Before long, all 32 NFL teams will have a chance to replenish their rosters in free agency. But almost literally half the league has some work to do before then. Even with the salary cap jumping more than $16 million this year, to a $224.8M total, 14 different clubs are currently over the cap thanks to projected 2023 investments. Another six have less than $10M in projected cap space, meaning they’ll need to do their own trimming if they want to be active in pursuing new talent — or re-signing their own.
It’s not overly difficult to shed salary, in some cases. The Titans, for example, were one of 10 teams with the least amount of cap space approaching free agency, but they’re back in the green after a swift release of three players this week: wide receiver Robert Woods, offensive tackle Taylor Lewan and kicker Randy Bullock. They will, of course, have to fill those positions now. But you can find ways around salary-cap trouble if you just look hard enough.
With that in mind, here are some potential cap-saving moves that each of the 10 most financially strapped teams may consider:
Note: Cap space and financial implications of proposed scenarios are courtesy of Over the Cap. Cap figures are rounded to the nearest hundred-thousandth. Also, asterisks (*) denote post-June 1 moves.
Projected over the cap: $9.7M
This all comes down to Rodgers. If he’s back for a 19th season, the Packers will have to get creative to restock his supporting cast. But even if he returns with an intent to play elsewhere, a trade will require some hurdle-jumping. A pre-June 1 trade would actually result in an immediate loss of $8.7M, whereas a post-June 1 move would clear almost $16M. But waiting until the summer isn’t ideal for maximizing his trade value. The QB may have to renegotiate his deal to facilitate a feasible move. Green Bay can also restructure CB Rasul Douglas‘ deal to free up $2.2M.
Projected over the cap: $13.4M
Trading Deshaun Watson back out of town would take care of their entire cap hole, but seeing as that’s not going to happen, they’ve still got a fairly straightforward path to freeing up space. Cooper was a solid value as the top WR in 2022, and at 28, he’s seemingly still got plenty in the tank. Peoples-Jones, meanwhile, broke out with 61 catches for 839 yards as the No. 2.
Projected over the cap: $14.1M
How badly does general manager Les Snead, notoriously attracted to win-now…
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