All NFL teams have started their spring training and are conducting organizing team activities (OTAs) that lead to mandatory mini-camps and summer training sessions. However, this does not mean that the 2025 season rosters are finalized. Prominent players like Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons and TJ Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers have skipped voluntary workouts to urge action from their teams. A new development after the 2025 draft could offer another reason for such moves.
The major free agency phase is over, but starting from June, teams might make additional significant roster changes. NFL teams can have up to 90 players on their offseason rosters, but many adjustments, especially involving veteran players, are expected. The period after June 1st is critical because many player contracts have provisions that make releasing or trading players financially advantageous after this date. Veterans, who typically take up a large portion of the team’s salary cap, are more likely to be traded or released post-June 1 to help teams save money.
Key veterans who might be cut or traded after June 1st and their potential savings include:
– Kirk Cousins (Falcons): Not attending OTAs, signaling a desire to move on. Trading him after June 1 could save the Falcons $27.5M.
– Treylon Burks (Titans): May be traded after June 1 for a $1.6M saving; before June 1, savings would be less.
– Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots): Potential trade post-June 1 could save $2.3M.
– Tyreek Hill (Dolphins): Could save nearly $15M if traded after June 1; minimal savings if moved earlier.
– Jaire Alexander (Packers): Could save $17M by cutting or trading after June 1.
– Xavien Howard (Dolphins): Could save Miami nearly $10M by trading post-June 1.
These moves highlight strategic financial decisions teams make to manage their salary caps while restructuring their rosters.
Fan Take: This offseason strategy of making major roster moves after June 1 could reshape team lineups dramatically, keeping fans on edge about their favorite players’ futures. It underscores the complex financial chess NFL teams play behind the scenes, making every cut or trade a potential game-changer for the upcoming season.
