NFL’s 25 highest dead salary cap numbers, led by Aaron Rodgers’ $40m

Oct 01, 2023

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).

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

2023 dead cap hit: $40,313,570

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $35,104,000

Bob Levey/Getty Images

2023 dead cap hit: $22,220,741

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

2023 dead cap hit: $21,450,000

USA Today Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $21,077,776

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $19,600,000

USA Today Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $19,000,000

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $18,352,250

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $18,000,000

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $15,359,292

AP Photo/Steve Luciano

2023 dead cap hit: $14,700,000

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $14,625,000

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

2023 dead cap hit: $13,550,000

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

2023 dead cap hit: $13,233,520

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $12,810,000

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $12,140,784

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $11,956,000

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $10,850,000

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $10,192,555

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $9,986,000

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $9,797,237

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $9,719,168

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

2023 dead cap hit: $9,000,000

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

2023 dead cap hit: $8,589,999

AP Photo/Wade Payne

2023 dead cap hit: $8,400,000

*Jones also accounts for a $3,456,236 dead space hit for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is currently a free agent.

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