Cut Candidates: NFC South

We’ve shifted into offseason mode here at Rotoworld. In a salary-cap league with non-guaranteed contracts like the NFL, the offseason is a time teams rid themselves of players not living up to their pay scale. Every year, handfuls among handfuls of players are asked to take pay cuts or simply released outright. Before free agency opens March 10, I’ll highlight names from each team who may be on the roster bubble. According to several reports, the salary cap is expected to rise to roughly $142 million in 2015. Terms to know are "cap number", "cap savings", "cash savings", and "dead money". Cap number is how much Player X will count against Team X's salary cap. Cap savings is how much Team X will clear in salary-cap space by cutting Player X. Cash savings is how much Team X will save in terms of sheer cash, and it can be formulated by Player X's base salary + bonuses. Dead money is how much Player X will count against Team X's salary cap, even if he is released. I already took a look at the AFC East here, the AFC North here, the AFC South here, the AFC West here, the NFC East here, and the NFC North here.

[Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball: Sign up and join a league today!]

Mensio’s Note: For detailed salary cap and contract information, go check out OverTheCap.com. Salary figures and cap numbers are from them. I’d also like to give a shout-out to self-proclaimed salary cap enthusiast Andrew Cohen for answering several questions for me. Follow him on Twitter here.

ATLANTA FALCONS

LG Justin Blalock
Cap number: $7.91M
Cap savings: $3.79M
Cash savings: $4.75M
Dead money: $4.12M
Blalock has two years left on a six-year, $38.4M deal. He’s arguably the Falcons’ best lineman, but doesn’t seem to be a fit for new OC Kyle Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme. Blalock isn’t a great athlete and is more of a power blocker at 6-foot-4 and 326 pounds. The Falcons have some options to replace him between LT Jake Matthews and C Joe Hawley. Fourth-year C/G Peter Konz is entering the final year of his rookie deal and projects as a better fit in the new offense. Veteran LT Sam Baker is also coming back from knee injuries and may be forced to kick inside if he doesn’t win the right-tackle job. Blalock missed time with a back injury last year and just turned 31 in December.

RB Steven Jackson
Cap number: $4.917M
Cap savings: $3.75M
Cash savings: $3.75M
Dead money: $1.167M
Jackson is all but certain to be released in the very near future. Due a $3.75M base salary as a soon-to-be 32-year-old, Jackson is viewed as a poor fit for the new offense. There just isn’t much gas left in the tank for the longtime Ram, though I do think he can still help a team. If he’s going to stick around in the league, Jackson will have to take on a part-time role on 6-10 carries per game. Jackson had terrible blocking in Atlanta, but did manage to finish fifth in yards after contact per attempt (2.69) among 42 running backs with at least 100 carries last season. He keeps himself in peak physical condition, but Jackson took years of pounding in St. Louis. The Falcons will move forward with Devonta Freeman and add at least one running back through free agency and/or the draft. Freeman won’t be a workhorse; he’s more of a change-of-pace runner.

WR Harry Douglas
Cap number: $4.396M
Cap savings: $3.5M
Cash savings: $3.5M
Dead money: $896K
Douglas has been a productive wideout in this Matt Ryan-led offense when either Julio Jones or Roddy White has been injured, but he’s going to be 31 this season and the new offense is going to go through Jones even more than it has in the past. There’s no reason to pay all three of Jones, White, and Douglas. The Falcons can get Douglas’ production at a much cheaper rate. One of he or Devin Hester is likely to be cut. Hester brings more to the table as a return man. Atlanta can find a bargain No. 3 receiver in free agency or address it in a deep receiver class in the draft.

DT Jonathan Babineaux
Cap number: $3.620M
Cap savings: $2.286M
Cash savings: $3M
Dead money: $1.333M
Babineaux signed a new three-year, $9M deal last offseason and is the longest-tenured Falcon along with Roddy White, having spent the past 10 years in Atlanta. Babineaux has long been a steady pocket-pushing interior lineman with 25.5 career sacks, but the Falcons seem to have some depth on the inside with Paul Soliai, Tyson Jackson, and Ra’Shede Hageman. Those three aren’t going anywhere. Babineaux will turn 34 this season.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

RB DeAngelo Williams
Cap number: $6.333M
Cap savings: ($267K)
Cash savings: $2M
Dead money: $6.6M
Williams was already cut by the Panthers earlier this week. They almost certainly designated him as a post-June 1 release, saving them $2M against the cap for 2015 that will become available to them on June 2. The Panthers’ all-time leading rusher has been running on fumes for a couple seasons. Turning 32 in April, we’re not sure there’s much left in the tank as Williams’ blazing speed disappeared a while back. His days of being a starter are long gone. The move by GM Dave Gettleman locks Jonathan Stewart in as Carolina’s bellcow.

