June 1st is officially here and changing the calendars could signal a few major transactions. According to NFL salary cap rules, once June 2nd hits, dead money cap hits are spread over two seasons. For instance, the Buffalo Bills designated Tre’Davious White as a p0st-June 1st cut, and now they have an additional $10.2 million in salary cap space. Thanks to this clause in the NFL rule book, it’s not uncommon to see post-June 1st trades go down as teams get ready for mandatory minicamp. The following four veterans have been on the trade block for the vast majority of the offseason and could finally find a new home in the coming weeks.
4 Post-June 1st Trades That Could Change the NFL Landscape
Tee Higgins to the Los Angeles Chargers
One of the most likely post-June 1st trades out there, the Cincinnati Bengals aren’t even engaging in extension talks with Tee Higgins. This will be his last year with the team, and Cincinnati could sell high on the veteran instead of watching him walk for nothing. The Chargers already had the cap space to trade for Higgins, but now they’re in position to finally outbid the competition. Buffalo has the money to make a move, but they’re not as desperate as Los Angeles. Higgins is an ideal fit for the Mike Williams role and should thrive as Justin Herbert’s top option.
Marshon Lattimore to the Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs lost L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans and haven’t done much to replace him. While the team believes in Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson, they could stand to add a proven veteran like Marshon Lattimore into the mix. The Saints can free up nearly $4 million of much-needed cap space with a post-June 1st trade, and the reigning Super Bowl champions can add a starting-caliber player at a crucial position as they go for their third Lombardi Trophy in as many seasons.
Brandon Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Russell Wilson is an upgrade on Kenny Pickett, but the former Super Bowl champion is not the player he used to be. Wilson can’t carry a team like he did back in the 2010’s, and Pittsburgh could use a star like Brandon Aiyuk to pair with George Pickens. San Francisco selected two wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft and recently extended Jauan Jennings, so they should have the depth to survive if they make Aiyuk (or Deebo Samuel) a post-June 1st trade.
Matthew Judon to the Baltimore Ravens
Matthew Judon didn’t attend voluntary workouts but said he would be around for minicamp. However, he might not be on the Patriots by that time. Judon is still a great player, but he’s on the older side and will probably drop off before the rebuilding Patriots are ready to compete. The Baltimore Ravens make perfect sense for a post-June 1st trade, as Judon entered the league with John Harbaugh’s club and Baltimore could use another edge rusher to help offset the loss of Jadeveon Clowney.
Main Photo: Kareem Elgazzar – USA Today Sports
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