, for a player who will be 33 this year. Howden is a PPE qualifier who is the third safety at best right now. That’s still a viable role in the Saints’ defense that could justify the salary but he has to hold onto it through the summer, and New Orleans brought back veteran S Julian Blackmon to compete. 

Seattle Seahawks

The Super Bowl champion Seahawks are sixth in the league in projected effective cap space this offseason. So they don’t have to make any cuts and in fact they probably won’t. If they do, however, these are the candidates. 

After playing just 12 games from 2023 to 2024, Nwosu put 16 under his belt in 2025 and notched seven sacks which actually tied for the team lead. He was quieter in the playoffs aside from his pick-six. He’s a perfect fit for the Seahawks’ defensive scheme. Still, those savings might be appealing as the team weighs which of its free agents and soon-to-be FAs it can keep in the next year or two. 

Reed is a good grunt worker for the Seahawks. However, he turns 34 next year, so the team has to decide if paying him is the way to go or if it’s time to get younger. He’s due $6 million this coming year, $2 million of which has already been guaranteed. 

The Seahawks could have cut WR Cooper Kupp and saved $9.5 million last week. He had just 47 catches for 593 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games, although he also had 15 for 157 and a score in three playoff games. That plus all the other little things he adds that don’t directly show up in the box score must have gone a long way toward Seattle’s decision to keep him in the fold. The team allowed a $9 million guarantee on his $13.5 million salary to kick in, effectively locking him onto the squad in 2026. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

The good news for Ramsey is that his move to safety last season in Pittsburgh may ultimately extend his career for a few extra years. He was a great fit in the role. The bad news is the safety market is not as strong as the perimeter cornerback market. He’ll be hard-pressed to find a team willing to pay him $19.5 million this upcoming season. That should send him and Pittsburgh to the negotiating table to work out a deal, with a $5.5 million guarantee on March 15 working as a soft deadline. 

The new coaching staff adds some uncertainty to the outlook for a number of players. The cap savings if the Steelers moved on from Queen would be significant, and while he’s a decent player, he’s far from a lock to be back. 

Smith was a favorite of former OC Arthur Smith. New HC Mike McCarthy will likely prefer to have just one highly-paid tight end and Pat Freiermuth is the better all-around player. 

Harrison is making a premium for a player whose primary roles are special teams and the third linebacker in base defense. That makes him a cut candidate. Rudolph has never been valued as much by other coaches as he was by the Steelers under former HC Mike Tomlin. And Echols will face serious competition for the slot corner job, with his salary working against his roster status if he doesn’t come out on top. Skowronek is a special-teams-only player, and it’s unclear if the new staff will put the same priority on that. 

Houston Texans

Mixon might not be able to play again due to the foot injury that kept him out all last year, an injury we still don’t know a whole lot about. The Texans won’t bring him back at 30 years old, not on this current contract at least. 

Edwards has been a productive role player but Houston has some depth along the defensive line to make a cut and save a chunk. Edwards is turning 32 in January.

Patterson qualified for the PPE after starting 21 games in his first three seasons, primarily at center with some guard mixed in. That’s not way out of line for an experienced backup offensive lineman but the Texans are going to be hard up for cap space this offseason.  

Tennessee Titans

It is a lock that the Titans will cut Sneed and save $16 million in cash. Had his salaries not been guaranteed, they would have done so sooner, even though GM Mike Borgonzi was quite familiar with Sneed from the Chiefs. Ridley is another likely cut with nearly $22 million in salary, though the savings are lessened by a $3 million guarantee. It’ll be interesting to see if OC Brian Daboll‘s familiarity with Ridley (he was his play-caller back at Alabama) helps facilitate a pay cut for a Titans team that could use help at receiver. 

Pollard racked up 500 yards rushing over his final five games. That might have saved his job. The Titans are also projected to have way more cap space than any other team this offseason, so they can afford Pollard’s tab. 

Woods’ salary is reasonable for an experienced third safety. If the Titans want to clear snaps for younger players to embrace bigger roles, though, they could cut Woods. 

Minnesota Vikings

As the Vikings clean up from the missteps of former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, big roster changes could be in store even though the coaching staff remains in place. Minnesota can put a dent in a nearly $50 million salary cap deficit with restructures, but some supplementary cuts will have to be made. Who is the question. 

The biggest names here are Hockenson and Jones. Injuries and the issues at quarterback have clearly had a toll on Hockenson, but the fact of the matter is he has not been as productive since a nasty knee injury late in the 2023 season. He’s due over $15 million next year, top-of-the-line tight end money. That’s not what the Vikings have gotten. 

Jones is still effective but is almost 31 and has had to be carefully managed given his history of soft tissue injuries. Can the Vikings justify $10 million to a part-time role player? Or should finding a major upgrade in the backfield to lean on be a bigger priority? 

There’s a solid chance that multiple concussions this past season push the 10-year veteran Kelly into retirement. He played well in the eight games he was on the field, so even though he’s turning 33, the Vikings would have to consider keeping him if he wanted to play. 

On defense, the Vikings have to sort things out at defensive tackle where their highest-paid players in Hargrave and Allen weren’t necessarily their most productive. Allen has $8 million of $19.2 million in 2026 salary that’s already guaranteed, with another $8 million becoming guaranteed on March 13. That would make it a little thorny to move on but not impossible. Hargrave has just $4 million of $15 million guaranteed, which is why the cap savings are significantly higher. 

Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?

Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on X.com and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Leave a Reply