2018 NFL Draft: Here's why these veterans could be potential post-draft roster cuts

The 2018 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. By the end of this week, each and every one of the league's 32 teams will have added several rookies to their roster. Many of those draft picks will be used on players that fill the obvious needs we've been talking about for months, while others could come as a surprise. Either way, every player picked has the potential to make his team's roster; and that means some veterans could end up losing the spots they thought might have been safe.

We've already seen this happen throughout the offseason, as pricey players no longer worth their salary were cast aside by their teams in order to save money against the cap. Most of those teams either filled the need in free agency or expect to do so in the draft. Below, we'll run through a list of players who, if their team selects a player at their position, could see their position on the roster endangered.

Note: These are not predictions, but merely attempts to read the financial tea leaves.

Cole Beasley, WR, Dallas Cowboys

We've already seen the Cowboys cut Dez Bryant, but that doesn't mean they're done making changes at wide receiver. The Boys have shown heavy interest in top-of-the-draft wideouts, and it would not at all be surprising if they picked one in the first couple rounds. The Cowboys already drafted Beasley's long-term replacement last year with fourth-rounder Ryan Switzer. Recent signee Allen Hurns does a lot of work in the slot. And Dallas can save $3.25 million against the cap by cutting ties with Beasley, while it's not as beneficial, cap-wise, to cut the less effective Terrance Williams. Dallas remade its entire defensive backfield in one fell swoop last offseason, and it's possible that the Bryant-Hurns swap was just the beginning of the team doing the same with its receiver corps.

Travis Benjamin, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers aren't necessarily seen as being in the market for one of the top wide receivers in the draft, but if they select one at all, it could be a sign that Benjamin is on his way out. LA already has Keenan Allen and Tyrell Williams, plus 2017 first-rounder Mike Williams has big mouths to feed. Add in Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry at tight end, and the pass-catching corps is already pretty crowded. Benjamin is a solid speed threat, but he is almost purely that, and his numbers have tailed off in a big way during his two seasons with the Chargers. Considering they can save $5.5 million by getting out of his contract, we shouldn't be surprised if they do so.

Lamar Miller, RB, Houston Texans

The writing was arguably on the wall for Miller when the Texans drafted D'Onta Foreman last year. Miller held him off during the 2017 campaign and Foreman is coming off an injury, but there were already rumors this offseason that Houston might move on from the soon-to-be 27-year-old back -- and those rumors make sense. Miller averaged 4.0 yards per carry during his first season with the Texans and just 3.7 per carry last year. He's never necessarily been a bell-cow back, and his cap hit ($6.75 million) far exceeds his usefulness, especially if the Texans center their offense on Deshaun Watson and not the running game, as is expected. Houston can take a back at pretty much any point during the draft and use him in rotation with Foreman, and probably get the same production it has gotten from Miller these last two years.

Menelik Watson, OT, Denver Broncos

The Broncos drafted Garrett Bolles in the first round last year and picked up Jared Veldheer in a trade this offseason. Watson and his $7 million-plus cap hit don't make much sense with the team anymore. The Broncos should be in the market for a swing tackle in the draft in order to fill that slot while saving money. If Watson is cut, the Broncos would gain more than $4.5 million in additional cap space. They can use that money toward an extension for center Matt Paradis, corner Bradley Roby, or pass-rushers Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett.

JR Sweezy, OG, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers have become a hot landing spot for star Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson in recent mock drafts, and it makes a ton of sense. They've been investing some high picks in offensive lineman to help give Jameis Winston some protection, and Nelson would not only do that, but he'd be an immense help to their run game as well. With Ali Marpet starting at one guard spot, Sweezy's $7.125 million cap hit would become untenable if the Bucs indeed selected a guard early on. Considering they can knock that number down by over $5 million by moving on from Sweezy (who has not exactly shined since signing with Tampa), it would make a ton of sense if they did so.

Brandon Mebane, DT, Los Angeles Chargers

Our second Charger on this list, Mebane actually makes slightly more sense than Benjamin as a potential cap cut. He's getting up there in age (33 years old), the team has several high-priced (or soon-to-be high-priced) players along the defensive front, and they may elect to get a bit more athletic up the middle by selecting someone like Vita Vea or Da'Ron Payne if they drop to No. 17 in the draft. Mebane is still an effective run defender but he doesn't really affect the game on passing downs, and if the Chargers can get a more versatile player at the same position while also gaining $4.5 million in cap space by cutting Mebane post-draft, they may just do it.

Joe Haden, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

OK, this one may not seem all that likely, but hear me out. The Steelers have Mike Hilton to play the slot and they drafted Artie Burns a couple years back. They've got some cap issues, as always, and they may need to pay Le'Veon Bell at some point. One way to free up the money: draft a cornerback early and save nearly $7.1 million by cutting Haden loose. Sure, he played pretty well for the Steelers last season; but is he really worth "second-highest cornerback cap hit in the NFL" money right now? Almost surely not.

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