Four NFL players who could be post-June 1 cut or trade candidates

While several teams have already released high-priced veterans to gain some salary cap relief, other players could still be on the chopping block as June 1 rolls around.

Players released pre-June 1 have the remainder of their salary cap charges rolled into the current league year while players cut or traded post-June 1 have the remainder of their salary cap charges split over the next two seasons.

Here are four players who could be in danger of being cut or traded once the calendar hits June 1:

Mitch Morse, C, Buffalo Bills

If the Bills truly are a frontrunner to land free agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins, they will have to get creative with their salary cap. Buffalo has just $1.47M in cap space, per Over the Cap, but cutting Morse would free up $6M. Though he was Buffalo’s starting center last season, Morse became expendable when the Bills drafted guards Cyrus O’Torrence in the second round. 

He could start at right guard as a rookie, freeing up Ryan Bates to take over at center if needed. Bates played 135 snaps at center last season. While the move likely doesn’t get Buffalo exactly where it needs to be to sign Hopkins, it does get the team closer than it is right now.

Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Sure, the Bengals don’t have much depth or experience at running back behind Mixon in a group that includes three rookies, Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans. However, Cincinnati would save $10.04M and eat just $2.75M in dead money by parting ways with Mixon after June 1, giving the team nearly $25M in cap space which would prove valuable with Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase needing new contracts soon. 

It also opens the door to signing a free agent RB as the 2023 starter on a team-friendly, one-year prove-it deal like Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette or Kareem Hunt.

Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

The market for running backs is tepid and the Vikings have had a tough time finding a dance partner willing to take on Cook’s $14.1M cap hit. The Vikings were likely seeking compensation for the fourth- and seventh-round picks the Detroit Lions got from the Philadelphia Eagles for D’Andre Swift. 

It’s clear the team is ready to move on from the 27-year-old tailback after re-signing Alexander Mattison to a two-year deal in the offseason and Minnesota could clear $9M by releasing Cook.

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans

Most reports out of Titans camp during OTAs have been overwhelmingly positive for rookie second-round pick Will Levis. And with no fifth-year option, it’s no surprise that Tennessee would want to see what it has in Levis's as quickly as possible. 

Tannehill has a $36.6M cap hit and a post-June 1 cut or trade would result in saving $27M with just $9.6M in dead money. Tannehill has been linked to the Atlanta Falcons and his former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, so perhaps a trade isn’t totally out of the question.