Written by Adam Stites at SBnation.com
With free agency approaching, many teams are already clearing space and saving up money to pay players. Whether that’s new contracts for players already on the team or gearing up to make a run at some of the biggest free agents, sometimes big-name players have to be released to save some money.
These players are known as “cap casualties.” Essentially, they are players who are released because the savings that come with the move are more valuable to the team than the player’s contributions on the field.
The Los Angeles Rams already cleared plenty of cap space by releasing Chris Long,Jared Cook and James Laurinaitis, and other teams have already cut ties with veterans before free agency begins.
Here’s one player on each NFL roster who could be in danger of hitting the free agency market even though they are currently under contract for the 2016 season:
Arizona Cardinals – Daryl Washington
There really aren’t many contracts on the Cardinals’ roster that make sense to part ways with to free space, but Daryl Washington’s is one that has drawn attention. The consistently suspended linebacker hasn’t played since 2013 and Arizona can save $4.5 million in cap space for 2016 by designating him as a post-June 1 cut.
It’s possible, but Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap thinks it’s more likely that the Cardinals keep him on roster while they wait for suspension rulings that could recoup the team some of the money he collected while not playing.
Atlanta Falcons – Paul Soliai
The Falcons could also look at the contracts of Roddy White and Devin Hester, but getting rid of Paul Soliai’s contract is a move that would free up more than $5 million in space. And it’s one they’re expected to make at the start of the new league year.
The nose tackle hasn’t been a bad player for the Falcons, but his play hasn’t matched the five-year, $32 million contract he received in March 2014. Run stoppers aren’t too difficult to find and the Falcons could use $5.44 million of savings that would come with designating him as a post-June 1 cut elsewhere.
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