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Six Teams To Gain Cap Space From Post-June 1 Cut Designations

May 31st, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the annual June 1 date — a pivotal salary point on the NFL’s calendar for decades — looming, a handful of teams will see their cap-space figures rise this week. This year, six teams took advantage of the post-June 1 cut designation the league allows for cost-defraying purposes.

Teams are permitted to designate two players per offseason as post-June 1 cuts. This transaction allows a team to spread out a dead-money hit over a two-year period, as opposed to absorbing all the cost in one offseason. The Cardinals did not take this path with DeAndre Hopkins, finalized a standard release Tuesday. Arizona is one of the six teams to have used the post-June 1 cut tactic this offseason, however.

Here are the teams who will pick up cap room Friday, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter):

  • Miami Dolphins: $13.6MM
  • Cleveland Browns: $10.92MM
  • Dallas Cowboys: $10.9MM
  • Washington Commanders: $4MM
  • Denver Broncos: $3.75MM
  • Arizona Cardinals: $3.22MM

With $1.3MM in cap space, the Dolphins sit 30th as May winds down. They will rise to the league’s top half thanks to the funds from their Byron Jones cut emerging. Jones missed all of last season due to injury, seeing what was believed to be a routine surgery — one not expected to even force him to miss training camp time — leave his career in jeopardy. Three years after the Dolphins gave Jones a then-record-setting cornerback contract, the former Cowboys Pro Bowler expressed doubt about playing again.

The Browns’ John Johnson release will balloon their cap space to $15.9MM. Cleveland gave Johnson a three-year, $33MM deal in 2021 but cut bait with a year to go. The Browns were believed to be interested in Jessie Bates, but the Falcons’ monster offer (four years, $64MM) won out. Cleveland instead signed ex-Kansas City starter Juan Thornhill. The Browns used their second post-June 1 designation on Jadeveon Clowney, doing so despite signing the former No. 1 overall pick to a one-year deal in 2022. Released for procedural purposes after a tumultuous year, Clowney is no longer in the Browns’ plans. The team, which has been mentioned as a Hopkins dark horse, now sits in the top 10 for cap space.

Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott cut will lead to a cap-space figure north of $21MM soon; that will place the team in the top eight. The team would have faced an $11.8MM dead-money charge had the post-June 1 designation not been used. Elliott remains in the mix to return to the Cowboys, but the two-time rushing champion would do so at a significantly reduced rate. The team had signed him to a six-year, $90MM extension ahead of the 2019 season, but the former No. 4 overall pick’s best work came on his rookie contract. The Cowboys still have Tony Pollard tied to a $10.1MM franchise tag.

Chase Roullier represents the source of the Commanders’ belated savings. Washington cut its former starting center earlier this month, doing so after signing veteran Nick Gates and drafting interior O-lineman Ricky Stromberg in Round 3. Roullier signed a Washington extension in January 2021 but missed 24 games over the past two seasons. The 2017 draftee, who played just two games last season due to a knee injury, remains unsigned. The Roullier-generated money will bump Washington’s cap-space total past $8MM.

Denver parting ways with longtime kicker Brandon McManus will lead to its slight funding increase, which will boost the team’s cap space past $10MM. McManus served as the Broncos’ kicker for nine seasons, taking over after Matt Prater‘s substance-abuse suspension in 2014. McManus signed two extensions to stay in Denver, the most recent in 2020. But the Broncos have another round of new special teams coaches. Sean Payton cited cost savings when addressing McManus’ release, and the veteran kicker already has a new gig — in Jacksonville.

The Cardinals will add a few million because of their Rodney Hudson release and J.J. Watt‘s retirement. Hudson, who has been closely tied to retirement, spent the past two seasons in Arizona. The Cards acquired the former Raiders and Chiefs center via 2021 trade. Hudson then signed a three-year, $30MM extension that ran through the 2024 season. Injuries doomed the former Pro Bowler in Arizona. After missing five games in 2021, Hudson missed 13 last season. Although Watt retired, the Cards created nearly $1.2MM in 2023 cap space by processing the move as a post-June 1 exit.

