EXPLAINER: How 'dead money' lives, as NFL free agency begins

FILE - Philadelphia Eagles' Carson Wentz (11) passes during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Philadelphia, in this Monday, Nov. 30, 2020, file photo. Jettisoning a veteran player often comes with a price in the NFL, and not just because of the loss of skill and experience. In most cases, these annual late-winter moves leave a team trying to create more space under the salary cap with a certain amount of dead money. That can put the squeeze on free agent pursuits. The Philadelphia Eagles are the extreme example this year with a $33.8 million charge for trading quarterback Carson Wentz.(AP Photo/Rich Schultz, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2020, file photo, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford looks to past against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of an NFL football game in Nashville, Tenn. The Detroit Lions are trading Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams and will be charged $19 million in dead money to their cap for the deal. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)

FILE - New Orleans Saints cornerback Janoris Jenkins (20) is shown during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings in New Orleans, in this Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, file photo. By releasing cornerback Janoris Jenkins, the New Orleans Saints are carrying a $7.2 million cap hit of dead money. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman, File)