ESPN.com: NFL - Few big names expected to be available after cuts

The June Swoon has been discussed for weeks in NFL. Most NFL coaches and general managers are looking to June 1 for some magical waiver wire to restock the already depleted free-agent pool.

ENOUGH ALREADY. The June market will be a bigger letdown than those teams in the AFC East and AFC West hoping that two additional playoff teams would be added this fall. Though I've been saying for years that the June market is overrated, next month's list may convince teams not to count on June 1 or even promoting it as options.

Teams are doing so much better managing their salary caps that the June market of this year and future years should be minuscule. Only in years in which the salary cap goes up $1 million or less will the June market improve. Don't expect it.

Brian Griese
Griese is expected to be released by Denver, and eventually sign with Miami.
Thirty-two teams will be staring at a list of maybe three names -- Broncos quarterback Brian Griese, Chiefs cornerback Ray Crockett and 49ers wide receiver J.J. Stokes. A few others names will be sprinkled in but they come with a caveat. Those players are either at the end of the their careers or they have injury concerns. If the Rams like Jason Sehorn at free safety at minicamp, they may release Kim Herring.

The Ravens will retire defensive end Michael McCrary and the Chiefs will release linebacker Marvcus Patton, who is contemplating retirement.

The next group of players under June 1 consideration have injuries and the teams involved have to decide whether or not to give them a chance to make it to training camp. Giants guard Dusty Zeigler visited a doctor Wednesday and found out the microfracture on his knee remains a major concern, so he may not be able to play this season. Broncos halfback Terrell Davis is training in Phoenix hoping that the Broncos give him the chance to go to training camp. He could be released.

A third group includes players who have been available in trades off and on for more than a month, but their salaries don't significantly put a time table on making a decisions. Those players are Cardinals halfback Thomas Jones, Giants halfback Ron Dayne and Dolphins linebacker Derrick Rodgers.

Folks, that's it. That's the June market. A few names might be added if they arrive at their team's minicamp out of shape. Saints defensive tackle Grady Jackson was 366 pounds at the team's May minicamp, and unless he trims down, he could be a surprise casualty. There is an outside chance that Steelers tight end Mark Bruener might be cut but so far the team hasn't asked him to take a paycut and odds favor him staying more than leaving.

A year ago, 25 players were subject to salary-cap decisions, but many didn't know their fates until later than June 2. Technically, June 2 is the first day of the salary-cap purging process. If a player is on the roster as of June 1, teams have the right to cut the player and count future signing bonus proration the next season.

Initial savings can be significant. Griese currently counts $7.265 million under the Broncos salary cap. If they release him before June 1, they would have to absorb $6.945 million of future signing bonus proration along with counting $2.315 million proration this year. Thus, to cut him, they would have to release $2 million worth of contracts, which is impossible because they currently have only $627,000 of room.

The June market will be a bigger letdown than those teams in the AFC East and AFC West hoping that two additional playoff teams would be added this fall.

By cutting him June 2, the Broncos would save $4.95 million salary and take the $6.945 million hit next season

But, for the most part, less teams are in cap hell than the past and aren't in panic situations to free up room.

Here are the reasons:

A year ago, 32 teams had only $89 million of cap room. Twenty of those teams had less than $2 million of room and had to sign their draft choices. This year, more than $140 million is available and 22 teams have more than $2 million of room.

Moving forward. The Seahawks, for example, gave safety Harold Blackmon a $3 million incentive near the end of last season based on interceptions, knowing that this was impossible. When Blackmon, whose playing time was minimal, didn't hit the incentive, the Seahawks got a $3 million credit that helped their cap in 2003. About a half dozen teams used similar techniques.

Because teams worked their caps better, they have to renegotiate fewer contracts to open room. In 2002, roughly 136 contracts were redone to free up cap room. This year there have been 92. The way many of those deals are done, a team either guarantees the entire salary of the player or gives him the difference between the salary and the minimum salary in order to bring down the cap number and spread that difference over the length of the contract.

The 32 percent reduction in these renegotiations should keep next year's cap more manageable and limit the urgency of June 1 cuts.

Many of the cap decisions have already been made. The Saints traded defensive tackle Norman Hand. The Panthers cut defensive tackle Sean Gilbert. The Browns released their starting linebacking corps. In past years, some of those decisions would have been delayed until June. Better cap management allowed the moves to be made now.

Finally, players are starting to understand that big money is hard to make in June. Look at what's been happening in Jacksonville. A month ago, it appeared that the Jaguars were going to make defensive end Tony Brackens and tight end Kyle Brady cap casualties. Brackens redid his contract and will make $1.25 million to stay. Brady rejected a 40 percent reduction from his $2.95 million salary, but Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said that the team doesn't need a Brady reduction and may keep him.

What's amazing is that front office executives have been studying the numbers for the past few months and are still saying there is going to be a flurry of June activity. It's not going to happen. Griese will most likely end up in Miami. Jacksonville may sign Stokes. Crockett may be pursued by the 49ers and a few other teams looking for experienced corner.

If Herring gets cut, he'll join a bunch of experienced safeties still looking for work. Every year June is a time to remember D-Day, but in the NFL, June's D-Day is becoming a dull day.