Because the Cardinals had used the post-June 1 designation on Hudson and Watt, they could not apply the cost-spreading measure to the Hopkins release. With the Hudson and Watt moves set to lift the Cardinals past the $27MM mark for cap space, only the Bears will reside ahead of them in available funds.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/31/23

May 31st, 2023 at 6:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: CB Jordan Swann

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived: LB Damon Lloyd

Tight end Tommy Hudson got into five games with the Titans last season, hauling in three catches for 31 yards. He’ll join a relatively deep tight ends group in Denver that includes Greg Dulcich, Chris Manhertz, Adam Trautman, and Albert Okwuegbunam.

Broncos To Sign K Elliott Fry

May 31st, 2023 at 12:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos jettisoned their nine-year kicker last week, moving on from the final link to their Super Bowl 50 roster. In place of Brandon McManus, the team will bring in a far less experienced option.

Denver is adding Elliott Fry on Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The McManus cut left no kickers on the Broncos’ roster. Fry will step in. The well-traveled kicker has played three NFL games. It is a one-year deal, 9News’ Mike Klis adds (on Twitter).

Fry, 28, took part in a three-kicker workout last week in Denver. He joined Brett Maher and Parker White in auditioning for the team. Of that trio, Maher brings by far the most NFL experience. He also served as the final kicker during Sean Payton‘s Saints tenure, being the team’s most successful Wil Lutz fill-in during the 2021 season. But Maher also endured one of the worst kicking days in playoff history, missing four extra points during the Cowboys’ wild-card win over the Buccaneers. He also missed a PAT the following week in San Francisco.

As for Fry, he has attempted six field goals in his career, making five. He is 5-for-7 on extra points. The former South Carolina kicker played one game apiece with the Falcons, Bengals and Chiefs from 2020-21. He did not kick in a regular-season game last year.

The kicker the Jaguars traded to make room for McManus, Riley Patterson, ended up as the team’s kicker via waiver claim last year. That transaction came shortly after the team booted Fry. The Jags cut Fry with an injury settlement in August 2022, leading to a return to the Chiefs (via a practice squad deal) and a Cardinals reserve/futures contract. Arizona waived Fry in March.

Fry’s workout ledger is extensive. He has regularly made trips to auditions over the past few years, remaining a coveted option when kicking competitions emerge. Initially entering the NFL as a Bears UDFA in 2019 — after a run in the short-lived Alliance of American Football — Fry resided on nine teams’ rosters or P-squads from 2019-23. The Broncos will make it 10 for the nomadic specialist, who likely will not be handed the Denver job. It would be surprising if the Broncos did not add a camp competitor at kicker, but for now, Fry is the team’s McManus replacement choice.

Broncos To Re-Sign T Cameron Fleming

May 31st, 2023 at 8:55am CST by Sam Robinson

MAY 31: Fleming will be tied to a deal worth $2.1MM in base value, 9News’ Mike Klis notes, adding that the veteran tackle’s third Broncos contract will include $850K guaranteed (Twitter link). Fleming will count $2.35MM on Denver’s 2023 cap sheet.

MAY 23: Right tackle continuity has eluded the Broncos for over a decade, and they will have a different Week 1 starter (Mike McGlinchey, barring an injury) for an 11th straight season. But a steady option at that position is on his way back to town.

Denver is re-signing Cameron Fleming, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The sides agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $4MM on Tuesday. Fleming has made 19 starts for the Broncos over the past two years. With McGlinchey in the fold, the well-traveled veteran will be positioned to be Denver’s swingman. Fleming met with both the Jaguars and Dolphins in April, but each team made moves during or after the draft.

