Eagles’ Deadline Choices Could Add to 2027 Dead Cap

Philadelphia’s 27-10 loss to Washington on Sunday left the Eagles at 2-6 and last in the NFC East, dimming their playoff prospects. That has raised the possibility of the team selling players before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, but the salary-cap consequences complicate any potential deals.

The Eagles already have $43.7 million in projected dead money for 2027, the league’s third-highest total, according to Over The Cap. That figure is expected to rise once Lane Johnson’s retirement is officially recorded after June 2: $16.6 million would count in 2027 and $26.3 million in 2028. The resulting 2027 total of $60.3 million would lead the NFL.

Trading players can accelerate prorated signing bonuses into a future cap charge. A deadline deal is treated as a post-June 1 transaction, so future proration moves onto the next league year’s cap. The Eagles’ recent trade of Cam Jurgens left a $14.9 million charge for 2027. A.J. Brown’s trade to New England was made after June 1, allowing his dead money to be split across two seasons.

More deals could add to the total. A trade of Saquon Barkley would create a $26.5 million 2027 dead-cap charge, while Dallas Goedert’s would be $18.3 million and Zack Baun’s $22.5 million. Landon Dickerson’s would be $12.1 million, but that would save $1.9 million against his scheduled cap hit. The Eagles are not expected to trade Barkley at the deadline.

The projected 2027 base cap is $327 million, up from $301.2 million in 2026. Former general manager Mike Tannenbaum said teams must weigh near-term and long-term benefits, including the return for a player and the cost of replacing him. A rising cap could also make dead money a smaller share of a team’s spending limit.