With a limited amount of cap room for 2017 and many expiring contracts I thought I'd take a look at where money could be saved in 2017 if need be. Some of these are very unlikely cuts, but I'll mention them anyway.
Shields - $12.125M hit. Potential savings next year of $9M, or over $10.5M if a post June 1st, 2017 cut. I'm sure they'd prefer to keep him, but $12.125M will seem excessive if he doesn't have a good year in 2016, especially if Randall, Rollins, and Gunter elevate their play.
Cobb - $12.75M hit, $6.25M savings ($9.5M if post June 1st cut). While Cobb certainly needs to step up and has a significantly rising base salary in 2017, the $6.5M in dead money would be a tough pill to swallow. This won't happen unless Cobb suffers an unlikely plummet down the WR depth chart this year.
Guion - $3.66M hit, $3.33M savings. Guion is a prime cut candidate in 2017 if he doesn't have a good season. The savings is decent with a very insignificant cap hit.
Starks - $3.75M cap hit, $3M savings. With a nearly $4M cap hit I'd consider Starks at least as likely as not for a cut or restructure in 2017. The one thing Starks has working for him is Lacy's possible departure, which may make Thompson hesitant to start over completely at RB, unless a 3rd option emerges this year.
Shields - $12.125M hit. Potential savings next year of $9M, or over $10.5M if a post June 1st, 2017 cut. I'm sure they'd prefer to keep him, but $12.125M will seem excessive if he doesn't have a good year in 2016, especially if Randall, Rollins, and Gunter elevate their play.
Cobb - $12.75M hit, $6.25M savings ($9.5M if post June 1st cut). While Cobb certainly needs to step up and has a significantly rising base salary in 2017, the $6.5M in dead money would be a tough pill to swallow. This won't happen unless Cobb suffers an unlikely plummet down the WR depth chart this year.
Guion - $3.66M hit, $3.33M savings. Guion is a prime cut candidate in 2017 if he doesn't have a good season. The savings is decent with a very insignificant cap hit.
Starks - $3.75M cap hit, $3M savings. With a nearly $4M cap hit I'd consider Starks at least as likely as not for a cut or restructure in 2017. The one thing Starks has working for him is Lacy's possible departure, which may make Thompson hesitant to start over completely at RB, unless a 3rd option emerges this year.