NFL Free-Agent Cap Casualties Likely to Find New Homes in 2016

Zach KruseFeb 19, 2016

The period after the Super Bowl and before the start of the new league year can be an uneasy time for some NFL veterans, but especially those with expensive and vulnerable contracts.

Franchises are busy preparing the salary cap for free agency and the rest of the offseason, and one of the most used ways to clear space is cutting players that no longer warrant their current contract.

In the following slides, we will examine some of the league's most likely cap casualties of the 2016 offseason. These players have great potential to be released to clear cap room, leaving them to find new places to play next season.

Potential Cap Casualties Likely to Return/Restructure

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DE Chris Long, St. Louis Rams

Long will turn 31 next month, and he's missed 14 games over the last two seasons. He won't return at his current 2016 cap hit ($14.25 million), but he could take a pay cut to stay with the Rams.

LB Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers can't afford to lose Timmons, but they also can't afford to keep him at his current price of $15.1 million. A restructure makes sense for both sides.

WR Victor Cruz, New York Giants

Major injuries have all but wiped out his last two seasons. In fact, he hasn't played since October 2014. There seems to be incentive for both Cruz and the Giants to agree on a reworked deal.

CB Brandon Carr, Dallas Cowboys

Carr hasn't missed a game since arriving in Dallas, but he also hasn't lived up to his huge deal. The Cowboys probably can't afford to further thin their secondary, leaving the strong possibility of a restructure.

TE Jordan Cameron, Miami Dolphins

A disappointing first season and Miami's potential savings in releasing provide motivation for a restructure, especially from Cameron's side. The Dolphins probably don't want to give up on him after just one year.

S Dashon Goldson, Washington Redskins

Like so many on this list, there's incentive for both parties to work out a new deal. Acquired in a trade last offseason, Goldson is owed no guaranteed money in 2016.

DE Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins

Releasing him would clear cap space for the Dolphins to re-sign defensive end Olivier Vernon, but that'd also be playing a risky game at an important position.

DE Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills

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The Bills have been planning on releasing Williams since at least December, per John Warwow of the Associated Press. The 31-year-old defensive end recorded just five sacks in his first season in Rex Ryan's defense, and he could save the Bills $12.7 million on the team's 2016 cap (and almost $15 million in 2017) if he is cut this offseason.

Despite a down year in 2015, Williams would be a hot commodity on the open market.

He produced at least 10 sacks during each of his first three seasons in Buffalo, including 13.0 in 2013 and 15.0 in 2014. He struggled to adapt to Ryan's scheme, which asked him to occasionally drop into coverage as an outside linebacker, but Williams insists he can still be an asset.

"At the end of the day, if I'm not there (Buffalo), I'll show you that I'm better than what I've been before," Williams said, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. "Like, that's just a chip on my shoulder regardless of whether I am there or not, because given the opportunity I’ll get back to what I was."

Opportunities should be vast. Teams lacking a difference-maker at defensive end in the 4-3 scheme will be lining up to sign Williams once Buffalo makes him a cap casualty.

Potential landing spots: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars

RB Arian Foster, Houston Texans

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The Texans are widely expected to move on from Foster, the oft-injured running back who turns 30 in August. An explosive playmaker when on the field, Foster has missed at least three games in four of the last five seasons, including 12 in 2015 and eight in 2013.

His cap figure for 2016 is scheduled to be almost $9 million. Houston could save over $6 million by releasing him.

Last month, owner Bob McNair said his running back's future in Houston depends on health. Foster tore his Achilles in Week 7 and missed the rest of the season.

“Well, we’ll have to see how healthy he is,” McNair said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “But until we know that, there’s really not much you can think about."

According to Wilson, "multiple sources" believe the Texans will part ways with Foster this offseason.

He should eventually land on his feet While teams will need to monitor his tricky rehab timeline, Foster has still averaged over 100 total yards per game over the last three seasons. He could be a bargain addition late in the offseason for a team capable of giving him a specified role.

