While the Tennessee Titans made a series of cuts earlier this week, parting ways with LT Taylor Lewan, WR Robert Woods, LB Zach Cunningham, and K Randy Bullock, OLB Bud Dupree was surprisingly not included in Tennessee's transactions.

Dupree is set to be paid $17 million of base salary in 2023 while carrying a $20.2 million cap hit from his initial five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Titans. Should Dupree be released by the team, the Titans can clear $9.35 million off the books for 2023, and if Dupree is designated as a post-June 1st cut, that number becomes $15.75 million.

Dupree has struggled to stay on the field over the last two seasons, and his production does not justify the cost of keeping him around. So why has Dupree not been cut by the Titans yet?

In simple terms, because he can't…at least for now.

$1.25 million of Dupree's 2023 salary ($17 million) fully guaranteed on March 20th of last year. The Titans will owe him that money regardless of what they decide to do with him. Because of that, Tennessee must wait for the new league year, which begins March 15th, to officially release him.

Regarding Bud Dupree not being a part of the #titans cuts so far. He has a partial salary guarantee in 2023 which pretty much means the Titans have to wait until the start of the new league year to release him

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) February 23, 2023

Because the NFL is still operating under the 2022 league year, any guarantees in voided contracts will accelerate onto the 2022 payroll, even if the Titans pre-designate Dupree's release date for June. All 2022 cap room has carried over by now, so the Titans are not allowed to take that $1.25 million of guaranteed salary on the 2022 books, and must therefore wait for the new league year to begin.

Don't mistake Dupree's temporary survival from being released as anything other than delaying the inevitable. He will either be released or restructured by the Titans when March 15th rolls around.

Image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK