The frenzy of free agency is most often focused around the players signing in new spots -- but some of the most impactful moves each year are the cuts teams make in the pursuit of coveted cap space.
In anticipation, here are a handful of the biggest names on cut watch in the NFC heading into the early weeks of the offseason. Click here for the AFC rundown.
Note: All salary cap and contract numbers are from Over the Cap as of February 17.
The goal for San Francisco will likely be to trade former All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel, but if the Niners can't find the right suitor or the right return, he might be a post-June-1 cut candidate instead. Samuel had a down year in 2024, totaling just 806 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns, dropping five passes (per Pro Football Focus), fumbling twice and even struggling as a rusher, putting up a career-low 3.2 yards per carry. The Niners committed to Brandon Aiyuk as their WR1 last offseason while entertaining trade discussions for Samuel and eventually restructuring his contract. If another offensive mind has interest in Samuel's unique skill set, perhaps general manager John Lynch can net a mid-round pick for the former star. But if the market doesn't look promising, he might simply be released for the $5.1 million in cap savings that the post-June-1 designation would create.
Marshon Lattimore is a four-time Pro Bowl cornerback ... but those four Pro Bowl seasons all came between 2017 and 2021. Since 2022, he's missed 25 games with a variety of injuries. Washington traded for him at the 2024 deadline, sending a package of picks but only getting two regular-season games and the three playoff contests out of him. And notably, he was awful in the postseason, earning a horrific 29.6 coverage grade from PFF and allowing 10 catches for 172 yards and a 136.6 passer rating on 14 targets. With a release, his entire $18 million cap hit would become savings in 2025, and while the Commanders are in superb shape (projected to be $75 million under the cap), they might rather spend those millions elsewhere as they seek to build around Jayden Daniels and become a lasting powerhouse in the NFC. It would be a bit surprising to trade for a player of Lattimore's career caliber and then cut him a few months later, but it might make too much sense, given all the variables.
Outside of a long snapper or two, no player under contract for 2025 has played more seasons on their current team than Cameron Jordan, who is headed for his 15th season in New Orleans. He's a future Hall of Famer and arguably the current face of the franchise, so it sounds extreme to suggest he will be cut. But he also carries a $20.1 million cap hit, $11 million of which the Saints could translate into savings if they designated him as a post-June 1 release. Plus, unfortunately, he's 35 years old and on the decline. He logged six total sacks over the last two seasons (34 starts) combined and played just 48 percent of the Saints' defensive snaps in 2024. For context, Jordan had more than six sacks in each of the previous 11 seasons. If he's willing to reduce his pay to finish his career in the Bayou, maybe he remains on the roster, but otherwise, it might be time to sunset his tenure with the Saints.
We arrive at the second of three Saints players on this list. New Orleans' front office is facing a complicated situation, currently projected to be $54.1 million over the cap in 2025 -- that's the worst projected overage in the NFL. Derek Carr, who has ranked 14th on average in passer rating over the past five seasons, is probably a middle-of-the-pack starting quarterback -- but his $51.5 million cap hit in 2025 is the fourth-highest at the position. The complications stem from the variety of options the Saints have with the 33-year-old QB. Cutting him straight-up would leave the team with $50.1 million in dead money and save just $1.3 million against the cap -- doesn't seem viable. Designating him as a post-June 1 cut nets $30 million in savings, with "only" $21.5 million in dead money, which is more manageable -- then again, each team can only give that designation to two players per year, and, like Carr, the Saints carrying the next highest cap charges (Cameron Jordan and Taysom Hill) would have to be designated post-June 1 cuts to generate meaningful savings in 2025. Trading Carr before June 1 would snag the team $11.3 million in cap savings and potentially a slight return in draft picks, if the Saints can find a suitor. Or they could restructure his contract and try another year with him, considering he was actually pretty decent when healthy in 2024 (15:5 TD-to-INT ratio, 101.0 passer rating). It's hard to know which path they'll take, but either Carr or his money will likely be moved this offseason.
Seattle is currently projected to be $13.5 million over the cap, the fourth-worst mark in the league. For a five-year stretch (2018 through 2022), Tyler Lockett was one of the most underrated receivers around, but since 2023, the veteran has averaged just 747 yards and four touchdowns per season. With the 2024 breakout of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the presence of DK Metcalf, it would seem that the 32-year-old Lockett's declining services are no longer needed ... especially given his monster cap figure ($30.9 million) in 2025. The Seahawks would save $17 million by releasing him, and while they'd eat nearly $14 million in dead money, it's still worth it, considering the cost-to-production valuation at this point in Lockett's career. I could see him signing elsewhere as a crafty complement to a young stud WR1, but it will likely have to be at a heavily reduced price point.
