Atlanta Falcons setting records with their dead cap

The Falcons have had a purge of their roster during the past couple of years. The new regime has been forced to clean up a mess left behind by the past regime.

A large portion of that has caused them to carry a ridiculous amount of dead cap—money charged to the team’s salary cap by players who are no longer on the roster. It is the worst feeling, as no one wants to pay for something they no longer have.

Atlanta Falcons are setting a record for the most dead cap in NFL history

Yes, you read that right, the Falcons are set to enter the season with the highest total of dead cap in the history of the NFL. 

A whopping 30.2% of the Falcons salary cap will be charged to players who no longer are associated with the team, players they will get zero contribution from during the year.

Most of their $62.8 million in dead cap is tied up in three players—Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Dante Fowler.

Dante Fowler’s awful contract that the team sorely regrets, or at least the previous regime regrets, will put the Falcons on the hook for $4.6 million despite him now playing with Dan Quinn in Dallas.

Then there are the two players who are two of the best players in the Falcons history.

Julio Jones, following his trade to the Titans last year, had the team on the hook for a large-cap hit last year and now this year, then we are free from his contract. This year he will cost Atlanta $15.5 million.

Then finally there is Matt Ryan who has the largest dead cap hit in NFL history with his $40.5 million that will count against the Falcons despite him playing for the Indianapolis Colts..

So, for the Atlanta Falcons, while they may be setting records you never want to be associated with, it is something they need to endure in order to move forward and build a brand new team.