RB Mike Tolbert
Cap number: $3.425M
Cap savings: $2.425M
Cash savings: $2.425M
Dead money: $1M
With the release of DeAngelo Williams, it probably significantly improves Tolbert’s chances of sticking on the roster. He’s a quality short-yardage back and can even function as a lead blocker. Tolbert may not be worth the money he’s earning, but he’s a versatile player who can also catch the ball. He’s entering the final year of his contract as a 29-year-old. There’s no fantasy value here.

FS Thomas DeCoud
Cap number: $2.166M
Cap savings: $1.916M
Cash savings: $1.931M
Dead money: $250K
Like Williams above, DeCoud has already been let go by the Panthers. He was cut on February 17 after a one-year stint in Carolina. A surprise 2012 Pro Bowl nod was followed up by back-to-back disastrous seasons in Atlanta and Carolina, respectively. The soon-to-be 30-year-old is in extreme danger of falling out of the league. DeCoud has surrendered nine touchdowns in coverage the past two seasons. He also doesn’t play the run very well. The Panthers will move forward with 2014 fourth-rounder Tre Boston at free safety.

SS Roman Harper
Cap number: $1.8M
Cap savings: $600K
Cash savings: $1.5M
Dead money: $1.2M
Harper is another player Gettleman scooped up off the scrap heap last offseason after he was released by the division-rival Saints. Signed to a two-year, $4.5M deal, Harper, along with DeCoud, was a problem on the Panthers’ back end. At 32, he’s more of a “box” safety. The Panthers could stand to upgrade at strong safety, but don’t have a quality backup on the roster at the moment. It’ll likely be addressed early in free agency or the draft, so Harper could stick around a while and go to camp with the Panthers this summer as a veteran leader. If he sticks, Harper shouldn’t be a starter.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

RG Jahri Evans
Cap number: $11M
Cap savings: $6M
Cash savings: $7.5M
Dead money: $5M
The Saints have far-and-away the worst cap situation in the league. They’re close to $30M over the cap. GM Mickey Loomis is a proponent of kicking the can down the road and dealing with the repercussions later much like the Cowboys and Jerry Jones. Something has to be done before the new league year starts on March 10. The Saints will try to “restructure” some of these deals, but a couple players are going to get their walking papers. Evans has been the Saints’ right guard the past nine seasons and is a four-time first-team All-Pro. Like a lot of the Saints, Evans’ play fell off a cliff in 2014. He was Pro Football Focus’ 77th-ranked guard out of 78 qualifiers in pass protection. Evans may have an excuse, however. He battled a wrist injury all year long and needed surgery after the season. He’ll turn 32 in August. The Saints may choose to keep Evans and move on from LG Ben Grubbs.

WR Marques Colston
Cap number: $9.7M
Cap savings: $4.3M
Cash savings: $7M
Dead money: $5.4M
Colston posted career-low 16-game averages in catches, yards, and touchdowns last season and continues to see his athleticism decline. There’s no chance he’s back at his current $6.9M base salary. The Saints would like to bring Colston back for his age-32 season, and the veteran is reportedly open to a pay cut. Colston can still be an asset thanks to his size, but he needs to catch the ball better in 2015. He dropped eight of his 96 targets last year. Colston’s days of a WR2 production are over with Jimmy Graham as the No. 1 pass-game option and Kenny Stills and Brandin Cooks ready for increased roles. The smart move would probably be to cut Colston.

LG Ben Grubbs
Cap number: $9.6M
Cap savings: $3.6M
Cash savings: $6.6M
Dead money: $6M
The Saints signed Grubbs to a five-year, $36M deal in the 2012 offseason when they let Carl Nicks walk as a free agent to Tampa Bay. He hasn’t missed a start in New Orleans and had outstanding 2012 and 2013 seasons before coming down to Earth last year. The Saints can’t keep everyone, and the feeling is they’d rather keep RG Evans over Grubbs. They still may choose to retain both on restructured contracts. Grubbs turns 31 next month and is the league’s third-highest paid left guard.

MLB Curtis Lofton
Cap number: $9.25M
Cap savings: $4.25M
Cash savings: $7.25M
Dead money: $5M
Lofton has been an iron man throughout his career; he’s yet to miss a game in seven seasons and has started all but one of those. He also plays every snap on defense. Lofton is DC Rob Ryan’s leader, but his play really fell off in 2014, per Pro Football Focus. He missed a league-worst 22 tackles among 60 qualifying inside linebackers and received poor marks across the board as a run defender and in coverage. We’re willing to give him a pass, as nobody played well for New Orleans last season. Lofton is still 29 (in June) and is a tackle machine who usually contributes in other areas on the stat sheet unlike overrated ILBs D’Qwell Jackson, Paul Posluszny, and James Laurinaitis. Fellow ILB David Hawthorne is far more likely to be released.

