Breaking down the Eagles $52 million in dead money

One of the most important off-season’s in Eagles franchise history is complete and with Carson Wentz’s dead money off the books, the Birds are looking at much greener pastures from a salary cap standpoint moving forward.

After the salary cap decreased from $198.2 million in 2020 to $182.5 million in 2021 due to the COVID-19 impact, the cap rose to $208.2 million in 2022.

There are still a few issues, with a total of 14 current or former Eagles accounting for almost $53 million in dead cap space.

Fletcher Cox -- $9,641,408

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphia got out from underneath Cox’s huge 2022 cap number with the release, but there’s still significant cap space being sucked up by his dead money hit

Malik Jackson $9,033,000

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Jackson’s dead money hit was spread out over two seasons.

Derek Barnett $7,248,800

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Barnett returned to the Eagles as a free agent, but will still have dead money hit.

Brandon Brooks $5,939,235

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia restructured Brooks’ contract, reducing his salary cap hit in 2022, as both sides prepare to move on. The Eagles will save $12 million with the move and Brooks’ non-guaranteed base salary of just over $1 million after June 1.

In the restructure, the Eagles reduced Brooks’ base salary from $13.4 million in 2022 to $1.12 million.

Brooks, 32, filed his retirement paperwork after June 1, and he’ll count $9 million in dead cap space for 2022 and 2023.

Alshon Jeffery $5,435,706

Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Jeffery restructured his contract in January 2021, making his base salary $2 million, while reducing his cap number to $7 million, along with the dead money, as well – a total savings of $10.8 million.

Zach Ertz $3,548,000

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Ertz was traded to the Cardinals in 2021, but still leaves a dead cap hit.

Anthony Harris $2,408,000

Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Rodney McLeod $2,140,000

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Joe Flacco $1,940,000

(AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Philadelphia signed Flacco to a deal and then traded the veteran to the New York Jets.

Steven Nelson $1,508,000

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Nelson signed a one-year deal with the Eagles, worth $2.5 million guaranteed with a cap hit of just under $1.3 million in 2021.

Eric Wilson $1,372,000

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Wilson signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract after playing for the Minnesota Vikings, but eventually lost his job to T.J. Edwards.

Ryan Kerrigan $1,140,000

(AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Kerrigan initially signed a one-year deal for upwards of $3.5 million in 2021, with likely incentives being involved in the deal.

Rick Lovato $375,000

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

John Hightower $150,026

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

A 2020 fifth-round draft pick, Hightower signed a 2-year, $1,775,000 contract with the Eagles, including a $10,000 signing bonus, $10,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $887,500.

The former Boise State star has been a practice squad member for much of the past two seasons, eliminating some of the expected earnings.

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