7 Post-June 1 Moves That NFL Teams Should Make Before Training Camp

After June 1, NFL teams will make notable roster moves to clear cap space, add talent to shallow positions on the depth chart and resolve issues with disgruntled players who want a new contract or a change of scenery.

Typically, general managers clear up their biggest roster question marks before teams ramp up the offseason program with padded practices at training camp. So, we should expect to see salary-cap cuts, trades and signings within the next several weeks.

Heading into June, a few big-name free agents are available, including wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, whom the Arizona Cardinals released on May 26. In addition, veterans who have an unclear standing with their teams because of recent acquisitions may land at a new destination by August.

We'll take a look at which teams may capture late spring and early summer headlines along with the potential players involved in these transactions.

For some reason, Yannick Ngakoue hasn't generated a ton of buzz in free agency in terms of team visits after logging at least eight sacks in all seven of his pro seasons.

In 2022, the 28-year-old led the Indianapolis Colts with 9.5 sacks, but defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who's worked with the pass-rusher in Jacksonville and Las Vegas before the previous campaign, shut down any idea that the club would re-sign him, via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star.

"We lost Yannick Ngakoue," Bradley said. "He was a tremendous player for us. That's the NFL. There's some times you bring new guys in, and they have to step up, and every year's a new year with the team."

Perhaps Ngakoue can sign a lucrative deal with a team that needs a lead edge-rusher, and the Chicago Bears fit the description.

Under general manager Ryan Poles, who took over the role in January 2022, Chicago traded Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn to the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. Last season, rookie safety Jaquan Brisker led the team with just four sacks.

As of Wednesday, the Bears have $32.6 million in cap space, the most across the league. They can sign Ngakoue to strengthen a defensive unit that generated the second-lowest pressure rate (15.9 percent) for the 2022 term.

The Arizona Cardinals released DeAndre Hopkins before June 1, and they'll eat his $21.1 million dead cap number this year, which leaves the three-time All-Pro wide receiver free to sign with a team of his choice.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said there's "a little bit of an arms race" between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs for the 30-year-old (starts at 6:23).

If Buffalo and Kansas City are among the top contenders for Hopkins, the Bills must do whatever it takes to keep him from the Super Bowl champions. He's still a top-level playmaker, ranking 10th in receiving yards per game (79.7) last year. Patrick Mahomes could win league MVP for consecutive years with a new No. 1 wideout.

As for the Bills, they would have, arguably, the best wide receiver tandem with Stefon Diggs and Hopkins while closing the gap on the Chiefs, who have beaten them in three of their last five outings.

Before Arizona released Hopkins, he appeared on the I Am Athlete podcast and mentioned Bills signal-caller Josh Allen first among quarterbacks on his wish list of new potential teammates (starts at 53:10).

The Arizona Cardinals have moved on from DeAndre Hopkins, though they still have to resolve matters with two-time All-Pro safety Budda Baker.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Baker informed the Cardinals in February that he wants to become the highest-paid safety or play elsewhere.

Under a new regime that took over early this year, Arizona may prefer to trade Baker, who plays a low premium position relative to quarterback, edge-rusher, offensive tackle and wide receiver.

If so, the Denver Broncos should be on Arizona's phone line with a strong offer for the 27-year-old.

This offseason, the Broncos acquired head coach Sean Payton, and he hired Vance Joseph for the defensive coordinator position. Joseph worked with Baker in Arizona. Under his tutelage, the Cardinals safety earned four Pro Bowl nods and made the 2020 All-Pro roster.

In the AFC West, the Broncos could combat Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a couple of high-end safeties in 2020 Pro Bowler Justin Simmons and Baker on the back end of the defense.

This offseason, Los Angeles Chargers granted running back Austin Ekeler permission to seek a trade, amid a contract impasse, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

According to ESPN's Lindsey Thiry, the Chargers added $1.75 million in incentives to Ekeler's deal to settle the dispute and keep him in the fold for the 2023 campaign.

General manager Tom Telesco solved one issue with his backfield, but he still has to find a way to bolster a ground attack that finished with the fifth-fewest yards per game and the fewest yards per rush attempts last year.

Still on the free-agent market, Ezekiel Elliott may be available at a modest cost. He's coming off a career-low 968 scrimmage yards but racked up 12 rushing touchdowns in 2022.

Keep in mind that the Chargers hired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who had the same position with the Dallas Cowboys and worked with the 27-year-old between 2019 and 2022.

