The Houston Texans must create more salary cap space this offseason if they plan on being a prime player in free agency.
General manager Nick Caserio is currently scheduled to possess a deficit in ‘effective cap space,’ according to OverTheCap.
It’s precisely why OTC releases its annual list compiling 100 potential cut candidates around the league to provide better insight on which players would actually help the cap rather than hurt it in the short term.
While OTC acknowledged that most players listed won’t be outright released, defensive tackle Denico Autry was the lone name on the list mentioned for a potential cut after an underwhelming first season in Houston.
Autry, who inked a two-year, $20 million deal last offseason, started on a low note by being suspended for the first game for violating the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing substances.
The 34-year-old said in a statement the violation was due to his doctors submitting a prescription for a different medication that contained a banned substance. He said he did not intentionally violate the league’s policy but accepts the punishment.
Once he returned in Week 7, Autry became a rotational option, playing less than 65% of snaps in every game besides Week 10’s loss to the Detroit Lions. He finished with 13 total tackles, three sacks and two tackles for loss in 10 games.
If the Texans were to outright release, they would save $9 million in cap space. That alone would bring Houston up to $19 million in space for the 2025 offseason.
Atury might be the top-cut candidate this offseason, but he’s not the only one. Offensive lineman Shaq Mason, tight end Dalton Schultz, offensive tackle Tytus Howard, defensive tackle Tim Settle, defensive back Jimmie Ward and several others also could be on the block, though Houston would gain little in a net return against the cap until after the 2025 season.