At this moment, it looks as if the Falcons will be in bad cap shape, projected to sit $11.1 million in the red, and they'll need to make quite a few moves to bring that figure back in line. One possibility: releasing one of these two starting defensive linemen. The two had relatively similar production in 2024, though Grady Jarrett held the edge over David Onyemata in most categories. Then again, Jarrett's release would buy more than $16 million in cap savings, while releasing Onyemata would net just $8.1 million in savings -- and saddle Atlanta with $8.9 million in dead money. Whether to cut Jarrett or Onyemata will come down to a question of value and expectation for the Falcons, but at least one is likely to be gone this spring.
The Rams' cap situation depends quite a bit on what happens with Matthew Stafford, whose cap figure sits at $49.7 million for 2025, but whether the QB moves on or agrees to a restructured deal, the team is not in especially dire straits financially. If L.A. does make significant cuts, Jonah Jackson would likely be in consideration. The former Pro Bowl guard signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the team last March and was the starting center for Week 1, but he fractured his scapula in Week 2, had a poor showing in his Week 10 return and was inactive for the rest of the relevant games of the season. As a standard release, Jackson would eat up $11.3 million in dead money, saving just $3.3 million in 2025, but if he's designated as a post-June 1 cut, the team would net $9 million in savings.
The Bears are currently projected to have $63 million in cap space, but they also have a lot of work to do to build around Caleb Williams this offseason in hopes that he can take another step under Ben Johnson's tutelage. That might mean saving money in certain areas to reallocate it where it matters most. As such, middle linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards could be cut considerations. Edmunds carries a $17.4 million cap hit, though $13 million of that would remain dead money unless he was designated a post-June 1 cut -- and the $6.8 million in cap relief then wouldn't take effect until June, negating the benefit in free agency. Edwards is easier to move on from, with his potential release resulting in $5.5 million in savings. They were second (Edwards had 129) and third (Edmunds had 110) in tackles for the Bears last season, but both earned middling defensive grades from Pro Football Focus. If Chicago's front office sees more value investing the resources devoted to these linebackers in positions that would better protect or unlocking their franchise quarterback, we could see one or both veterans released this offseason.
We're really piling on the Seahawks passing game in this column, but these suggested moves make the most sense for a team in need of financial breathing room. In three seasons since joining Seattle, Noah Fant has just five touchdowns total (with just one the last two seasons) and has maxed out at 50 receptions (2022) and 500 yards (2024). While those aren't awful numbers for a low-cost starter or a TE2, they aren't nearly good enough to justify Fant's $13.4 million cap hit in 2025. Seattle can save $8.9 million by cutting the 27-year-old tight end, and I can't really see them passing up on those savings to keep a player who has not fulfilled the potential that made him a first-round pick by the Broncos in 2019. Fant could get another job elsewhere on a much lower salary, but I don't expect he'll be in Action Green next season.
If Miles Sanders isn't among the first cuts of the Carolina offseason, something is askew in the front office. The former lead running back started just seven games (while appearing in 27 total) for the Panthers the last two seasons, totaling just four touchdowns and fewer than 1,000 scrimmage yards in that span. He was lapped (several times) by breakout stud Chuba Hubbard (16 TDs, 2,501 scrimmage yards in 2023-24) and was inactive for the latter half of 2024. Even with 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks' availability in doubt as he recovers from a second torn ACL, Sanders stands out as a no-brainer cut; he is set to count for $8.2 million against the cap in 2025, and releasing him would open $5.3 million in savings. Look for Sanders to sign elsewhere on backup money.
The Super Bowl-champion Eagles are in the bottom half of the league in cap space and don't have great options when it comes to pre-June 1 releases. That means their best bets for saving will be to designate at least one post-June 1 cut, and arguably the most viable options would be James Bradberry IV or Darius Slay Jr. Designating either cornerback as such would result in cap savings of $4 million to $5 million, and it could be argued both were made more "expendable" by the play of rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in 2024. Bradberry would probably be the stronger choice, as he missed all of 2024 with injury and posted the third-highest passer rating allowed (112.1) by a cornerback in 2023, per Next Gen Stats (minimum of 500 coverage snaps). That said, if the Eagles value their depth and believe in Bradberry's 2022 second-team All-Pro form, he might be safe for another season.