Potential landing spots: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins

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QB Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins

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Despite not playing in a regular season game in 2015, Griffin III still fits in the category of cap casualty. Once released, the Redskins will save over $16 million on next year's cap by cutting ties with the former No. 2 overall pick.

Where he lands will be one of the bigger storylines of the offseason.

Even the most average quarterbacks create huge demand. Griffin III's NFL career has trended downward since his rookie season, but he's still only 26, and he has the physical talent teams desire at the position.

At the very least, he'll be considered by a number of organizations as a backup. Could a change of scenery revive the career of the former Heisman Trophy winner? 2016 will bring a fresh start for RG3.

Potential landing spots: Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns

LB Stephen Tulloch, Detroit Lions

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There are many factors working against Tulloch's return to Detroit in 2016.

He turned 31 last month, he's coming off a season in which he was reduced to a part-time player and his cap hit in 2016 is scheduled to be $7.3 million. The Lions could save $6 million by releasing him, making the move almost certain to happen.

UPDATE: Tulloch announced on Instagram he was done in Detroit.

What's the market for a two-down player over the age of 30? Probably not great, but Tulloch still has value. He remains a warrior against the run, with six seasons of at least 100 tackles over the last seven years. A reunion with longtime coach Jim Schwartz in Philadelphia wouldn't be surprising.

Potential landing spots: Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

CB Antonio Cromartie, New York Jets

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The Jets need salary-cap room—mostly to aid in the return of free-agent defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson—and one of New York's easiest avenues to more space is cutting Cromartie.

The veteran cornerback turns 32 in April, and while he has three years left on his current deal, the Jets can save $8 million on the cap in 2016 and another $17 million in 2017 and 2018 if he's released. Cutting him would also cost nothing in dead money. The move is probably a matter of when, not if.

Cromartie's age and poor 2015 season—in which he didn't intercept a pass in 15 games—will dampen his market. But teams are always looking for help in the secondary, and it wouldn't be surprising if Cromartie fields a handful of low-level offers once he becomes a free agent.

Potential landing spots: Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens

WR Mike Wallace, Minnesota Vikings

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Wallace had a nightmare first season in Minnesota, finishing with 39 receptions and two touchdowns despite playing in all 16 games. He was inefficient catching the football and a bust as a deep threat, and now his contract—which features zero guaranteed money and $11.5 million in potential savings—has Wallace headed straight for the chopping block.

He shouldn't stay unemployed for long. If Ted Ginn can get a job and produce big numbers in the NFL, there's room for Wallace somewhere. He now needs to find an offense with a quarterback and scheme more proficient in pushing the ball down the field.

Potential landing spots: Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons

OLB Trent Cole, Indianapolis Colts

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Cole will turn 34 next season, and releasing him from his two-year deal would save the Colts over $6 million.

Letting go of pass-rushers is never easy, but Cole produced just three sacks in 2015, and the potential savings—especially with Andrew Luck's looming deal and the Colts' need to reinvest in the offensive line—will probably be too much for Indianapolis to pass up.

Cole isn't likely to find a huge market once released, but he shouldn't just fade off into the night. Teams are always looking for capable players to rush the passer. And while Cole's volume numbers weren't great last season, he still showed flashes of his edge ability.

Like Jared Allen, Cole is past the point where a team is going to pay him to be a full-time player. But he could provide quality veteran depth for a contender, likely at a discount price.

Potential landing spots: Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers

TE Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears

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After catching 90 passes for the Bears in 2014, Bennett's production plummeted under Chicago's new coaching staff. He caught 53 passes, averaged under nine yards per catch and hauled in just three touchdowns, while missing five games with a rib injury.

Bennett, who turns 30 in March, is on the books for over $6 million in 2015. But Chicago can save over $5 million by releasing him this offseason. It's a logical move for the Bears, given his age and downward slide last season.

Still, big tight ends with chops in the passing game are hard to come by in today's NFL, a reality which should ensure Bennett will have a market if he's released.

Potential landing spots: Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals