I did some cap analysis for 2015 and 2016 and here are some of the highlights. All information obtained through Spotrac.com.
Here are the position counts for all players currently under contract for 2015 (includes future commitments)
WR: 7
LB: 7
TE: 6
CB: 4
DT: 4
S: 4
RB: 4
DE: 3
OT: 3
OG: 3
OC: 3
P: 1
QB: 1
FB: 0
K: 0
LS: 0
Free Agents
2015 Free Agents
Ndamukong Suh, DT
Nick Fairley, DT
CJ Mosley, DT
Andre Fluellen, DT
George Johnson, DE
Rob Sims, OG
Garrett Reynolds, OT
Corey Hilliard, OT
Ashlee Palmer, LB
Darryl Tapp, LB
Josh Bynes, LB (RFA)
Dominic Raiola, C
Jed Collins, FB
Isa Abdul-Quddus, S
Dan Orlovsky, QB
Kellen More, QB (RFA)
Rashean Mathis, CB
Cassius Vaughn, CB
Don Muhlbach, LS
Matt Prater, K
Kellen Davis, TE
Jeremy Ross, WR (ERFA)
2016 Free Agents
DeAndre Levy, LB
Tahir Whitehead, LB
Travis Lewis, LB
Julian Stanford, LB
Jason Jones, DE
James Ihedigbo, S
Riley Reiff, OT
LaAdrian Waddle, OT
Rodney Austin, OG
Darren Keyton, OC
Ryan Broyles, WR
Corey Fuller, WR
Bill Bentley, CB
Mohammed Seisay, CB
Joseph Fauria, TE
George Winn, RB
2017 Free Agents
Stephen Tulloch, LB
Reggie Bush, RB
Joique Bell, RB
Theo Riddick, RB
Don Carey, S
Sam Martin, P
Caraun Reid, DT
Devin Taylor, DE
Ezekiel Ansah, DE (Team Option)
Cornelius Lucas, OT
Larry Warford, OG
Darius Slay, CB
2018 Free Agents
Brandon Pettigrew, TE
Larry Webster, TE
Eric Ebron, TE
Glover Quin, S
TJ Jones, WR
Nevin Lawson, CB
Travis Swanson, OC
Kyle Van Noy, LB
Ezekiel Ansah, DE
Matthew Stafford, QB
2019 Free Agents
Golden Tate, WR
2020 Free Agents
Calvin Johnson, WR
2015 Cap Status
(With the assumption that Suh does not excercise his player option)
Contracts: $106,139,638
Dead Money: $13,828,229 (Mostly Chris Houston, $3.9MM and Ndamukong Suh, $9.74 MM)
Cap Hit Total: $119,967,867
Projected Cap: $138,600,000
Projected Space: $18,632,133
First up are the uncuttable players (pre-6/1), most of these are obvious but they all either result in a cap loss or negligable cap gain (only for players above $1MM)
2015 Uncuttable
Calvin Johnson, WR
Kyle Van Noy, LB
Golden Tate, WR
Ezekiel Ansah, DE
Eric Ebron, TE
Matthew Stafford, QB
Darius Slay, CB
Glover Quin, S
Next up are the players that provide the highest savings (pre-6/1), this is purely about numbers, I'm not advocating that the Lions cut anyone
Bold = Likely candidates
2015 Highest Savings (pre-6/1)
DeAndre Levy, LB ($3.5 MM)
Stephen Tulloch, LB ($3.2 MM)
Jason Jones, DE ($3.15 MM)
Reggie Bush, RB ($1.72 MM)
James Ihedigbo, S ($1.625 MM)
Joique Bell, RB ($1.5 MM)
Riley Reiff, OT ($1.48 MM)
Next up are the highest savings after June 1st cuts (My knowledge is limited on these cuts, I don't know what limitations exist on individual players) this is based on the plan that 2015 cap hits are incurred and dead money from 2016 and on is accelerated to 2016. I've excluded players that are FAs in 2016, since it doesn't make a difference.
Bold = Likely candidates
Dead Money is included, this is what would count against the 2016 cap
2015 Highest Savings (post-6/1)
Calvin Johnson, WR ($12.5 MM, $12.9 MM Dead)
Stephen Tulloch, LB ($4.5 MM, $1.3 MM Dead)
Glover Quin, S ($4 MM, $3.485 MM Dead)
Reggie Bush, RB ($3.5 MM, $1.78 MM Dead)
Brandon Pettigrew, TE ($2.8 MM, $2 MM Dead)
Golden Tate, WR ($2.75 MM, $4.8 MM Dead)
Joique Bell, RB ($2.5 MM, $1 MM Dead)
Matthew Stafford, QB ($1.5 MM, $11 MM Dead)
2015 Gains post 6/1 vs pre 6/1
Calvin Johnson, WR ($12.92 MM)
Matthew Stafford, QB ($11 MM)
Eric Ebron, TE ($6.44 MM)
Ezekiel Ansah, DE ($5.92 MM)
Golden Tate, WR ($4.8 MM)
Glover Quin, S ($3.485 MM)
Brandon Pettigrew, TE ($2 MM)
Reggie Bush, RB ($1.78 MM)
Kyle Van Noy, LB ($1.385 MM)
Stephen Tulloch ($1.3 MM)
Joique Bell ($1 MM)
All cap scenarios involving Bush, Jones, and Tulloch being cut (note: Jones is a 2016 FA)
Bush and Tulloch cut pre 6/1
2015 Savings: $8.072 MM
2015 Cap Space: $26.7 MM
2016 Dead Money: $0
Bush cut post 6/1, Tulloch pre 6/1
2015 Savings: $9.85 MM
2015 Cap Space: $28.5 MM
2016 Dead Money: $1.78 MM
Tulloch cut post 6/1, Bush pre 6/1
2015 Savings: $9.37 MM
2015 Cap Space: $28 MM
2016 Dead Money: $1.3 MM
Bush and Tulloch cut post 6/1
2015 Savings: $11.15 MM
2015 Cap Space: $29.78 MM
2016 Dead Money: $3.078 MM
Other Options for cuts - Non-guaranteed contracts in 2015
Julian Stanford, LB
Rodney Austin, OG
Corey Fuller, WR
Mohammed Seisay, CB
George Winn, RB
Darren Keyton, OC
The current cap commitments in 2016 is $101 MM, this will go up based on June 1st cuts.
