The Arizona Cardinals made two moves late on Wednesday, the first day of the new league year. The late NFL transaction report showed the team made two releases.
They released defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who had already announced his retirement, and center Rodney Hudson, who is expected to retire.
Both were given post-June 1 designations. Hudson’s release came with a failed physical designation as well.
Both are officially free agents.
The moves will give the Cardinals cap space but not until June 2.
Before Watt’s retirement, he restructured his contract to give the Cardinals some cap relief.
His contract was due to carry $7.2 million in dead money. 2023 was originally a voiding year. He made it an actual year. With the release and post-June 1 designation, his contract will count almost $3.6 million against he cap until June 2, when there will be a dead money charge of $2.4 million and cap savings of $1.165 million. His contract will count $4.8 million in dead money in 2024.
Hudson reduced his salary after the season, giving the Cardinals some cap relief. His cap hit for now will be $3.81 million until June 2. It will drop to $1.76 million in dead money, saving the Cardinals $2 million in cap space.
The remainder of the prorated signing bonus charge will be more than $3.5 million in dead money in 2024.
So the Cardinals will get $3 million in cap relief in June from these moves.
They will carry more than $8 million in dead money against the cap from their contracts in 2024.
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