Alright, a couple of caveats here. First, the Saints only recently officially hired former Eagles OC Kellen Moore, and we can't know just yet what his plans for this offense will be -- although he did speak highly of Hill at his introductory news conference. Second, I am a Taysom Hill truther. Third, if the new regime does decide to move on from Hill, he would realistically have to be designated a post-June 1 cut, which takes the cap savings from essentially zero in 2025 to $10 million -- but the Saints can't give that designation to more than two players, and they might also want to use it on Cameron Jordan and Derek Carr, as mentioned in their blurbs above. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport did suggest Hill, who is 34 and coming off a torn ACL, would not be on the roster this season. Then again, I see Moore -- a forward-thinking, innovative offensive mind who loves pre-snap motion and disguise -- as the type of coach to appreciate Hill and his unique skill set. The Saints are up against it financially, but if they can manage Hill's problematic cap figure and keep him on the roster, I think they'll try.
You might see some chatter about Chicago cutting Cole Kmet, whose $11.6 million cap hit is certainly not ideal, but I don’t see it happening. With Ben Johnson -- who rose to prominence in part by helping tight end Sam LaPorta burst out of the gate as a rookie -- taking over as head coach, I think the Bears will look to get Kmet far more involved, and he’s been effective enough on limited targets to justify a high price tag if heavily featured. He also only nets $6.8 million in savings as a pre-June-1 cut, with $4.8 million in dead money. Instead, why not move on from secondary tight end Gerald Everett, who was a complete non-factor as a receiver last season and whose release would result in $5.5 million in immediate cap savings? It’s not impossible that Chicago parts ways with both tight ends and goes a different route entirely, but I’m of the opinion the Bears will give Kmet a chance in Johnson’s system.
Seahawks players continue to find their way into this article, but given Seattle's cap situation, it makes a lot of sense. The 'Hawks traded for defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris in October (sending a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Jaguars), and he logged a grand total of zero sacks, one QB hit and 13 tackles on 188 defensive snaps in 11 games with the team. Seattle can cut the 31-year-old for $6.6 million in cap savings and zero dead money, which feels like a near-automatic move unless they see far greater potential in him heading into 2025.
The Rams sit squarely in the middle of the league in terms of projected cap space, with $38.3 million, so they won’t necessarily be desperate to make cuts, but if they are looking for value moves, cornerback Darious Williams could be a consideration for release (coincidentally, right around his 32nd birthday, on March 15). Along with his rising age, Williams has declined in effectiveness, earning a career-low overall defensive grade (59.9) from PFF last season, while missing five games. On the flip side, Los Angeles just signed Williams to a three-year deal last offseason, and moving on from him as a pre-June 1 cut would net just $3.8 million in savings while leaving the team with $5.3 million in dead money. This one will come down to the front office's priorities.
While Deebo Samuel's fate remains up in the air, there aren’t any other particularly exciting cut candidates for the 49ers, whose 2024 season was wrecked by injuries but otherwise have a mostly established roster (when healthy) and plenty of projected cap space, at least until Brock Purdy is extended. Yetur Gross-Matos might be worth cutting just from a value perspective after he played 54 percent of the team's defensive snaps in 2024 and logged just four sacks, 19 tackles and 10 QB pressures. With a $9.5 million cap hit in 2025, that kind of production is simply not good enough. This move is much more appealing if he's designated as a post-June-1 cut, opening up a valuable $7.8 million in cap savings, but then again, one of San Francisco's two post-June 1 slots is already ticketed for Javon Hargrave, and it's possible the other is used on Samuel. The Niners could just call it a day and move on from Gross-Matos for $2.9 million in savings right away.
The Cowboys have a lot of work to do this offseason, starting $2.8 million in the red and not particularly flush with cuttable, cap-saving players. There are a couple key starters who could be released (especially with post-June 1 designations) to save big money, but that might hurt more than it helps. Instead, Dallas will likely need to restructure contracts, shift money and be (typically) inactive in free agency ... and maybe penny-pinch on guys like Damone Clark. Clark started just two games in 2024, totaled 28 tackles and logged more snaps on special teams (71 percent) than defense (just 18 percent). His release would net just $3.3 million in savings, but every dollar counts, and he’s simply not an impact player.
It’s not often we’ll feature a kicker in a piece like this, but Younghoe Koo is one of the more recognizable and respected names in the game, so it’s worth noting he might be on the chopping block in Atlanta. After logging five straight seasons with a field-goal percentage above 86 for the Falcons, Koo hit a skid in 2024 and finished with a 73.5 percent make rate, missing nine of 34 attempts, including seven from 40-plus yards, and he landed on injured reserve in December. Considering Atlanta can save $3 million against the cap by cutting him, this might be a necessary move.