McGlinchey signed a five-year, $87.5MM deal to stop the Broncos’ revolving door at right tackle. With the practical guarantees on the ex-49er’s deal surpassing $52MM, the former first-round pick is on track to be Denver’s right-side starter for the foreseeable future. But the team entered the week without four of its tackle regulars from 2022. Billy Turner signed with the Jets, while Calvin Anderson joined the Patriots. Tom Compton, who saw injuries allow him little time as a Bronco, is a free agent. Fleming’s return certainly gives the Broncos better depth.

Fleming played both right and left tackle for the Broncos, who lost longtime left tackle Garett Bolles to a broken leg in Week 5. Injuries besieged the Broncos’ Russell Wilson protection crew last season, with Bolles, Turner, Compton and center Lloyd Cushenberry missing large chunks of the campaign. This made Fleming valuable. He suited up for 15 games and started all 15. Tuesday’s agreement will give the journeyman an opportunity to play a 10th NFL season.

The Broncos initially signed Fleming once well-paid right tackle Ja’Wuan James suffered an offsite injury during the 2021 offseason, when the NFLPA lobbied to nix voluntary workouts at team facilities. As a result, the Broncos cut James with a non-football injury designation. Fleming lost the right tackle competition to Bobby Massie, but the latter was not retained last season. Denver brought in ex-Nathaniel Hackett Packers charge Turner, but he missed nine games due to injury.

Pro Football Focus viewed Fleming as a solid option last season, ranking him just inside the top 30 at tackle. His work at both positions last season makes for an ideal swing option. Fleming has played the swing role previously, working in that capacity for the Patriots and Cowboys. He operated as a full-time Giants right tackle starter in 2020, leading to the Broncos accord. The former fourth-round Pats pick has 61 starts on his resume.

Fleming, 30, stands to bridge the gap between Denver’s experienced Bolles-McGlinchey starter tandem and a cast of unseasoned backups. Isaiah Prince, who missed all of the 2020 and ’22 seasons, and Christian DiLauro (five career games) reside as the other swing options in Denver.

Each NFL Franchise’s Richest QB Contract

May 29th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The quarterback market has moved again this offseason. A year after Aaron Rodgers raised the average annual value bar past $50MM, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson did so on long-term extensions. Overall, four teams have authorized the most lucrative QB deal in their respective histories this offseason. Two more — the Bengals and Chargers — are in talks about record-setting extensions as well.

On that note, here is the richest quarterback contract each team has authorized. Although teams like the Jets and Lions have acquired big-ticket contracts via trade, only teams’ extensions or free agency agreements will qualify here.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Jay Cutler, January 2014. Seven years, $126.7MM. $38MM fully guaranteed

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Carson Palmer, December 2005. Six years, $97MM. $30.8MM fully guaranteed

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

In trading this contract to the Jets in April, the Packers restructured the deal. Rodgers’ exit will still tag the Pack with $40.3MM in 2023 dead money.

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Carr’s second Raiders deal — agreed to in April 2022 — was worth $40.5MM per year. The full guarantee, thanks to the February escape hatch the team built into the contract, checked in lower than Carr’s initial Raiders extension.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Chad Pennington, September 2004. Seven years, $64MM. $23MM guaranteed.

The Jets have signed three quarterbacks to deals involving more guaranteed money, but each of those contracts — for Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Darnold (2018) and Zach Wilson (2021) — was a rookie pact.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Javonte Williams Participating In OTAs

May 25th, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Javonte Williams‘ timetable continues to point to the talented running back being ready well before the Broncos’ regular season begins. After Sean Payton indicated Williams had a shot to avoid the active/PUP list and begin training camp on time, the third-year back was on the field for Denver’s OTA session Thursday.

Payton confirmed (via 9News’ Mike Klis) Williams worked in a limited capacity Thursday. Considering Williams’ position and the nature of his injury, any participation in OTAs represents good news for a Broncos team that lost much of its starting lineup to injury last season.

