Cut Candidates is back! Using Over The Cap data, here are the top 10 cut candidates this offseason due to bloated contracts. These potential moves are made from a real-life NFL viewpoint.
Calvin Ridley
The Tennessee Titans don’t need cap space, but bringing back Calvin Ridley stops the progress of fellow wide receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike. Releasing Ridley, No. 73 in PFSN’s WR Impact Score, nets roughly $13.7 million. In seven games, he’s totaled just 17 receptions on 36 targets for 303 yards.
Ridley makes more sense on the New Orleans Saints, who are looking for wide receivers behind Chris Olave. In fact, the Saints traded a 2026 fourth-round pick for a seventh-round WR entering year two before the season.
Best Landing Spot: New Orleans Saints
Curtis Samuel
Samuel has played in six games this season. His release nets roughly $6.275 million. This move will get the Buffalo Bills cap compliant in the offseason. Meanwhile, let’s reunite Samuel with his offensive coordinator in 2023 on the Washington Commanders — Bears running back coach Eric Bieniemy.
In that season, Samuel totaled the third-most receptions (62) and fourth-most yardage (613) in a season in his career. The WR, with inside-outside versatility, is an above-replacement-level third WR that can be deployed in 11 personnel — one running back, one tight end, three WRs.
Best Landing Spot: Chicago Bears
Devin Singletary
Releasing Singletary nets $5.25 million. The New York Giants, meanwhile, feel like a spot for a rookie running back via the NFL Draft as well. Singletary, No. 53 in PFSN’s RB Impact Score, in 16 games, totals 411 yards and four touchdowns on 110 carries. His 3.7 yards per carry, though, relegate him to a jack-of-all-trades third running back in 2026.
Singletary was bested by fellow running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. this season when Cam Skattebo got injured. For reference, Tracy Jr. has totaled 637 yards and two touchdowns on 158 carries. We’re far removed from Singletary’s three consecutive 1,000 scrimmage yard seasons from 2021 to 2023.
Best Landing Spot: Tennessee Titans
D.J Moore (Trade)
Talk about a crazy cut candidate. The Chicago Bears are scheduled to have just over one million in cap space in the offseason, and fellow wide receiver Luther Burden (39% offensive snaps) needs more playing time. Trading Moore nets the Chicago Bears $16.5 million. Coming off a down season, he’s No. 65 in PFSN’s WR Impact Score.
In 16 games, he has totaled 49 receptions on 82 targets for 671 yards and six touchdowns (41.9 yards per game). For reference, Moore has a 63.1 yards per game average.
Best Landing Spot: Denver Broncos
Joe Mixon
Mixon, 29, hasn’t played all season and nets $8.5 million in cap space with his release at the start of the 2026 offseason. He can revitalize his career with Kyle Shanahan on the San Francisco 49ers. Mixon has experience with the scheme with Zac Taylor on the Cincinnati Bengals.
Mixon totaled 1,200-plus scrimmage yards in four of five seasons with Taylor. The former can back up fellow RB Christian McCaffrey for a season, then reenter the free agent market in 2027.
Best Landing Spot: San Francisco 49ers
Jonnu Smith
Releasing Smith nets seven million in cap space, and Darnell Washington — 56.6% offensive snaps — needs more playing time. Two birds, one stone. Smith leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers — and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith again — for the Los Angeles Rams. Smith is No. 67 in PFSN’s TE Impact Score, totaling 37 receptions on 52 targets for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
Smith may be able to bring attention to the tight end position in the Rams’ offense. Entering Week 18, Colby Parkinson, the Rams’ starting TE, is tied for the sixth-fewest targets (49) at the position. Smith, meanwhile, has the chance to make the position a focal point for the first time since Tyler Higbee’s second half of 2019.
Best Landing Spot: Los Angeles Rams
Justin Fields (Trade)
Fields has appeared in nine games this season and isn’t the long-term answer at quarterback for the New York Jets. Trading him nets $11 million with a $12 million dead cap hit. But this move is addition by subtraction. That said, Fields would be the perfect veteran bridge QB for a new coaching staff with the Arizona Cardinals. He’ll allow the staff to keep a long-term view on building the roster while evaluating the current season. Fields is No. 32 in PFSN’s QB Impact Score.
The Cardinals’ offense has pieces, with Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Michael Wilson in tow. Fields will only help a rookie running back to pair with the returning James Conner because of his rushing ability (1,100 yards in 2022).
Best Landing Spot: Arizona Cardinals
Kirk Cousins
It’s time. Releasing Kirk Cousins outright nets $22.5 million with a $35 million dead cap hit. The Atlanta Falcons can manipulate the dead cap hit to make it lower, but it’s time. Cousins, No. 25 in PFSN’s QB Impact Score, is only starting because fellow QB Michael Penix Jr. is injured. Cousins, meanwhile, makes sense on the Cleveland Browns with Kevin Stefanski. They were together on the Minnesota Vikings for two seasons.
In 2018, Cousins totaled a 70.1% completion percentage on 606 passing attempts for 4,200-plus yards, 30 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 268.6 yards per game, and a 99.7 passer rating (3:1 TD-to-INT ratio). Then, in 2019, he totaled a 69.1% completion percentage on 444 passing attempts, 3,600-plus yards, 26 touchdowns, six interceptions, 240.2 yards per game, and a 107.4 passer rating. So, the two should reunite.
Best Landing Spot: Cleveland Browns
Kyler Murray
Releasing Murray nets a roughly $54.7 million dead cap hit. A trade, however, lowers that number to approximately $17.9 million. Either way, it appears Murray has played his last season with the Arizona Cardinals.
He has appeared in just five games, despite seemingly being healthy enough to play. Let’s get Murray to the Pittsburgh Steelers to mesh his play-action completion percentage with Arthur Smith — assuming fellow QB Aaron Rodgers retires. In five games, Murray is No. 20 in PFSN’s QB Impact Score.
Best Landing Spot: Pittsburgh Steelers
Tua Tagovailoa (Trade)
It looks like the Miami Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa are headed toward a split. A trade incurs a $45.2 million dead cap hit. The Dolphins, however, can post-June 1 the trade and save $43 million in 2026– splitting the dead money into two seasons. Let’s reunite Tagovailoa with his former head coach Brian Flores — assuming the latter isn’t hired for a head coach position.
In 14 games, Tagovaioa is No. 28 in PFSN’s QB Impact Score. He, most notably, totals a 67.7% completion percentage, a 20:15 TD-to-INT ratio, and 216.5 passing yards per game. In other words, Tagovaioa is between a franchise QB and a veteran bridge option.
Best Landing Spot: Minnesota Vikings
Bonus: Geno Smith (Trade)
With the first overall pick likely for the Las Vegas Raiders, Smith is expendable. A trade nets $26.5 million. Smith is the perfect veteran bridge QB for the Indianapolis Colts after the owner cleans house this offseason. His game meshes well with slot wide receiver Josh Downs, No. 76 in PFSN’s WR Impact Score, as well.
Smith, coming off a down season, is No. 34 in PFSN’s QB Impact Score — totaling a 67.4% completion percentage, a 19:17 TD-to-INT ratio, and 208.3 passing yards per game. Turnovers are a problem, obviously, but the right environment can salvage Smith.
Best Landing Spot: Indianapolis Colts
