With the franchise tag window open and free agency just two weeks away, the NFL has quickly moved on from the dramatic scenes of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory against the San Francisco 49ers.
The focus has now moved to the 2024 season and the road to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The new league year will start on Wednesday, March 13 and on that date all 32 franchises will need to be below the salary cap, so expect to see plenty of roster manoeuvering in the coming days.
This usually involves a number of high-profile names being cut in order to shave vital dollars off each team’s payrolls, so which players are at risk this year? Here is a look at some of the bigger names that could soon be released.Alvin Kamara - New Orleans Saints
Eyebrows were raised when Kamara was handed a $75m contract back in 2020 and he has failed to meet expectations since, suffering the worst statistical season of his career last term. The Saints are projected to be $84m over the cap, so major surgery is needed and this could start with eliminating the league’s highest running back cap hit.
Aaron Jones - Green Bay Packers
Sitting just behind Kamara when it comes to the biggest running back cap hits, Jones is another candidate for the chop, with the Packers needing to get under the cap. Left tackle David Bakhtiari is another candidate to be cut, should the Pack decide to hang on to Jones.
Taysom Hill - New Orleans Saints
A second Saints player on the list, to illustrate just how dire their cap situation is. The versatile Hill can be an effective weapon when used effectively, but he played less than half his team’s snaps last season and doesn’t offer enough value for money on the $15.8m cap hit he would bring next season.
Michael Gallup - Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are almost $20m over the projected cap at the time of writing, so need some roster surgery and Gallup, who has three years left on a five-year $57.5m deal, has been on the wane for the past two seasons.
Kevin Byard - Philadelphia Eagles
Defensive changes are a must this year for the Eagles following that unit’s capitulation down the stretch last season. Byard failed to hit his own lofty heights after being traded to the Eagles and his release would free up more than $13m in cap space.
Nick Chubb - Cleveland Browns
A surprising name to feature on this list, but a combination of two serious knee injuries, age and a large cap hit means that Chubb’s future in Cleveland is unclear. The Browns would save $11.8m should they cut the four-time Pro Bowler.
Joey Bosa - LA Chargers
The Chargers have work to do in order to get under the salary cap and currently have more than $75m tied up in linebacker dup Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Bosa’s recent injury record could go against him here, although a contract restructure could be more likely.
Joe Mixon - Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals will be weighing up Mixon’s experience and locker-room presence over his declined explosiveness when they make a decision over the veteran running back’s future. Should they cut ties with him, it would save $5.8m against the cap.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling - Kansas City Chiefs
The Super Bowl champions need to find salary cap space if they are to retain key defensive duo Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed, with Valdes-Scantling looking like an obvious candidate to be cut. The Chiefs need to address their wide receiver options and releasing Valdes-Scantling - who disappointed in the regular season before improving in the playoffs - would create $12m in cap space.
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