The Broncos lost Williams in Week 4 of last season, four days before they lost left tackle Garett Bolles for the year. Williams suffered ACL and LCL tears, along with posterolateral corner damage, and GM George Paton‘s April assessment — which hinted a return at some point during the 2023 season — did not paint a rosy outlook for the North Carolina alum. But everything since looks to signal Williams, barring a setback, will be ready in time for Week 1.

With Melvin Gordon out of the picture, Williams has a clear path toward the lead role in Denver’s backfield. Known for his tackle-shedding ability, the former second-round pick totaled 1,219 scrimmage yards as a rookie while playing alongside Gordon, who started for most of that 2021 season. The Broncos not only lost Williams on offense but played without Bolles, tackle Billy Turner, center Lloyd Cushenberry and wide receivers Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler for most or all of last season. Patrick, who suffered an ACL tear during training camp last year, has received full clearance to return.

Although Gordon and Mike Boone are no longer on the roster, the Broncos are expected to make free agent acquisition Samaje Perine a major part of their offense. Denver gave Perine a two-year, $7.5MM deal that came with $3MM guaranteed. Perine turned down a similar Bengals offer due to the prospect of increased playing time. With Payton often using multiple backs regularly — from the Pierre Thomas–Reggie Bush tandem to the more recent Alvin Kamara–Mark Ingram setup — it should be expected Perine will be asked to play a big role alongside Williams this season. From the looks of this situation in May, however, it does not appear Perine will be called upon to start in place of Williams early in the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/24/23

May 24th, 2023 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:

Denver Broncos

  • Waived (injury settlement): T Hunter Thedford

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

New York Jets

  • Signed: WR Jerome Kapp

Kapp will catch on with the Jets following a run at the team’s rookie minicamp. He will attempt to make the jump from the Division II level (Kutztown University). The D-II team relied on Kapp through the air last season; he was the squad’s only player to record more than 250 receiving yards. Kapp finished with 916 (19.5 per catch) and nine touchdowns as a senior.

Broncos Work Out Brett Maher, Elliott Fry, Parker White

May 24th, 2023 at 2:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

MAY 24: In addition to Maher, the Broncos brought in two other kickers — Parker White and Elliott Fry — to audition Wednesday, per 9News’ Mike Klis and the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson (Twitter links). The Packers waived White, a UDFA out of South Carolina, on Monday. A regular on the kicker workout circuit, Fry kicked in three career games (with the Falcons, Chiefs and Bengals) from 2020-21. While a few veteran options — like Robbie Gould, Ryan Succop and Mason Crosby — are available, the Broncos brought in a few less experienced specialists today.

MAY 23: Despite coming off one of the worst kicker performances in playoff history, Brett Maher will receive an audition. The Broncos intend to bring in the two-time Cowboys kicker for a Wednesday workout, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets.

Maher holds the NFL record for most 60-plus-yard field goals, with four, but he is also coming off a woeful 2022 postseason. Maher went 1-for-6 on extra points during the playoffs, missing four to partially stain the Cowboys’ runaway wild-card win over the Buccaneers. While the Cowboys have not shut the door on re-signing him, the veteran specialist remains a free agent.

The Broncos just released their kicker of the past nine seasons, Brandon McManus, designating their longest-tenured player as a post-June 1 cut. Maher, 33, will likely not be the only kicker the team auditions, but he is the first known replacement option to surface. Maher also has experience with Sean Payton, having been one of the Saints’ Wil Lutz replacement options during the 2021 season.

The Saints rolled out four kickers during Lutz’s full-season injury absence two years ago, and Maher enjoyed the longest run of that group. He went 16 of 18 on field goals as a Saint. During the 2022 regular season in Dallas, Maher went 29-for-32, connecting on an impressive 9 of 11 tries from beyond 50 yards. Long-range accuracy has been perhaps Maher’s calling card as a pro, though his January struggles certainly bring concern. Maher missed as many PATs during Dallas’ two postseason games than he had over the past two regular seasons (five).

