Since the beginning of the 2013 league year, 10 teams have taken advantage of a rule that allows clubs to release players with a post-June 1 designation.
It's a valuable cap-saving tool; teams can spread out the salary-cap hits of a recently released player over the 2013 and 2014 seasons, instead of taking the cap hit all at once. The flip side? The salary remains on the books until June 1. Those 10 teams will receive new cap space on June 2. It also means they will carry "dead" cap money into 2014.
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The 10 teams are the Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Eleven players in total were released using the designation; the Dolphins were the only team to release two players.
The Falcons released offensive tackle Tyson Clabo with the post-June 1 designation and will receive $4.5 million in additional cap space. The team has been linked to Richard Seymour (who was cut by the Raiders using the designation) and now will have some breathing room to sign a veteran who will command more than the minimum.
The Panthers used the rule to release linebacker James Anderson. They'll receive $2.9 million in savings and have $10 million in total cap space. The Raiders and Chargers (who cut Jared Gaither) both have minimal cap space available, so the added wiggle room will allow them to sign their draft picks.
For veteran free agents such as defensive ends John Abraham and Israel Idonije and offensive tackle Eric Winston, it might be their last chance before training camp to latch onto a team. If a team doesn't sign one of them, the veterans could be waiting until late July or early August to find a home.
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