Nothing stays the same in the NFL. Not even in New England.
When the NFL new league year starts on March 14, teams will officially sign free agents and make deals to bring in players and deal others away. It's often referred to as the "business season," and it's just as competitive as the regular season. Stats might matter, but dollar signs matter even more.
To that end, we've put together lists of who will be available and who might be available at each of the four key positions in Fantasy Football. Note that the potential salary cap casualties are not guaranteed to become free agents – teams have more cap space now than they've ever had and could either keep players even if they're overpaid or trade them to a team that is willing to pay those bloated salaries. Either way, expect the majority of these players to be on the move this spring.
Quarterbacks
Impending FA
Potential quarterback salary cap casualties
- Alex Smith - $20.6M cap #, KC saves $17M if they cut/trade him; expected to get traded to Redskins
- Tyrod Taylor - $18M cap #, BUF saves $10.4M if they trade him; expected to get traded to Browns
- Andy Dalton - $16M cap #, CIN saves $13.9M if they cut him
- Ryan Tannehill - $19.8M cap #, MIA saves $15.2M if they cut him
- Mike Glennon - $16M cap #, CHI saves $11.5M if they cut him; expected to get cut
Quarterback job openings
- Likely openings: ARI, CLE, DEN, MIN, NYJ
- Potential openings: BUF, CIN, JAC, WAS*
- Unlikely openings: NO
Running backs
Impending FA
- Le'Veon Bell - franchise tagged
- Carlos Hyde
- Dion Lewis
- Rex Burkhead
- Isaiah Crowell
- DeMarco Murray
- Jerick McKinnon
- Doug Martin
- Frank Gore
- Alfred Morris
- LeGarrette Blount
- Jonathan Stewart
Potential running back salary cap casualties
- Lamar Miller - $6.75M cap #, HOU saves $4.75M if they cut him
- Marshawn Lynch - $6M cap #, OAK saves $6M if they cut him
- C.J. Anderson - $4.5M cap #, DEN saves $4.5M if they cut him; expected to get cut
- Latavius Murray - $6.35M cap #, MIN saves $5.15M if they cut him
- Adrian Peterson - $2.9M cap #, ARI saves $2.9M if they cut him; expected to get cut
- Theo Riddick - $3.9M cap #, DET saves $2M if they cut him
- Danny Woodhead - $3.3M cap #, BAL saves $1.8M if they cut him ($2.5M if post June 1)
Running back job openings
- Openings: BAL, CLE, DET, IND, NE, NYG, NYJ, SF, SEA, TB, WAS
- Potential openings: DEN, HOU, OAK
Wide receivers
Impending FA
- Jarvis Landry - franchise tagged; expected to get traded to Browns
- Allen Robinson
- Sammy Watkins
- Marqise Lee
- Mike Wallace
- Cameron Meredith - RFA
- Paul Richardson
- Terrelle Pryor
- Jordan Matthews
- Tyrell Williams - RFA
- John Brown
- Danny Amendola
- Donte Moncrief
Potential wide receiver salary cap casualties
- Dez Bryant - $16.5M cap #, DAL saves $8.5M if they cut him ($12.5M if post June 1)
- Emmanuel Sanders - $10M cap #, DEN saves $5.5M if they cut him ($8.25M if cut post June 1)
- Rishard Matthews - $5.8M cap #, TEN saves $5M if they cut him
- DeSean Jackson - $11M cap #, TB saves $3.5M if they cut him
- Jermaine Kearse - $5M cap #, NYJ saves $5M if they cut him
- Randall Cobb - $12.75M cap #, GB saves $9.5M if they cut him
- Jordy Nelson - $12.5M cap #, GB saves $10.25M if they cut him
- Brandon Marshall - $6.1M cap #, NYG saves $5.1M if they cut him
- Kelvin Benjamin - $8.5M cap #, BUF saves it all if they cut him before new league year
- Jeremy Maclin - $7.5M cap #, BAL saves $5M if they cut/trade him
- Allen Hurns - $7M cap #, JAC saves $7M if they cut him
- Travis Benjamin - $7M cap #, LAC saves $4.5M if they cut him ($5.75M if post June 1)
- Brandon LaFell - $4M cap #, CIN saves $4M if they cut him
- Cordarrelle Patterson - $3.25M cap #, OAK saves $3.25M if they cut him
- Torrey Smith - $5M cap #, PHI saves $5M if they cut him
- Cole Beasley - $4.25M cap #, DAL saves $3.25M if they cut him
- Tavon Austin - $8M cap #, LAR saves $3M if they cut him
- Markus Wheaton - $5.75M cap #, CHI saves $5M if they cut him
Wide receiver job openings
- Openings: ARI, BAL, BUF, CHI, IND, JAC, WAS
- Potential openings: CAR, DAL, GB, KC, MIA, NYJ, OAK, SEA
Tight ends
Impending FA
Potential tight end salary cap casualties
- Greg Olsen - $9.75M cap #, CAR saves $6.75M if they cut him
- Eric Ebron - $8.25M cap #, DET saves it all if they cut him before new league year
- Jordan Reed - $10.1M cap #, WAS saves $4.7M if they cut him ($8.3M if post June 1)
- Delanie Walker - $7M cap #, TEN saves $6.2M if they cut him
- Jared Cook - $5.3M cap #, OAK saves $5.3M if they cut him
- Charles Clay - $9M cap #, BUF saves $4.5M if they cut post June 1 ($0 if before)
- Vernon Davis - $5.3M cap #, WAS saves $1.2M if they cut him ($2.5M if post June 1)
- Vance McDonald - $4.6M cap #, PIT saves $4.6M if they cut him
- Coby Fleener - $8M cap #, NO saves $3.2M if they cut him ($6.4M if post June 1)
- Julius Thomas - $6.6M cap #, MIA saves $6.6M if they cut him
- Brent Celek - $5M cap #, PHI saves $4M if they cut him
- Dion Sims - $6.3M cap #, CHI saves $5.6M if they cut him
- Martellus Bennett - $6.4M cap #, NE saves $6.4M if they cut him
- Dwayne Allen - $5M cap #, NE saves $5M if they cut him
Tight end job openings
- Openings: ARI, BAL, CIN, GB, HOU, MIA, NO, NYJ
- Potential openings: DEN, JAC, OAK, SEA, TEN, WAS
