Every offseason, a couple of big-name NFL players are released or traded, and the general reaction is shock. Why would they cut that guy? But those of us who cover the league and study contract math know those moves aren't always quite as surprising as they appear to be on the surface. So with that in mind, we wanted to take our annual look at 10 players whose teams might decide to go in different directions during the 2025 offseason.
Maybe it's a player on a four-year contract where the guaranteed money ran out after two. Maybe it's a player who was drafted by a previous iteration of the team's front office and doesn't fit the new one's plan. There are plenty of reasons for a surprise offseason move-on.
Some disclaimers: As always, this is not designed to be a comprehensive list. And it's important to consider factors beyond just age, health and contracts. For example: When we did this exercise last season, Browns running back Nick Chubb would have been an obvious candidate, given that he was injured, turning 28 and carrying a large 2024 cap number. But to predict Chubb as an offseason release would have been to ignore his strong relationship with the team, which worked out a contract adjustment to keep him in Cleveland while he finished his rehab and returned to the field. I call this the "Cameron Heyward Rule" because it's a lesson I learned like three or four years ago when I included him on this list (yeah, he is still on the Steelers). Hey, you live and you learn.
Let's dive in on this partial list that points to 10 players whose respective teams might surprisingly choose to move on next spring, listed in no particular order.
Jump to a player on a team:
BAL | BUF | CLE | LAC | NO
NYJ | PHI | SF | SEA
