One thing to keep in mind: The NFL is a results-oriented business, and tough sentimental choices have to be made by all 32 GMs before free agency and the draft roll around.
With that said, let’s dive into one player that all 32 NFL teams must move on from this offseason.
Arizona Cardinals: Marquise Brown
The Cardinals’ 2022 draft day trade for Hollywood Brown did not pan out as expected. As such, they’re better off letting him walk to free agency, where somebody else can pay the oft-injured wideout.
With the No. 4 pick, Arizona is guaranteed one of Marvin Harrison Jr. or Rome Odunze. Both will emerge as a WR1 wherever they land — giving Arizona extra assurance that letting Brown walk is the necessary move.
Atlanta Falcons: Desmond Ridder
Justin Fields? Kirk Cousins? Jayden Daniels? Either way, the Falcons have to get themselves a new starting quarterback this year.
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No sense keeping Desmond Ridder around after an underwhelming sophomore season. Taylor Heinicke will do just fine as a backup to Atlanta’s next starting QB — and Ridder should be open to a fresh start anyway.
Baltimore Ravens: Odell Beckham Jr.
Unfortunately, the former Pro Bowler reminded everyone that he’s well past his best-before-date.
OBJ wasn’t much of a factor with MVP Lamar Jackson throwing him the ball. Beckham finished the regular season with only 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns.
He wasn’t any better in the postseason, tallying just four receptions for 34 yards. For John Harbugh and company, parting ways with OBJ is a no-brainer.
Buffalo Bills: Tre'Davious White
Injuries have limited Buffalo’s All-Pro corner to 21 total games over the last three years. The Bills need to get younger and cheaper on defense, and cutting the oft-injured White would save them roughly $6 million in cap space.
White was on a Hall of Fame trajectory before the injuries piled up. But it’s time for the Bills to part ways with an aging cornerback who simply can’t stay healthy.
Carolina Panthers: D.J. Chark
Adam Thielen is the only pass-catcher who should remain with the Panthers in 2024. He’s the only one who showed up on a weekly basis, after all.
Chark was a complete non-factor in Carolina after taking a one-year deal. He’ll leave in free agency, and the front office can use valuable cap space to bring in better-receiving options for Bryce Young.
Chicago Bears: Justin Fields
This is also a no-brainer. The Bears can trade Fields for extra draft capital and use the No. 1 pick on USC’s Caleb Williams.
Williams has a higher upside than Fields, plus the Bears would enjoy the luxury of holding the former on a cheap rookie deal for four to five years.
Fields has the potential to be a star in this league, but Williams is a practical sure thing to succeed. The Bears cannot overthink this.
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Mixon
Yes, he rushed for 1,034 yards last season and still has plenty of good football left in him.
But cutting Mixon would save Cincinnati $5.75 million in cap space. They need to save every penny possible to retain Tee Higgins while using that money to fill up other needs on the o-line and in the secondary.
As good as Mixon is, running backs are a dime a dozen in today’s league. The Bengals can find a much cheaper option and get similar or even better production in the backfield.
Cleveland Browns: Za'Darius Smith
The three-time Pro Bowler had a good-not-great 2023 season with the Browns, tallying just 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
In many cases, we’d endorse the idea of giving a player like Smith a “prove-it” deal. But he’ll be 32 this upcoming season and will surely get overpaid by somebody else in free agency.
With limited cap room, the Browns need to let Smith walk and explore cheaper options via free agency or the draft.
Dallas Cowboys: Michael Gallup
If Dallas cuts Gallup post-June 1st, they’ll have a whopping $9.5 million in cap space. Cut him before that date, and it’s only $800,000.
It’s a tough situation for Gallup, but this is ultimately a business. He’s too injury-prone and has seen his production reduce gradually over the last three years. Expect Dallas to cut Gallup in June, giving him the long overdue fresh start he sorely needs.
Denver Broncos: Jerry Jeudy
Perhaps no active NFLer is in greater need of a fresh start than Jeudy. The 2020 first-round pick just hasn’t been able to put it together in the Mile High City, having only hit the 60-catch mark once without a single 1,000-yard season to show for it.
Denver has gone four straight years now without a 1,000-yard rusher or receiver. The offense needs an overhaul, and that includes parting ways with the maddeningly inconsistent Jeudy.
