AFC South 2024 Offseason Financials

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertJanuary 13, 2024
© USA TODAY Sports

Spotrac’s 2024 NFL Offseason Series continues with a look at each of the four AFC South teams, breaking down their estimated Top 51 cap space, pending unrestricted free agents, a few notable bubble players, and potential ways to free up more cap space this winter. 

AFC: NORTH | EAST | SOUTH | WEST
NFC: NORTH | EAST | SOUTH | WEST

Houston Texans

Well that went well. Houston gets the opportunity to build off of a division winning season with 4 more years of rookie contract control with QB C.J. Stroud. The Texans have been operating with 1-year contracts across the roster for the better part of 3 years now, leaving them with dozens of decisions every winter. That trend remains in 2024, where 24 notable Texans are currently headed toward unrestricted free agency. Houston hits the winter with around $75M of Top 51 cap space to operate with.

NOTABLE PENDING UFAS

QUARTERBACK
Bubble: Davis Mills

RUNNING BACK
Devin Singletary, Dare Ogunbowale
Bubble: Andrew Beck (FB)

WIDE RECEIVERS
Noah Brown

TIGHT ENDS
Dalton Schultz

OFFENSIVE LINE
Michael Deiter, George Fant, Josh Jones, Charlie Heck

DEFENSIVE LINE
Sheldon Rankins, Teair Tart, Hassan Ridgeway

EDGE DEFENDERS
Derek Barnett, Jonathan Greenard, Jerry Hughes

LINEBACKERS
Neville Hewitt, Denzel Perryman

SECONDARY
Tavierre Thomas (CB), Steven Nelson (CB), Adrian Amos (S), Kareem Jackson (S), Eric Murray (S)

SPECIAL TEAMS
Ka'imi Fairbairn (K), Cameron Johnston (P), Jon Weeks (LS)

CAP CLEARING POSSIBILITIES

  • Process a full base salary conversion on WR Robert Woods, freeing up $4M of cap when factoring in 4 void years.
  • Extend TE Dalton Schultz, stopping his $3.375M of voided dead cap from accelerating into 2024, lowering his overall cap hit. Schultz projects toward a 3 year, $34M contract in our system.
  • Process a full base salary conversion on OT Laremy Tunsil, freeing up $13.4M of cap when factoring in 2 void years.
  • Process a full base salary conversion on OL Tytus Howard, freeing up $10.3M of cap when factoring in 2 void years.
  • Process a full base salary conversion on OL Shaq Mason, freeing up $6.4M of cap when factoring in 2 void years.
  • Process a full base salary conversion on DT Maliek Collins, freeing up $5.4M of cap when factoring in 3 void years.
  • Extend DT Sheldon Rankins, stopping his $5.25M of voided dead cap from accelerating into 2024, lowering his overall cap hit for 2024. Rankins projects toward a 3 year, $30M contract in our system.

RELATED LINKS

Indianapolis Colts

A disappointing finish shouldn’t cloud the fact that Indy answered a lot of questions about their immediate future throughout the 2023 campaign. This is a roster primed to build around Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, & Michael Pittman Jr. (likely) offensively, with a first-class rebuild on the fly forthcoming on the defensive side of the ball. The Colts hit the offseason with around $72M of Top 51 cap space, & the #15 overall pick this April.

NOTABLE PENDING UFAS

QUARTERBACK
Gardner Minshew
Bubble: Sam Ehlinger

RUNNING BACK
Zack Moss

WIDE RECEIVERS
Michael Pittman Jr., Isaiah McKenzie
Bubble: Ashton Dulin

TIGHT ENDS
Bubble: Mo Alie-Cox

OFFENSIVE LINE
None.

DEFENSIVE LINE
Grover Stewart, Taven Bryan

EDGE DEFENDERS
Tyquan Lewis, Jake Martin

LINEBACKERS
None.