Denver had enjoyed relative stability at kicker for 30 years, going from Jason Elam (15 seasons) to Matt Prater (six) to McManus (nine) without much of a hiccup. Prater’s 2014 substance-abuse suspension brought about the last change. Now, Payton will go about filling this need in the near future.

Broncos To Sign DL Tyler Lancaster

May 23rd, 2023 at 3:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Swapping out Dre’Mont Jones for Zach Allen will not be the Broncos’ only notable move on their defensive line this offseason. Sean Payton‘s team is adding veteran Tyler Lancaster as well, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

While Lancaster signed with the Raiders in 2022, he did not play last season. The Raiders released the veteran D-lineman. Lancaster previously spent four seasons with the Packers and started 21 games in Green Bay’s 3-4 defense.

The Broncos, who have used a 3-4 look since 2015, have Allen set to team with 2022 addition D.J. Jones as the top pieces up front. The retooling team, however, still rosters veteran nose tackle Mike Purcell and 2022 draftees Matt Henningsen and Eyioma Uwazurike. Dre’Mont Jones started for much of his Denver rookie deal but left for Seattle in free agency. That came shortly after Allen committed to reuniting with new Broncos DC Vance Joseph. Former Bears UDFA Jonathan Harris (four 2022 starts) also resides as a D-line supporting-caster in Denver.

Lancaster, 28, suffered what became a season-erasing injury in August. The Raiders placed Lancaster on IR before the season and released him with an injury settlement in September. The 313-pound defender had started 10 games for the NFC championship-bound 2019 Packers edition, lining up alongside Kenny Clark and Dean Lowry that year, but spent much of his Wisconsin time as a rotational presence. He played 31% of Green Bay’s defensive snaps in 2021.

Pro Football Focus rated Lancaster as a middle-of-the-pack D-lineman in 2019 and ’20, with run defense being the former UDFA’s strength. He finished with three tackles for loss in 2021. After an injury-marred year, the Broncos will give the Northwestern alum a chance to earn a job as a complementary presence up front.

Broncos Release K Brandon McManus

May 23rd, 2023 at 11:44am CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos have parted ways with the last remaining member of their Super Bowl 50-winning team. Kicker Brandon McManus revealed (on Twitter) that he has been released. He will be designated a post-June 1 cut, per a team announcement.

The 31-year-old added “more to come in the following days” to his announcement, which could point to a new contract coming together in the near future. That would come as no surprise, since he represents arguably the top available option at the position at this point in the offseason. As a result, a number of teams should be expected to show considerable interest in him.

By releasing McManus with the post-June 1 designation, the Broncos will save $3.75MM this season and $3.95MM in 2024. No guranteed money remained on his contract, but this move still constitutes a surprise considering the former UDFA’s status as one of the league’s more productive kickers. After four consecutive seasons with a field goal percentage rate of at least 80%, McManus’ accuracy did drop to 77.8% in 2022, however.

The Temple alum ranks second in franchise history in terms of both total points and career field goal percentage. His nine-year stint in the Mile High City also ranks second, behind only Jason Elam. McManus will likely be best remembered for his play during Denver’s Super Bowl run in 2015. He went 10-for-10 on field goals during that postseason, converting all three extra point tries as well.

Given his track record, he should have multiple offers within a quick span. The Cowboys have been public about their desire to add a veteran at the kicker position, which should make them a team to watch in McManus’ free agent period. He will be joined on the open market by the likes of Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby and Ryan Succop. The Broncos, meanwhile, now no longer have a kicker on their 90-man roster.

“Developing into one of the NFL’s most productive kickers, Brandon made so many clutch kicks for this franchise over the years as a Super Bowl champion and team captain,” a statement from Broncos GM George Paton reads in part. “He will always hold a special place in Denver Broncos history. We thank Brandon for all he did for the Broncos, and we wish him and his family the very best in the future.”

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