Detroit Lions: Levi Onwuzurike
Because he’s on a rookie deal, cutting Onwuzurike would hardly save the Lions any money. But it’s time for the Lions to clear a roster spot for somebody else, as the 2021 second-round pick has seen his career marred by injuries up to this point.
Onwuzurike has played in just 26 games since his rookie year, even missing the entire 2022 season with an injury. Having seen just 21 percent of Detroit’s defensive snaps last year, it’s clear that Onwuzurike would benefit from a fresh start.
Green Bay Packers: David Bakhtiari
The three-time Pro Bowler played just one game in 2021, 11 in 2022 and a single contest again in 2023. With that bad of an injury history, coupled with the fact he’ll be 33 in September, it’s obvious that the Pack needs to move on.
Cutting Bakthiari saves the Packers a hair under $21 million in cap space. They’re better off using that money to bring in younger linemen and some more weapons for Jordan Love.
Houston Texans: Davis Mills
Mills had a stellar 2021 rookie year but was never able to build off that. With CJ Stroud cementing himself as the new franchise quarterback, the Texans can cut Mills and find a better and cheaper backup option.
The fact Case Keenum started the two games over Mills during Stroud’s injury absence says a lot about how the Texans view Mills. His time in H-Town is up.
Indianapolis Colts: Kenny Moore II
Moore had an excellent 2023 season on the Colts, but they need to be careful about overpaying a soon-to-be 29-year-old who’s been up-and-down over his seven-year playing career.
The Colts should let Moore price himself out of town and look towards the cornerback-heavy draft for more defensive back help. You just can’t commit too much money to a guy who hasn’t found any consistency as a pro.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Calvin Ridley
If the Jaguars re-sign Ridley, the 2024 third-round pick they owe to Atlanta in the trade would become the No. 48 selection. That’s just too high a price to pay for a soon-to-be 30-year-old.
The Jaguars already have Christian Kirk, Evan Engram and Travis Etienne Jr. as reliable weapons for Trevor Lawrence. They can find another receiver in the deep 2024 draft class, or they could sign someone like Mike Evans, Hollywood Brown or Gabe Dabis.
A second-rounder for Ridley is just too rich.
Kansas City Chiefs: Marquez Valdes-Scantling
It might be sentimentally hard to cut a two-time Super Bowl champion who made plenty of big-time plays over the Chiefs’ last two playoff runs. But again, it’s nothing personal and purely business.
Cutting MVS saves the Chiefs $12 million. That’s money they could use to retain superstar-free agents Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed.
Las Vegas Raiders: Hunter Renfrow
The former Pro Bowler has 61 receptions, 585 receiving yards and two touchdowns over his LAST TWO seasons. And you’re telling us that Vegas would save $8.21 million if they cut Renfrow before June 1st?
Yeah, this is an easy call for the new Raiders’ regime.
Los Angeles Chargers: Khalil Mack
Mack tallied a career-high 17 sacks last season, but keep in mind that six of those came in ONE game. Considering this was his first season with double-digit sacks since 2018, the Bolts would be wise to bet against similar production for 2024.
Cutting the 33-year-old would save Jim Harbaugh’s squad a ridiculous $23.25 million. They could use that to shore up the many holes across the roster — namely o-line, wide receiver and cornerback. This is a move that the Bolts oughtta to make.
Los Angeles Rams: Joe Noteboom
The Rams would clear a whopping $15 million in cap space if they cut Noteboom post-June 1. It’s a wait, yes, but it’s also a no-brainer for Les Snead and a Rams team that is always up against the cap.
Noteboom has been a fine option offensive tackle for Sean McVay and company, but he’s also replaceable. And Snead has a successful history of finding stud offensive linemen in the later rounds of the draft.
Miami Dolphins: Xavien Howard
The Dolphins would save an astronomical $18.5 million in cap space if they cut Howard. In other words, this is an easy decision unless Howard is willing to take a considerable pay cut.
The four-time Pro Bowler has made a living off of takeaways, yet he has just two interceptions over his last two seasons. He also had a lackluster 55.1 grade from Pro Football Focus for 2023 — a clear indicator that it’s best to move on…especially with Jalen Ramsey already slotted in as the CB1.
Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins
Cousins has put together excellent stats over his six years with the Vikings, but it’s time to reset at the position. You got a 36-year-old coming off surgery on a torn Achilles with only one career postseason victory? If that’s not a sign to move on, what is?
