Players the Redskins can Cut in 2019, and the Salary Cap Implications

The uncertainty of Alex Smith has cast a black cloud over the Redskins organization - both from a positional and salary cap standpoint.

If Smith does not play another down for the Redskins, he’s still guaranteed an additional $31 million dollars. If the Redskins were to release him after June 1 2019, it would count $20.4 million in dead money for 2019 and $32.2 million in dead money for 2020. If they released him prior to June 1st 2019, all $52.6 million would hit the cap in 2019.

There is also rumor of an insurance policy the team took out on Smith to give them a little protection against something like this injury we saw, but reports have this taking effect in 2020, not this next spring.

Either way, the Redskins must begin preparing for the possibility of life after Alex Smith.

Some ways the team can help absorb some of the massive cap hit would be to cut some veterans, and possibly re-structure some current deals.

Below is a list of some players who can be cut, and the savings to the team for doing so.

Josh Norman: 8.5 million

Zach Brown: 5.75 million

Vernon Davis: 5 million

Chris Thompson: 3 million

Stacy McGee: 2.3 million

Mason Foster: 2 million

Savings: $26.55 million

There is also the possibility (and I believe with the latest injury, this becomes a must) that the team can re-structure the contract of Jordan Reed.

Reed has a base salary of nearly $7.7 million in 2019, and his total cap hit is $9.7 million. If they can agree to re-do his current deal, and convert some of that base salary to bonuses, this may give them even more wiggle room. If Reed refuses to re-structure his current deal, the Redskins may be better off parting ways, as he carries just $3.6 million in dead money. When healthy, he’s a weapon, but the issue is he can’t STAY healthy.

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Even if Smith makes a full recovery and is ready for training camp in 2019, the team may be better off in the long run if these cuts are made.

The projected Salary cap for 2019 is around $190 million (an increase of $13 million from 2018). The Redskins will need ever penny of that predicted increase (and more) next spring.

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