These Players Could Be June 1 Cut Candidates to Help Jaguars' Salary Cap

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- With a key June 1st NFL deadline just a few days away, teams across the NFL are evaluating their rosters and cap situations to see who might be on the move. The Jacksonville Jaguars should be no different.

While the biggest post-June 1st move in the NFL is set to be the trade of A.J. Brown, he is far from the only player who could see his situation change. Like any team, the Jaguars certainly have their own internal candidates for post-June 1st cuts, and here are three who make sense below.

TE Hunter Long

The Jaguars' additions to their tight end room has certainly created a hurdle for veteran tight end Hunter Long, who signed with the Jaguars as a free agent last season. Long was second amongst tight ends on the roster in snaps last year, but he lost his role to Quintin Morris by the end of the year and the Jaguars then re-signed Morris this offseason. He should not be expected to go anywhere.

Then there was the drafting of Nate Boerkircher at No. 56 ... and the selection of Tanner Koziol in the fifth-round. The Jaguars totally remade the tight end room for a reason, and the fact that they re-signed Morris and have two rookies who will make the roster does not bode well for Long's chances to make the roster.

If the Jaguars were to release Long after June 1st they would save $1,382,353 in cap space. Not a massive figure, but one that is notable enough considering the situation at tight end that the Jaguars have to at least consider it.

OL Ezra Cleveland

Much like tight end, the Jaguars have put some serious investments into the guard position. The Jaguars took Wyatt Milum with a top-100 pick last season before taking Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon at No. 88 this past April. The Jaguars have seemed more than content letting their young offensive linemen develop behind their veterans, but they could reasonably make a move with starting guard Ezra Cleveland now and still feel OK about their starting unit and depth.

Cleveland had a strong year for the Jaguars last season, so this would not be performance-based. But he is entering the final year of his contract anyway, and the Jaguars would save $9,220,588 if they released Cleveland after June 1st. If the Jaguars are convinced that either Milum or Pregnon can step into the starting role at left guard without much drop off, this move would make sense.

It is worth considering, though, the Jaguars do not have to make a move here. They have placed an emphasis on having continuity along the offensive line and Cleveland played a big role last year, but this could be one of their best ways to create some cap space now. The Jaguars' evaluations of Milum and Pregnon would be the critical factors here, especially when it comes to Milum.

DL Arik Armstead

ARIKAARMSTEA — Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There is no player who has been discussed more as a potential June 1st cut for the Jaguars than defensive tackle Arik Armstead. The veteran defensive tackle had his best season in years last year and proved to be a difference-maker as an interior pass-rusher during the first half of the season before he sustained a hand injury. Still, the number the Jaguars would save on cutting Armstead is a bit eye-popping at $14,485,294 -- the highest amount the Jaguars could save on any post-June 1st cut.

That is a significant amount of savings the Jaguars could create, and there would be value both in 2026 and 2027 for the Jaguars saving that much. There is also a good argument to make that Armstead, who is entering a contract year, is unlikely to be on the roster beyond this season anyway, so perhaps it would make sense to get ahead of the savings and give the Jaguars a chance to use that money to make a move now or near the trade deadline like they did last season.

With all of that in mind, the Jaguars would be creating a pretty massive hole at defensive tackle if they made this move. Armstead was the only Jaguars defender who provided an interior pass-rush last year and while the Jaguars added Ruke Orhorhoro, he does not have the proven pass-production of Armstead. Interior pass-rush was already an issue for the Jaguars last year, and that might be why the Jaguars simply can not afford to move Armstead despite the big savings.

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