There’s going to be a lot of talk about June 1st over the next few weeks, with it being the next biggest date on the NFL calendar. This is date to circle when it comes to teams being able to fix their salary cap, as it allows for players to be cut or traded with their dead money being spread between the 2026 and 2027 seasons, rather than eating the full cost up front.
This is what we’ve all been waiting on when it comes to A.J. Brown, and why the Eagles trading Brown prior to June 1 was never going to happen. If Philadelphia dealt Brown before June 1 his cap figure would have gone from $23.4M to $44.M — hitting the cap for an additional $20M this season. By waiting until June 1 his figure drops to a manageable $16.4M this year and $16.2M next year, representing an immediate $7M in savings.
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It goes without saying that Brown is likely to be traded after June 1, but there are handful of other big names to watch when it comes to cuts or trades that will likely occur as soon as the month ticks over.
A.J. Brown, WR — Philadelphia Eagles
The worst-kept secret in the NFL, yes the Eagles are going to trade Brown after June 1 and every sign points to him heading to the New England Patriots. It’s an unceremonious end to a union that brought Philly a win in Super Bowl LIX, and more a case of two sides that found success, but outgrew each other.
Brown wants more opportunities in the passing game. The Eagles want selflessness from their offensive players. It’s an oil/water mix, and with Philly drafting Makai Lemon it really put the clear coat over the writing that was on the wall.
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Trade/Cut: Trade. There is still so much value in Brown as a do-everything receiver in his prime that will cement himself as the No. 1 on whatever team makes the deal for him.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR — San Francisco 49ers
Unquestionably one of the most dramatic falls in recent years, Brandon Aiyuk went from being a 1,342 yard receiver in 2023, widely regarded as one of the best prime offensive players in the NFL — and now he’s so far in the basement that it would be stunning if anyone called the Niners for a trade.
Injury, attitude, it’s been a perfect storm of bad breaks for Aiyuk. Some factors were out of his control, some were entirely in his hands, but the result is the same. The 49ers don’t need any cap help, but it’s time to cut bait and move on, because the roster right now is worse keeping Aiyuk and allowing him to be a distraction, rather than just accepting the sunk cost.
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Trade/Cut: Cut. The four-year, $120M extension signed in 2024 has aged like milk, with no team being willing to take on that kind of money for a receiver that hasn’t proved anything in two years. Aiyuk’s best shot is to sign a one-year “prove it” deal, and hope to make his mark before hitting free agency again.
Cole Kmet, TE — Chicago Bears
Tight end is in a weird spot in the NFL right now, where it’s both become a devalued position and the missing piece to the puzzle. Look no further than the 2026 NFL Draft that saw an alarming number of tight ends go earlier than expected out of team desperation for upgrades at the position.
Enter the Bears, who have an overabundance at the position. At this point it’s safe to assume that Ben Johnson doesn’t see Kmet fitting in his offense longterm after taking Colston Loveland with his top pick in 2025 as a pass-catching TE, and then making a shocker in 2026 by taking Sam Roush in the third round. That’s left Kmet on the outside looking in.
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Kmet is a jack-of-all-trades TE who is a decent catcher and blocker, but the Johnson offense asks for more speciality at every position. That could make the Bears TE an interesting candidate at the June 1 deadline to free up cap space for the Bears, more importantly a roster spot, while getting something for a player who would otherwise run out his contract.
Trade/Cut: Trade. Kmet is prime to be a guy the Bears deal away for a day three selection in 2027, giving them a little cap flexibility in the process. Keep an eye on a team like the Chiefs, Falcons, or Panthers to be potential biters — all of whom were expected to add to their TE rooms in the draft, but didn’t.
Anthony Richardson, QB — Indianapolis Colts
We didn’t see a Richardson trade around the NFL Draft, and the team started offseason workouts with the QB in the building — but it feels incredibly likely that the Colts make a deal. Indianapolis declined the fifth-year option on Richardson, effectively accepting that he was a bust in their eyes, but we know beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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Despite being drafted back in 2023, Richardson is still only 23-years-old — younger than Ty Simpson, who was drafted this year. The athletic upside is there, the arm strength is there, it’s just all the connective tissue where he’s failed. If you’re a team desperate for a quarterback to add to the room, or a contender wanting to pull off the patented “rebuild and let him walk for the compensatory,” then Richardson is a guy you could look at.
Trade/Cut: Trade. Either the Colts deal Richardson to get some draft capital, or they hold onto him for the year. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to cut him at this point instead of letting his contract run out. That said, someone out there is going to look at Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones (the list goes on) and think “we can be the ones to unlock him.”
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