Top Five Cap Hits for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023
The Arizona Cardinals are staring a rebuild right in the eyes.
After a 4-13 season that was plagued by injuries, the Cardinals saw both Kliff Kingsbury (fired) and Steve Keim (stepped down) depart the team. Kyler Murray going down with a torn ACL late in the season only placed the cherry on top of the (redacted) sundae for a roster that has 30 players set to hit free agency this offseason.
With new leadership and a roster that clearly isn't ready to win as soon as next season, the Cardinals could very well look into trimming some fat off the salary cap.
Decisions will be made sooner than later on who stays and who goes. As of now, the Cardinals are projected to have $15.66 million in cap space with a projected number of $6.1 million after signing the top 51 players and their rookie class according to OverTheCap.
As of now, here's the top five cap hits for the Cardinals heading into 2023:
*All numbers/figures via OverTheCap*
1. DeAndre Hopkins
Base Salary: $19.45 million
Prorated Bonus: $11.3 million
Cap Number: $30 million
There's been plenty of smoke around Hopkins and his future in Arizona after The Score's Jordan Schultz reported that the Cardinals planned on dealing Hopkins. It was revealed in the same report that Hopkins wants a new deal with assumingly more money, which is a tough ask considering his contract ranking his third in the league.
Hopkins is 30-years-old and the most likely scenario (a trade prior to June 1) would put the Cardinals at $22.6 million in dead money but would also save them $8.15 million against the cap.
2. D.J. Humphries
Base Salary: $5.5 million
Prorated Bonus: $4.25 million
Total Roster Bonus: $8.25 million
Guaranteed Salary: $8 million
Cap Number: $17.87 million
Humphries ranks nearly $13 million behind Hopkins as the team's No. 2 cap hit for next season. Only Marquise Brown has more guaranteed money for 2023.
Humphries just turned 29-years-old. With the current shape Arizona's offensive line is in, it doesn't really make sense to cut Humphries. Yet if for whatever reason that was desired, a post-June 1 designation would save $5.62 million against the cap and hold $12.250 million in dead money.
3. Budda Baker
Base Salary: $13.096 million
Prorated Bonus: $3.775 million
Cap Number: $16.871 million
Whatever Baker is making, it feels like it will never be enough. He proved his worth as the heart and soul of this team after playing through a handful of significant injuries just to ensure he was on the field with his guys.
His contract ranking comes in at No. 6 for safeties on OverTheCap, which feels five spots too low.
4. Kyler Murray
Base Salary: $2 million
Prorated Bonus: $13 million
Workout Bonus: $1 million
Guaranteed Salary: $2 million
Cap Number: $16 million
2023 will be the final season of Murray's low cap hits before his mega-extension kicks in with a cap number of $51.85 million arrives in 2024. Only Deshaun Watson ($54.993 million) and Dak Prescott ($52.13 million) have higher cap numbers that season.
The Cardinals just hope he can return to his normal self by then.
5. Marquise Brown
Base Salary: $13.413 million (fully guaranteed)
Cap Number: $13.413 million
After the Cardinals traded for Brown on Draft Day last season, they immediately picked up his fifth-year option with hopes of negotiating a new deal for Hollywood. He showed just how good he can be with Murray at quarterback and will be entering the final year of his rookie contract at 26-years-old.
Dealing a first-round pick for Brown means you simply can't let him walk. With Hopkins potentially on the move, that's not even a possibility at this point. It'll be interesting to see if the Cardinals can strike a deal with Brown this offseason for the future.
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