Every offseason, we see teams that are forced to let go of a fan favorite to save cap space. It is common for organizations to take on dead cap in order to get out of ridiculous contracts. Cuts are inevitable because the NFL is a business after all.
Here are eight players that I believe will be released this offseason…
1. David Bakhtiari, LT, Green Bay Packers
David Bakhtiari is currently the Packers’ longest tenured player as he is entering his 12th season with the team. He turns 33 early next season and it is evident that his age is catching up to him. He spent almost all of last season on the injured-reserved list, only appearing in one game.
As a matter of fact, he has not played 12 games in a season since 2020 and a full season since 2019. There have been talks of the Packers looking to go younger at the left tackle position. It is highly possible that the Packers opt to go with an offensive tackle with the 25th pick in the draft. David Bakhtiari would finish his Packers career as a 3x Pro Bowler and 2x All-Pro. David Bakhtiari will go down as an all-time Packer great.
2. Jamal Adams, S, Seattle Seahawks
Since being traded to Seattle in 2020, Jamal Adams has struggled to reach the same caliber of a player he was with the Jets. Adams has not made an All-Pro team or Pro Bowl since his first season with the Seahawks. Since then, he has only played 22 games over the last three seasons.
Adams’ recent performance has been underwhelming, making it evident that he is only a shell of his former self. His play is not nearly enough to justify for his $27 million cap hit this upcoming season. In addition, the new hire of defensive-minded head coach Mike Macdonald is only going to hurt Adams’s chances of staying with the team next season.
3. Khalil Mack, OLB, Los Angeles Chargers
Khalil Mack still has plenty of great football ahead of him. Mack comes off a season where he recorded a career-high 17 sacks and a PFF grade of 91.8. Nonetheless, his cap hit near $40 million is too much for the Chargers to handle as a team that has the fourth least cap space.
Parting ways with generational edge rusher Khalil Mack would be enough on its own to get the Chargers out of the negative. This situation seems to be growing more and more certain as the new regime starts to rebuild the franchise around Justin Herbert. One thing is certain though: Khalil Mack will continue to dominate wherever he plays next season.
4. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
It’s a yearly recurrence that the Saints are over the cap limit. They always seem to find a way back under the limit, but this year may be the year that they finally take care of it instead of pushing it back to the next year. He has a cap hit of $18 million this upcoming season, the third highest on the team.
Kamara comes off a season with a career-low 694 rushing yards. Especially with how expendable RBs have become in today’s league, the Saints would benefit from moving on from him this offseason.
5. Cameron Heyward, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
Reigning Walter Payton Man of the Year, Cameron Heyward is the longest tenured player on the Steelers. He just finished his 13th season with the franchise where he continued to be the heart and soul of the Pittsburgh defense. Heyward has 3 All-Pros and 6 Pro Bowls under his belt.
His career is nearing the end, though. He only put up 2 sacks last season, coming off a 10.5 sack season the year before that. But, his impact goes much further than sacks. He is the longtime captain and veteran presence of the defense. Still, it’s hard to justify a cap hit of $22 million for a 35 year old player.
6. Kevin Byard, S, Philadelphia Eagles
A midseason pickup for the Eagles, Kevin Byard provided much-needed help in the Eagles’ secondary. The struggles for the secondary, however, still persisted even with the addition of the veteran safety. The organization should bolster the secondary in the draft where they have nine picks.
Byard’s last year of his contract has him set to have the third highest cap hit on the Eagles with $14 million this season. His cap hit is more than the likes of Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Jason Kelce. With a lot of star players potentially leaving this season, the Eagles will scramble to fill in the hole left behind in the draft and free agency. They will need as much cap space as they can get.
7. Hunter Renfrow, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Hunter Renfrow rejuvenated the slot WR position just a couple years ago. He broke onto the scene in 2021 where he posted 103 receptions, 1038 yards, and 9 touchdowns. That was enough to earn his first and only Pro Bowl nod. Since then, he has failed to put up more than 400 yards through a total of 27 games since 2022. He is simply not worth the $14 million cap hit anymore.
Jakobi Meyers is outperforming him while making a very similar amount. It would be best for both sides to void the contract and get Renfrow a change of scenery.
8. Taysom Hill, QB, New Orleans Saints
Taysom Hill is known across the NFL and its fans for being the Saints’s very own Swiss Army Knife. He has played quarterback, runningback, fullback, tight end, wide receiver, and special teams for the Saints. His level of versatility is practically unheard of in the NFL.
However, in 2023, Hill only played 36.7% of snaps, according to Pro Football Reference. The problem with that is the Saints are paying him $16 million this year to only play a third of the time. The Saints’s official depth chart even has him listed as the third-string quarterback.
Hill was a product of former coach Sean Payton’s regime, but he is no longer in New Orleans. When you take into account that Hill will be 34 next season, it is evident that it he will have to find a new home for next season.
