Money management is crucial to building a successful NFL roster, and sometimes that means parting ways with your best talent.

The 2026 free agency class has been noted as being weaker and lacking top-end talent. But there are plenty of stars who may flood the free agent market as cap casualties. From supertar playmakers to veteran quarterbacks, the free agent market is sure to heat up as teams make tough decisions.

But who are the biggest potential cap casualties in 2026?

10. EDGE Bryce Huff

The San Francisco 49ers traded for Bryce Huff in 2025 while he was entering the second-year of his three-year, $51.1 million contract. Huff is due for a big payday in 2026, when he’s due for $17 million. Huff has underperformed significantly on his deal. After logging 10 sacks in 2023, the veteran edge rusher has only logged 6.5 sacks in two seasons.

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The 49ers aren’t in desperate need to create cap space, with $22 million to spend before any moves are made. But Huff isn’t living up to his $17 million a year contract and would save San Francisco $5.39 million if they cut him.

9. TE Cole Kmet

Once the Chicago Bears drafted Colston Loveland, it appeared Cole Kmet‘s time with Chicago was done. The veteran tight end faced a significantly reduced role in 2025, only catching 30 passes for 347 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Bears are currently -$10 million in cap space and will be looking to create space to build on their successful 2025 season. With Kmet set to make $11.6 million in 2026 and a potential out in his contract this offseason, Chicago could cut or trade the star tight end and save $10 million this offseason.

8. RB Joe Mixon

The Houston Texans and running back Joe Mixon‘s departure seem inevitable. Mixon was a Pro Bowler with the Texans in 2024 when he rushed for 1,000 yards, but missed the entire 2025 season with a foot injury.

Now entering the 2026 offseason, the Texans would be able to save $8 million if they cut the 2x Pro Bowler. Coincidentally enough, Houston is a little over $8 million in the red.

With the emergence of rookie running back Woody Marks and a need to compete soon, the Texans could move on from their veteran running back just two years into his three-year deal.

7. TE T.J. Hockenson

T.J. Hockenson was once a superstar at tight end. But his career has slowed down significantly since he put together 960 yards in 2023. In 2025, Hockenson only put together 438 yards and 3 touchdowns.

While solid stats for the veteran tight end, he is due a massive $21.355 million in 2026. The Minnesota Vikings are also in major cap trouble, being $43 million in the red. Designating Hockenson as a post-June 1st cut would save Minnesota $16 million.

It’s almost a no-brainer move. Paying a tight end high-end money is only a luxury that competitive teams can afford. The Vikings aren’t just a tight end away and can’t justify the massive $21 million price tag.

6. QB Justin Fields

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields has probably been given too many chances in the NFL. After going in the first round to the Bears in 2021, Fields struggled in his time with Chicago. Before his rookie contract expired, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing for 5 touchdowns in 10 games.

Despite doing nothing impressive in 2024, Fields earned a two-year, $40 million contract with the Jets. Fields’ season was plagued with struggles, with the former first-round pick alternating between the bench and being the starter.

New York isn’t struggling with cap space. They have $79 million available to spend in 2026, but Fields is set to be a $23 million cap hit in 2026 and is expected to be released if the Jets can’t find a trade partner.

5. CB L’Jarius Sneed

The Tennessee Titans have the most cap space in the NFL, holding $104 million to spend. They aren’t scraping the bottom of the barrel looking to find money, and don’t need to make any big cuts. But veteran cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is due an absurd $19.5 million in 2026.

Sneed hasn’t played anywhere near his almost $20 million contract, and the Titans would save $11.4 million if they cut him. In two seasons with the Titans, Sneed has only played in 12 games. The Titans simply need to look to get younger, and that starts with cutting the underperforming veteran.

4. LB Tremaine Edmunds

The Bears are $10 million over the cap in 2026, but one move would immediately put them in the green: cutting Tremaine Edmunds. If Chicago moves on from Edmunds, they’d clear $15 million this offseason.

Cutting Edmunds is no easy task. He’s been great for the Bears and is coming off a 4-interception season. The eight-year veteran isn’t even that old, either, being just 28 when the season starts.

But Edmunds’ successor is already in place. D’Marco Jackson stepped in for the veteran linebacker as he dealt with injuries, and played great in his place. With the Bears needing to free some cap space and a solid option behind him, Edmunds may be looking for a new home in 2026.

3. WR Calvin Ridley

The Titans have another aging veteran on a way-too-big contract. Calvin Ridley signed a four-year, $92 million contract in March of 2024 with Tennessee. While he was able to boast a 1,000-yard season with the Titans in 2024, injuries followed him in 2025. The veteran only put together 303 receiving yards last season.

Tennessee will pay Ridley around $26.5 million in 2026, making him a significant cap candidate. The Titans would save $13 million if they cut the veteran wide receiver.

The Titans are in the middle of a rebuild. They have a focus on getting younger, and paying Ridley $20 million is counterproductive. With there being injury concerns surrounding the veteran receiver, he is a major cut candidate.

2. QB Geno Smith

The Geno Smith experiment was a disaster for the Las Vegas Raiders. Smith threw for 3,025 yards and 19 touchdowns while also throwing 17 interceptions. The Raiders traded a third-round pick for the veteran quarterback, and could be parting ways with him just one season later.

Smith agreed to a 2-year, $75 million contract when he arrived in Las Vegas. The Raiders are set to pay the 36-year-old quarterback $26.5 million, which isn’t the worst for a veteran quarterback. Las Vegas also wouldn’t save significant money if they part ways with the veteran, saving $8 million. On top of their $92 million available cap space, there’s a possibility he stays on the roster.

But I think Smith works better as a trade candidate. There are plenty of quarterback-needy teams that are looking for a proper bridge passer, while the Raiders make room to use the first overall pick on Fernando Mendoza.

1. QB Kirk Cousins

The Atlanta Falcons‘ decision to sign Kirk Cousins to a $180 million contract and turn around to sign Michael Penix Jr. seems like one of the worst moves in recent NFL history. The Falcons went from having two quarterbacks on the roster to potentially zero.

Atlanta will take a $35 million dead cap hit to move on, and Cousins is not expected to return. While the Falcons restructured his deal to drop his 2026 base salary to $2.1 million, his actual cap hit remains $24.6 million. The restructure instead deferred nearly $33 million into a massive 2027 vesting guarantee, acting as a forcing mechanism so they can part ways before it triggers.

The Falcons have also been noncommittal to Penix, making their disastrous roster decisions even worse.