Minny needs to think long-term here. Letting an aging Cousins walk and finding a younger option — Justin Fields, or JJ McCarthy, anybody?! – for Kevin O’Connell to build around is the right play here.
New England Patriots: Mac Jones
Bill Belichick isn’t here to ruin Jones’ career anymore, but it doesn’t mean new head coach Jerod Mayo should give Jones another shot.
With the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft, the Patriots have an easy decision to draft whichever hot-shot QB prospect remains between Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels. Jones’ unpopularity in the locker room gives New England additional reason to choose Bailey Zappe as their QB2 over Jones.
New Orleans Saints: Michael Thomas
Honestly, it was surprising that the Saints decided to bring back Thomas again in 2023.
Yes, it sucks that injuries quickly derailed a potential Hall of Fame career. But it’s just time for the Saints to move on already. There is no justification for keeping a 31-year-old around when he’s played just 20 total games over the last four years.
New York Giants: Mark Glowinski
Cutting an inconsistent veteran guard who turns 32 next season? Easy enough call, especially when Big Blue would clear just under $5.7 million by releasing Glowinski,
Reinforcements are needed on the Giants’ o-line. Cutting Glowinski is an easy starting point.
New York Jets: Zach Wilson
Whether it’s a trade or getting outright released, it’s time for the Jets to cut ties with Wilson. He had an entire offseason to learn from Aaron Rodgers and still failed to make any progress whatsoever.
The Jets are banking on Rodgers to stay healthy next season. They owe it to themselves to find a competent insurance option in case something goes awry again. And Wilson is anything but a capable backup QB.
Philadelphia Eagles: Kevin Byard
The trade deadline acquisition of Byard did nothing to help the Eagles’ leaky pass defense. Cutting the former Tennessee Titans superstar and fan favorite would open up a cool $13 million in cap space for Howie Roseman’s squad.
Another easy decision here, unless Byard is willing to take a giant pay cut.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Patrick Peterson
The future Hall of Famer showed his age in the Steelers’ secondary and made it obvious that Joey Porter Jr. needs more playing time in year two.
Cutting this past-his-prime Pro Bowler would save the Steelers just under $7 million in cap space. That can be used towards a QB upgrade, offensive line help or even better cornerbacks.
San Francisco 49ers: Chase Young
Young didn’t do a whole lot to bolster the 49ers’ pass-rush after coming over via trade. Given his hot-and-cold production, it just feels like the cash-strapped 49ers would be wise to let somebody else overpay for Young’s services.
There are more affordable options for the 49ers to consider, including free agents Jadeveon Clowney, Frankie Luvu, Bryce Huff, Danielle Hunter and Jonathan Greenard.
Seattle Seahawks: Jamal Adams
If the Seahawks cut the injury-prone and underperforming safety after June 1st, they’ll clear up a beautiful $17.122 million in cap space.
The Adams trade has been an utter failure for Seattle, and they have enough depth in the secondary to make this move and improve on defense from within. Long overdue for Seattle to wave the white flag on Adams and release him altogether.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Shaq Barrett
Injuries have limited the two-time Pro Bowler to 24 games over the last two years. Barrett will be 32 years of age next season, and it’s evident that the Bucs need to get younger and faster in the front seven.
Cutting Barrett post-June 1 opens up $4.9 million in cap space. And since he appears to be past his prime, it’d be wise for the retooling Bucs to bring in a younger option to replace the well-respected veteran.
Tennessee Titans: Andre Dillard
Dillard never came around in Philadelphia and hasn’t been a whole lot better in Music City. The Titans’ o-line will surely undergo a major facelift, and cutting Dillard should be an easy call for second-year GM Ran Carthon.
If the Titans cut him post-June 1, it opens up $6.48 million in cap space. This year’s draft class is loaded with stud offensive linemen, so the Titans have an easy path to finding a quality replacement for Dillard.
Washington Commanders: Logan Thomas
Thomas has come nowhere close to matching the numbers he put up in 2020 when he hauled in 72 receptions for 670 yards and six touchdowns.
Thomas will be 33 next season, and cutting him would open up $6.54 million in cap space. Given his age, salary and inconsistent production, it only makes sense for the Commanders to cut Thomas and start afresh at the tight-end spot.
