Aaron Rodgers will take up a shade under 18 percent of the Green Bay Packers’ salary cap space for the 2023 NFL season. That’s larger than any other quarterback’s cap hit this fall — and it’s especially notable because Rodgers won’t play a single down for the Packers.
The complex nature of NFL contracts means teams can be stuck accounting for players who are no longer on the roster. Trading or releasing a veteran doesn’t absolve a franchise from the guaranteed money it still owes him. Even retirement can offer little relief; the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have $35 million in sunk costs coming up this season as part of the privilege of rostering Tom Brady for his final three years.
Brady and Rodgers lead the way when it comes to players who’ll take up valuable salary cap resources without even taking a spot in the locker room. 27 players will take up at least $8 million of their former team’s spending room despite no longer being rostered. Here are the top 25 — so far — from Rodgers down to Julio Jones (who’ll cost two different teams space in 2023).
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