Eagles Could Cut A.J. Brown Dead Money to $16.35 Million in 2026 by Waiting Until June 2
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 29
Eagles Could Cut A.J. Brown Dead Money to $16.35 Million in 2026 by Waiting Until June 2
4 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 29
$43.45 million in unaccounted bonuses would hit Philadelphia's cap if it trades A.J. Brown by June 1, but only $16.35 million would count in 2026 if the deal is processed June 2 or later.
The June 1 rule lets NFL teams spread remaining signing-bonus dead money over two seasons after a post-June 1 release or trade; before that date, the full amount accelerates into the current league year.
Trades face a stricter cutoff than releases: teams cannot designate a trade as post-June 1, so it must be processed by the league on June 2 or later, with submissions after 4 p.m. ET rolling to the next day.
That cap math helps explain the delay around Brown, who has drawn offseason trade speculation and missed Eagles OTAs, while Jalen Hurts said this week, "Nothing can replace all the greatness that we achieved together."
Cleveland's Myles Garrett is another player to watch: a trade before June 1 would trigger $41.09 million in 2026 dead money, versus $15.53 million in 2026 and $25.56 million in 2027 after June 2.
A.J. Brown's trade to the Patriots seems inevitable, but what could still derail the blockbuster deal after June 1?
As the deadline passes, which superstar's surprise trade will have the biggest impact on the 2026 NFL season?