SECONDARY
Kenny Moore (CB), Julian Blackmon (S)
Bubble: Chris Lammons (CB)

SPECIAL TEAMS
Rigoberto Sanchez (P)

CAP CLEARING POSSIBILITIES

  • Process a full base salary conversion on RB Jonathan Taylor, freeing up $5.3M of cap when factoring in 2 void years.
  • Release WR Ashton Dulin, freeing up $3M of cap
  • Release TE Mo Alie-Cox, freeing up $5.9M of cap
  • Process a full base salary conversion on OL Quenton Nelson, freeing up $14.3M of cap when factoring in 2 void years.
  • Extend RT Braden Smith, lowering his current $16.6M cap hit for 2024. Smith has a case to reset the right tackle market with an extension in the 3 year, $63M neighborhood.
  • Extend C Ryan Kelly, lowering his current $14.6M cap hit for 2024. Kelly projects toward a 2 year, $24M extension in our system.
  • Extend DL DeForest Buckner, lowering his current $22.75M cap hit for 2024. Buckner projects toward a 2 year, $35M extension in our system.

RELATED LINKS

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags had sights set on winning the AFC before the wheels fell off down the stretch. Now they’re left with a long offseason, and more than few expensive decisions on the table. Is QB Trevor Lawrence a top of the market extension candidate yet? Will WR Calvin Ridley be let to walk away this March? How many offensive line pieces should get turned over in the coming months? Jacksonville boasts around $29M of Top 51 cap space & the #17 overall pick this April.

NOTABLE PENDING UFAS

QUARTERBACK
None.

RUNNING BACK D’Ernest Johnson

WIDE RECEIVERS
Calvin Ridley, Jamal Agnew
Bubble: Zay Jones

TIGHT ENDS
None.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Ezra Cleveland, Tyler Shatley

DEFENSIVE LINE
Dawuane Smoot, Angelo Blackson

EDGE DEFENDERS
Josh Allen, K’Lavon Chaisson
Bubble: Foley Fatukasi

LINEBACKERS
None.

SECONDARY
Tre Herndon (CB)
Bubble: Rayshawn Jenkins (S)

SPECIAL TEAMS
Brandon McManus (K)

CAP CLEARING POSSIBILITIES

  • Process a full base salary + $1M roster bonus conversion on WR Christian Kirk, freeing up $11.5M of cap when factoring in 3 void years.
  • Release WR Zay Jones, freeing up $4.4M of cap
  • Process a full base salary conversion on G Brandon Scherff, freeing up $11M of cap when factoring in 4 void years.
  • Extend OT Cam Robinson, lowering his current $21.1M cap hit for 2024. Robinson projects toward a 3 year, $46M extension in our system.
  • Extend LB Foyesade Oluokun lowering his current $21.75M cap hit for 2024. Oluokun projects toward a 3 year, $35M extension in our system.
  • Extend CB Darious Williams, lowering his $10.5M cap hit for 2024. Williams projects toward a 2 year, $24M extension in our system.
  • Release S Rayshawn Jenkins, freeing up $5.1M of cap

RELATED LINKS

Tennessee Titans

HC Mike Vrabels’ surprise firing adds an additional layer of drama to Tennessee’s offseason, & could signal a larger rebuilding effort than many had originally planned for the organization. QB Ryan Tannehill & RB Derrick Henry have already essentially said their goodbyes, leaving behind $14M of dead cap in their place. Tennessee stumbles into the offseason with around $77M of Top 51 cap space, & the #7 overall pick this April.

NOTABLE PENDING UFAS

QUARTERBACK
Ryan Tannehill
Bubble: Malik Willis

RUNNING BACK
Derrick Henry

WIDE RECEIVERS
Nick Westbrook, Chris Moore
Bubble: DeAndre Hopkins

TIGHT ENDS
None.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Aaron Brewer, Chris Hubbard

DEFENSIVE LINE
Marlon Davidson, Ross Blacklock

EDGE DEFENDERS
Denico Autry, Trevis Gipson

LINEBACKERS
Azeez Al-Shaair

SECONDARY
Kristian Fulton (CB), Sean Bunting (CB), K'Von Wallace (S), Terrell Edmunds (S)

SPECIAL TEAMS
Nick Folk (K), Morgan Cox (LS)

CAP CLEARING POSSIBILITIES

  • Trade WR DeAndre Hopkins, freeing up $10.1M of cap
  • Process a full base salary conversion on G Andre Dillard, forfeiting $6.3M of cap when factoring in 3 void years.
  • Process a full base salary conversion on DT Jeffery Simmons, freeing up $12.3M of cap when factoring in 1 void year.
  • Process a full base salary conversion on LB Harold Landry, freeing up $12.9M of cap when factoring in 2 void years.

RELATED LINKS


Top