The Impact of Releasing NFL Veterans on Their Teams
NFL teams often make tough decisions to release veteran players in order to create salary cap space ahead of the league year. These decisions can be beneficial for teams, as it opens up opportunities to sign and trade for new players, as well as saving money by releasing players who are no longer performing at the expected level.
The Kansas City Chiefs recently made the difficult decision to release defensive end Frank Clark after the two sides could not agree on a reworked deal. This move saves the team $17 million in base salary this season, while also creating more flexibility in their salary cap.
The Tennessee Titans have been especially active in the release department this offseason, with the most notable being wide receiver Robert Woods, who saved the team $12.01 million in salary cap but comes with a dead cap hit of $2.59 million. The Titans have also released offensive lineman Taylor Lewan and linebacker Avery Cunningham, who saved the team $14.84 million and $8.92 million, respectively.
The other notable release by the Titans was of cornerback Mackensie Alexander, who saved the team $9.5 million but will cost the team $1.93 million in dead cap in 2023.
These releases by the Titans, as well as others by teams around the league, show the importance of managing salary cap space. By releasing players who are no longer performing at the expected level, teams are able to open up more money for future signings and trades.
It also shows the importance of having depth on the roster. By having capable backups in place, teams can avoid having to rely on expensive veterans and can instead look to younger players on cheaper contracts to fill the void.
Whether a team is releasing veterans out of necessity or to create flexibility, it is a difficult decision that can have a lasting impact on the organization.
