Chiefs: Post June 1 Solutions

Laddie Morse

Possibilities. That’s what the Post June 1 Deadline offer the Chiefs: Possibilities. The Kansas City Chiefs may have a couple of small holes in their roster. The holes may be at backup Running Back or possibly DT.

Yes, the Chiefs have starter Isiah Pacheco and backup Clyde Edwards-Helaire. However, the Chiefs have had Jerick McKinnon the last two years and his speed and ability to block has come in handy. Is there anyone else like him on the current roster? I doubt that or they would have already designated someone for that role.

Yes, they have the best DT in the game in Chris Jones, but the Chiefs might also have a depth/starter hole at DT. The question is: who starts next to Stone Cold? Derrick Nnadi you say? Well, Nnadi has averaged less than one sack per year and les than 20 tackles per season in a 6 year career. How about Mike Pennel Jr. you ask? Well, the truth is, Pennel is going to be 34 later this year and while he’s been good for short lengths of time, he won’t last the whole year and besides, he’s averaged less than Nnadi in those critical stats. The same is true for Tershawn Wharton who has two sack for the 2023 season, on 37% of the snaps.

There will also be some other choices when the June 1st deadline appears a couple of weeks down the line. So let’s take a look.

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June 1st Deadline

Since the NFL salary cap went from $224.8 M in 2023 to $255.4 M for the 2024 season teams have been preparing for the time of the June 1st Release date to come around so they could finish filling out their rosters. The Chiefs could be one of those teams. Overthecap.com is reproting that the CHiefs currently have available –> $16,134,629. I’ve heard other sources say the Chiefs have closer to $14 M left right now. Either way, they’ve got room to sign a RB, at least for one year… if… and that’s a big if, that RB would be willing to take what K.C. is offering.

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Post June 1st Availability

Back on March 14th, Field Yates released a list of players who were released but given a Post June 1 release date:

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An important addendum to this tweet is:

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“Their dead money will be spread over two years, while

the teams won’t see the cap relief until June 2nd.”

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There’s also an article by ProFootballNetwork.com called, “What Is the NFL Post-June 1 Designation?” in which it says:

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“… the NFL’s post-June 1 rule states that any

player released or traded after June 1 will have

his dead money spread over two seasons instead

of only the current campaign.”

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Also, you need to know the difference between cutting a player and releasing a player. In an article called, “What’s the difference between cutting, waiving and releasing?” written by Reem Abdalazem she says:

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“A player who has accrued less than four years

worth of seasons in the NFL is waived, while a

so-called vested veteran, or a player with four

or more accrued seasons, is released.”

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Let’s begin with a couple of Running Backs:

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Marlon Mack – RB

Mack was a 4th round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft of the Indianapolis Colts, 143rd overall. He is 5-foot-11 and weighs in at 211 lbs. and runs a 4.50 40 yard dash. Marlon Mack was taken three years before Jonathan Taylor was taken by the Colts. So, Mack must have been a disappointment to them. Taylor was taken in the 2020 NFL draft with the 41st pick overall. Mack has a torn Achilles injury he is still recovering from suffered last August and he was recovering from a hamstring injury prior to that. The Chiefs have a way with injured players so… if they sign him… it’s hopeful that Mack can return from injury asap and become a contributing factor at RB. Mack has also played for the Texans, Broncos, 49ers, and Cardinals, all in the last two years.

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Miles Sanders – RB

In an article called, “2024 NFL Draft: Miles Sanders, Bailey Zappe, James Bradberry among potential post-draft cut candidates” Tyler Sullivan writes that:

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“The Carolina Panthers moved up into the top half of the second round to select Texas  running back Jonathon Brooks…. While Brooks did suffer a torn ACL late in the 2023 season, evaluators say he should be ready to go for the start of training camp. If he’s back to relative top form, that could spell trouble for Miles Sanders’ roster status.”

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Sanders was a second round pick for the Philadelphia Eagles, 53rd overall, in the 2019 NFL Draft. Sanders ran a 4.49 40 yard dash when he was coming out. Sullivan also writes about Sanders and the Panthers:

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“If he is a post-June 1 release, Carolina would take

on a dead cap charge of just under $7.5 million for

the 2024 season and a $2.95 million hit in 2025,

which is palatable.”

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The Packers also have a Defensive Tackle who may end up a Post June First release.

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Kenny Clark – DT

In an article called, “Of interest to Packers DL Kenny Clark, Panthers’ Derrick Brown gets big pay-day” Paul Bretl writes that:

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“Clark is set to earn a base salary of $15.5 million

this season but has a large cap hit of $27.49 million,

which is the largest on the team.”

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Since the Packers likely don’t want to shell out $27.49M this season, they could release Clark and spread that amount out over two years like the above June First Deadline policy stipulates. If they do that, perhaps Clark would want to come to K.C. on a lesser deal and play next to the best DT in the game.

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Trent Brown – OT

CBS Sports is also reporting that OT Trent Brown may not be sticking with the Bengals, although they signed him earlier this offseason. CBS Sports says:

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“The Bengals signed Brown to a one-year deal earlier in free agency, adding some depth along the offensive line, and was initially looked in as a starter opposite of Orlando Brown Jr. at right tackle. That is now called into question after Cincinnati drafted Georgia tackle Amarius Mims with the No. 18 overall pick at the draft. The 6-foot-8, 340-pounder is inexperienced with just eight games played at right tackle, but if he proves he’s up to the challenge throughout training camp, that could cost Brown his starting job.”

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If any of these players want to defect to the Chiefs and try to win a ring, it could greatly help the Chiefs cause.

What do you think?

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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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