Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson playing for the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
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The Cardinals signed Dalvin Tomlinson last March, but his poor production makes him a cap casualty.
When the new league year begins on March 11, all 32 NFL teams will be required to get under the cap. The Arizona Cardinals don’t have that problem, as they are projected to have $39.182 million in cap space according to overthecap.com.
That puts the Cardinals in a situation where they don’t necessarily have to make tough cuts to get under the cap. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t move on from bad contracts to free up more space.
Fox Sports’ NFL reporter Greg Auman published a list of 25 cut candidates. One Cardinal made the list: defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. Tomlinson ranks 22nd on the list.
As the Cardinals rebuild under new head coach Mike LaFleur, the 2026 season should be about cleaning house. With uncertainty at the quarterback position, general manager Monti Ossenfort needs to leverage this transition window to remove bad contracts.
Once the Cardinals figure out their quarterback situation, they can be more aggressive spenders as they accumulate space.
Why the Cardinals Should Cut Dalvin Tomlinson
General manager Monti Ossenfort has spent a considerable amount of money upgrading the defensive line over the past two offseasons. One of those contracts was Tomlinson, who signed a two-year, $29 million deal last March.
Auman notes that Tomlinson’s production dipped in 2025. He went from 18 quarterback hits in 2024 to just three in 2025. That comes despite starting all 17 games for Arizona.
Tomlinson is set to earn a $12.1 million salary in 2026 and carries a $16.2 million cap hit. That’s too rich for a 32-year-old lineman whose productivity fell off a cliff. Given that Ossenfort has invested two first-round picks on the defensive line in back-to-back seasons, it makes sense to move on.
Cutting Tomlinson before June 1 would save the Cardinals $9.4 million in cap space. If they cut him after June 1, which would spread out the cap hit across two seasons, they’d save $14.5 million. Unless there’s a dire need for the extra $5 million, it makes more sense to release him in March.
Other Contracts the Cardinals Should Move On From
Tomlinson is one of those deals the Cardinals should move on from, but he’s not the only one. Here are four other players who are easy decisions to move on from, and could save the team at least $5 million in space.
RB James Conner
Conner is on the books for $9.83 million. The Cardinals’ starting running back suffered a nasty foot injury that required surgery in their Week 3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. While Conner has built a nice legacy in Arizona, his age and recent injury make cutting ties a no-brainer. The Cardinals save $7.58 million in cap space if they release Conner at the start of the league year.
QB Kyler Murray
Murray is a more unique case than a simple cap cut. He carries a cap charge north of $52 million, far too rich for the value he brings the Cardinals. The clock is ticking for Arizona to trade its former starting quarterback, as his 2027 salary becomes guaranteed on March 15. If they can find a trade partner before then, they save $34.7 million in cap space.
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
The Cardinals signed the former Super Bowl champion to be a veteran voice in their cornerback room. It made sense, as Ossenfort has drafted a cornerback in the second round in all three of his drafts. Now, those three corners are coming of age and have pushed Murphy-Bunting out of a role. Also, considering the veteran corner did not play in 2025, this is an easy decision. The Cardinals save $7.425 million by releasing him.
DT Bilal Nichols
Nichols is another defensive line addition that didn’t work out. The Cardinals signed him to a three-year, $21 million contract in March 2024. Nichols has only played 10 games in two years in Arizona, which has led to Ossenfort spending high picks on the defensive line. The Cardinals will save $5.805 million by moving on.