3 surprise cuts the Chargers could make this offseason

1. CB Casey Hayward

Hayward has stood as one of the best (and under-appreciated) cornerbacks in the league in recent years. But his play definitely slipped in 2020, perhaps due to a groin injury that ultimately only cost him one game (Week 12). His missed tackle rate (18 percent, nine missed tackles), yards per target allowed (8.2) and yards per completion allowed (16.6) rates were clearly his worst in the three years of that data Pro Football Reference has.

Hayward is entering the final year of his contract, with an $11.75 million cap hit. The Chargers can clear out $9.75 million of that by cutting him, while retaining a feasible $2 million in dead money.

As he gets closer to turning 32 (Sept. 9), the Chargers have to weigh if Hayward is just starting to decline or if not having a possible nagging lower body injury will bring him back up toward his previous level in 2021. Having Chris Harris and Michael Davis in place at cornerback otherwise is helpful for depth purposes, though adding an impact player there in the draft or free agency is in play regardless of what they do with Hayward.

Cutting Hayward would primarily be a decision based on his skill not justifying his cap hit, since the Chargers aren’t under the gun to do anything big to get in good cap standing. That $11.75 million might be nice to be able to allocate elsewhere.