Moore could get the best out of running back tandem that features Ekeler and Elliott, which is similar to the Tony Pollard-Elliott combination he coached in Dallas. The former would serve as the primary pass-catcher out of the backfield while handling 10-12 carries per game, and the latter would grind out yards between the tackles and in short-yardage situations.

If the Chargers sign Elliott on a deal worth less than $4 million, Ekeler shouldn't have much of a problem with the addition, even considering his request for a new contract.

As of right now, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley remains a no-show for organized team activities, although Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano doesn't expect him to hold out at training camp.

Still, the Giants should get an insurance policy at running back. Even if Barkley rejoins the team at training camp, Big Blue could find a cheap upgrade for the backup position to spell its lead ball-carrier who has an injury history. Remember, Barkley missed 21 games between 2019 and 2021.

Last year, Clyde Edwards-Helaire fell out of the Kansas City Chiefs' running back rotation and went inactive for Super Bowl 57. By the time he returned from a high ankle sprain, Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon and Ronald Jones leapfrogged him on the depth chart.

The Chiefs declined to pick up the fifth-year option in Edwards-Helaire's rookie deal, and Pacheco, who led the team in rushing with 830 yards and five touchdowns last season, will likely start at running back in Week 1. So, Kansas City may be willing to move the LSU product in the coming weeks.

The Giants should offer the Chiefs a late-round draft pick for Edwards-Helaire. He could have somewhat of a bounce-back campaign under offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, who served as Kansas City's quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator between 2020 and 2021. In that two-year span, the 24-year-old caught 55 passes for 426 yards and three touchdowns.

Already familiar with the concepts of Kafka's passing attack, Edwards-Helaire could become a solid No. 2 running back option in New York with room for a bigger workload if the team's contract situation with Barkley leads to an extended holdout or a trade.

The Las Vegas Raiders acquired players who could make Hunter Renfrow expendable this year.

They added multiple slot receivers, signing Jakobi Meyers and DeAndre Carter then selecting Tre Tucker in the third round of the draft.

Among the three, Meyers seems like a lock to play a major role because of his three-year, $33 million contract and experience in head coach Josh McDaniels' offensive system from his time with the New England Patriots.

At Cincinnati, Tucker returned 67 kicks for 1,670 yards and two touchdowns in four terms. As a Day 2 pick, with his special teams contributions, he's a near roster lock with the potential to see limited action in the passing game.

Carter doesn't have a guaranteed spot on the roster, though he's coming off his most productive campaign as a receiver, hauling in 46 passes for 538 yards and three touchdowns.

Following a Pro Bowl year, Renfrow, 27, had an underwhelming injury-riddled campaign in 2022, recording 36 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns in 10 outings.

While it seems the Raiders have diluted Renfrow's role, they could package him with a draft pick to acquire a player who can shore up their secondary.

According to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe, Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard refused to take a pay cut. If first-year general manager Ran Carthon would prefer to move the two-time All-Pro rather than keep him with a $19.3 million cap number, he may entertain trade offers.

On the Titans roster, Renfrow would be the only pass-catcher with at least 49 catches and 605 receiving yards in a single season (his 2019 rookie year numbers). Tennessee hasn't recovered from the A.J. Brown trade, and second-year wideout Treylon Burks needs time to develop into a go-to pass-catching option.

The Raiders can take some of Byard's salary off the Titans' books and give them a solid wideout. In return, they would get a ball hawk who registered nine interceptions over the last two years. In the same time span, Las Vegas has 12.

Clearly, the New Orleans Saints value pass-rushers.

Since 2018, they've selected Marcus Davenport—trading up for him—Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey in the first two rounds of their drafts. Unfortunately for them, they haven't seen enough production out of the first two players, who were Day 1 picks.

While Foskey could make an impact in his rookie season, the Saints should add an established veteran to line up opposite Cameron Jordan, who's going into his age-34 term.

At 29 years old, Frank Clark is on the back end of his prime years, but he could help a pass rush and make plays in the backfield.

During the 2022 regular season, he registered 39 tackles, eight for loss, five sacks and 24 pressures. In the Kansas City Chiefs' three playoff outings en route to a Super Bowl victory, he recorded seven tackles, three for loss and 2.5 sacks.

With Jordan and Clark on the edges, the Saints could significantly boost a defensive unit that finished with the fourth-lowest pressure rate (17.5 percent) last season.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.