NT Brodrick Bunkley
Cap number: $6.113M
Cap savings: $2.888M
Cash savings: $4.5M
Dead money: $3.225M
Bunkley is as good as gone and should be one of the Saints’ easiest cuts. He’s missed 10 games in three seasons with New Orleans and is coming off a torn quad suffered in Week 12. Bunkley will be 32 this season and sees his salary skyrocket up to $4.4M. 2013 third-rounder John Jenkins is the Saints’ nose tackle of the present and future, while Akiem Hicks and Cameron Jordan anchor the edges of New Orleans’ defensive line.

WLB David Hawthorne
Cap number: $6.01M
Cap savings: $2.99M
Cash savings: $4.5M
Dead money: $3.02M
Hawthorne will have to take a pay cut to stick around with the Saints. He’s missed nine games in three seasons with New Orleans and has put below-average play on tape when he’s been on the field. Hawthorne is well overpaid. The Saints have a number of holes to fill on defense.

S Rafael Bush
Cap number: $1.95M
Cap savings: $1.95M
Cash savings: $1.95M
Dead money: $0
Bush was arguably the Saints’ best safety before a fractured tibia cut his season short in Week 11. But the team has a ton of money tied up in the safety position with FS Jairus Byrd and SS Kenny Vaccaro. DC Rob Ryan likes to roll out three safeties a lot of the time, but Bush is one of the lone players the Saints can cut without taking on any dead money. The Saints may deem him too expensive for a No. 3 safety.

TE Ben Watson
Cap number: $1.9M
Cap savings: $1.5M
Cash savings: $1.5M
Dead money: $400K
Watson is 34 and entering the final year of his contract. The Saints are also high on Josh Hill behind Jimmy Graham. New Orleans would prefer to keep Watson around as a veteran leader, but money is tight and the $1.5M is more valuable to them at this point. Watson is near the end of the line.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

FS Dashon Goldson
Cap number: $8M
Cap savings: $4M
Cash savings: $4M
Dead money: $4M
Former GM Mark Dominik handed Goldson a five-year, $41.25M deal that included $22M guaranteed prior to the 2013 season. Many were skeptical of the contract after Goldson flourished in the 49ers’ talent-laden defense, and those skeptics were proven right. Goldson has been arguably the worst safety in the league since landing in Tampa Bay and certainly isn’t worth his spot as the fourth-highest paid player at the position. The Bucs have talked up S Bradley McDougald this offseason, but they’re going to have to add players at the position with Major Wright set to be a free agent. Goldson, 30, should be joining Wright on the street.

LT Anthony Collins
Cap number: $6M
Cap savings: $3M
Cash savings: $3M
Dead money: $3M
Collins had a terrific 2013 season with the Bengals when he filled in on Andy Dalton’s blind side. He was conveniently playing for his next contract. The Bucs took the bait and inked Collins to a five-year, $30M deal. He started 10 games at left tackle last season before losing his job to RT Demar Dotson, who shifted over to the left side. Collins tumbled so far down the depth chart that he was a healthy scratch to close out the year. The Bucs have arguably the worst offensive line in the league, but that may not even save Collins. The Tampa Bay Times expects Collins to be cut.

QB Josh McCown
Cap number: $5.25M
Cap savings: $5.25M
Cash savings: $5.25M
Dead money: $0
McCown has already been released and has been on the free-agent tour for the past two weeks. Cutting him was a no-brainer move for the Bucs after McCown went 1-10 as a starter last season to go along with an abysmal 11:14 TD:INT ratio. The offensive line couldn’t protect him, and the Bucs deemed him unworthy of his $5.25M salary. McCown is a hot name once again this offseason thanks to an extremely weak quarterback class. He’s expected to net close to $5M from his new team. The Bucs will move forward with current QB Mike Glennon and use the No. 1 pick in the draft on either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. Signs point to Winston being the favorite at the moment.

P Michael Koenen
Cap number: $3.25M
Cap savings: $3.25M
Cash savings: $3.25M
Dead money: $0
Koenen finished dead-last in punting average last season and 29th in net average. A bad team like the Bucs dishing out $3M-plus to a punter makes zero sense. The easy business decision would be to send Koenen packing and find a punter for the league minimum.

TE Brandon Myers
Cap number: $1.167M
Cap savings: $833K
Cash savings: $1M
Dead money: $333K
Austin Seferian-Jenkins is a candidate for a monster sophomore leap this season. Myers is best suited for a reserve role, but teams typically prefer their backup tight ends to be able to block. Myers is annually one of the worst blocking tight ends in the league and is more of a finesse player. He’s not being paid much, though, and the Bucs are in fine shape money-wise, so Myers could stick.