NFL free agency 2025: Aaron Rodgers, Cooper Kupp highlight most notable players released
NFL free agency is a time for the league's 32 clubs to reshape their rosters, but it isn't just about signing players.
Plenty of players are released ahead of and during NFL free agency. Often, they are veteran players who are either playing on backloaded contracts with high salary cap hits or no longer fit the team's window for contention.
These cap casualties tend to include a handful of big names along with players who are more than capable of playing a key role for another organization on a cheaper deal.
Here's a look at some of the most notable cuts so far from the NFL's 2025 free-agent period.
NFL free agency: Most notable cuts
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
The Jets informed Rodgers in mid-February they would be moving on from him following the 2024 NFL season. New York waited until the start of the new league year on March 12 to release him with a post-June 1 designation, which allows them to spread Rodgers' dead-cap hit out over two seasons.
Rodgers completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2024 but led the Jets to just a 5-12 record. The four-time NFL MVP turned 41 in December.
Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
Kupp announced the Rams intended to move on from him ahead of Super Bowl 59. Los Angeles could not find any takers for the 31-year-old via trade and released him at the start of the new league year.
Kupp has played just 33 regular-season games since his Triple Crown season in 2021. He caught 67 passes for 710 yards and six touchdowns in 2024 while playing in 12 games and serving as the Rams' primary complement to Puka Nacua.
Davante Adams, New York Jets
Rodgers wasn't the only veteran the Jets released. They also parted with Adams, who was due to have a $38.3 million cap hit if he remained in New York.
Adams didn't take long to find a new home. The 32-year-old landed with the Rams as the presumed replacement for Kupp. The three-time All-Pro had 85 catches for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns across 14 games with the Jets and Las Vegas Raiders last season.
Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks parted with two of their top three receivers during the 2025 offseason. They traded DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers and released Lockett after 10 seasons with the team.
Lockett had 49 catches for 600 yards and two touchdowns during the 2024 NFL season, marking his lowest totals since the 2017 campaign. The 32-year-old made the All-Pro team in 2015 as a return man and appeared in his lone Pro Bowl during that season.
Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers released Bosa nine years after making him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. He had 72 sacks in 107 games for the Chargers, including five in 14 games last season.
Bosa didn't remain a free agent long, as he inked a one-year deal worth up to $12 million with the Buffalo Bills. He will be tasked with replacing Von Miller as a veteran edge presence.
Von Miller, Buffalo Bills
Speaking of Miller, the Bills parted with him after three seasons together. The veteran notched six sacks in 13 games last season but played just 25.27% of the team's snaps.
Miller will soon turn 36 but the three-time All-Pro could still latch on with a contender as a rotational pass rusher.
Gardner Minshew, Las Vegas Raiders
Minshew has started 22 games across the last two seasons for the Raiders and Indianapolis Colts. Las Vegas is moving on from him to usher in the Geno Smith era, but Minshew should still draw interest from quarterback-needy teams as a high-quality backup.
Minshew completed 66.3% of his passes for 2,013 yards and nine touchdowns across nine starts. However, he struggled with turnovers, throwing a career-worst 10 interceptions and posting a 2-7 record in his starts.
Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles
Slay represents one of the many Eagles' defensive departures following their Super Bowl 59 win. He had 49 tackles and 13 pass defenses in 14 starts last season while logging an interception and five pass defenses during Philadelphia's playoff run.
The Eagles parted with Slay given the performance of their rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. The 34-year-old landed with the Steelers and will be tasked with serving as a No. 2 cornerback across from Joey Porter Jr. in Pittsburgh.
C.J. Mosley, New York Jets
Mosley was a captain and a productive tackler for the Jets, averaging 156 tackles per 17 games played over his last four seasons in New York. However, he missed all but four games in 2024 due to a neck injury, leading the Jets to roll with Jamien Sherwood as his replacement.
Mosley, 32, has made five Pro Bowls during his 11-year career.
David Andrews, New England Patriots
Andrews is another team captain coming off an injury that limited him to four games last season. The Patriots released the 32-year-old center after his shoulder injury and plan to honor him with a retirement ceremony if he decides not to continue his playing career, per ESPN's Mike Reiss.
Andrews made 121 starts for the Patriots after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He won two Super Bowls in New England.
Marcus Williams, Baltimore Ravens
Williams was one of the biggest prizes of 2022 free agency when he signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Ravens. He struggled to stay healthy with the Ravens, playing just 32 games across three seasons and being benched at the end of his third season.
Williams won't turn 29 until September so he could regain the ball-hawking form he showed while with the New Orleans Saints. He has 20 career interceptions across 108 games but failed to record one for the first time in 2024.
Jonathan Allen, Washington Commanders
Allen made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2021 and 2022 but has seen his sack total drop in each season dating back to 2021. He had 19 tackles and three sacks in eight games last season but impressively battled back from a partially torn pectoral muscle to play during Washington's playoff run.
Allen didn't last long on the free-agent market. The 30-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings worth up to $60 million.
Grady Jarrett, Atlanta Falcons
Like Allen, Jarrett is a two-time Pro Bowl tackle who landed a big deal after his release. The Chicago Bears signed him to a three-year, $43.5 million contract to provide interior pass-rushing pressure along their front.
Jarrett had 53 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 17 games for the Falcons last season. He will turn 32 in April.
Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers
Edwards has long been a physical running back who has been a quality part of several backfield rotations. He spent the 2024 season with the Chargers after six years with the Ravens and averaged a career-low 3.6 yards per carry.
The Chargers parted with Edwards after bringing Najee Harris in on a one-year free-agent deal. Edwards will turn 30 in April, so it isn't clear how much interest he will draw on the free-agent market.
Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers
Juszczyk is another older backfield player, as he's set to turn 34 in April. That said, the veteran fullback remains one of the best at his position in the league, making nine consecutive Pro Bowls and cracking the All-Pro first team in 2023.
Juszczyk had 19 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns for the 49ers last season. He also punched in a rushing touchdown on five carries.