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3 Colts Cut/Trade Candidates Ahead of June 1st Checkpoint

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3 Colts Cut/Trade Candidates Ahead of June 1st Checkpoint


The NFL’s cyclical calendar hits another important checkpoint tomorrow at 4:00 PM EST, on June 1. This is a time in the calendar that bridges the gap between key periods of roster management — free agency and the draft — and the annual summer moratorium that each team has in June.

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The June 1st date, however, is a designation that allows teams to manipulate their cap situations, specifically for the upcoming season. This layer enables teams to save money for the immediate season while pushing off what remains to be addressed in the following year(s), whether that be via a cut or trade.

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Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick broke down the importance of this date back in March:

When a player is released or traded around the start of the new league year (mid-March), their remaining prorated bonus money and guaranteed salary accelerates onto the team’s upcoming season’s cap and becomes what’s called “dead money”—a charge for a player no longer on the roster. When that same move occurs after June 1, however, teams are able to spread that dead cap-hit over two seasons instead of taking the entire hit in one year.

Mike Kadlick, On SI

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As for the Indianapolis Colts, there are a handful of cut/trade candidates that they could entertain. The tricky part with the June 1st date is that each of these cut/trade candidates will likely remain as such even after the fact, as the designation in question doesn’t offer much additional cap space compared to other examples across the league.

These candidates are the most likely to be moved, though it’s not necessarily due to the June 1st checkpoint in question.

In no particular order, we break down the candidates who could be dealt, providing an analysis of their situation, a likelihood they’ll be moved, whether it’s via trade or release, and an assessment of whether such a move would be beneficial for the team.

Anthony Richardson Sr.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) walks on the field Wednesday, May 27, 2026, during practice at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colts’ first-round pick (4th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft has been back practicing with the team after no trade materialized following the 2026 draft cycle. Despite this, Richardson and his camp have not yet rescinded the trade request, so he could still be traded at any time before the regular-season trade deadline.

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Richardson’s time in Indianapolis is now set to conclude once his rookie contract runs out following the 2026-27 season. He has a $10.8 million cap hit for the upcoming season, and although that’s a pricey payday for a projected QB3, the Colts have almost no reason to release him.

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The Colts would not save any money if they cut Richardson, but they would if they could find a trade partner. Indianapolis would save $5.38 million in cap space for the 2026-27 season if they traded Richardson, though that would’ve been the case if he was traded prior to June 1st.

Keeping Anthony Richardson Sr. around while he focuses on making the most of his situation does less harm than good for the Colts because of Daniel Jones’s rehab. While Jones has been an active participant in individual drills throughout OTAs thus far, having Richardson around for team reps will help the rest of the team.

It’d be best for both parties to find a trade suitor for Richardson ahead of the regular season, but even if he winds up playing out his rookie contract in Indianapolis, having Richardson in the bullpen for the same price as it’d be to cut him is the best course of action.

Grover Stewart

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Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart (90) prepares for a drill Monday, July 28, 2025, during training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I’d be remiss not to immediately preface that there is almost no reality where the Colts cut longtime defensive tackle Grover Stewart, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding DeForest Buckner’s return to form as he works back from a serious neck injury, but Spotrac listed Stewart as one of the NFL’s biggest cut candidates.

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I get where they’re coming from, as cutting Stewart would save $12.25 million in cap space, but the Colts are in no position to move on from one of their biggest mainstay contributors without a succession plan in place, especially this deep into the offseason.

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Fourth-year defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore has blossomed into a legitimate piece across the defensive front, and newcomer Colby Wooden has become the Colts’ most underrated move in the offseason, but Indianapolis would be fools to move on from Grover Stewart just to save a chunk of money.

Stewart is 33 years old as he enters the last year of his deal with the Colts, but Indianapolis should be more focused on finding a way to make him a Colt for life as opposed to deciding whether or not they should abruptly fire him just as OTAs have kicked off.

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Jaylon Jones

Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) reacts in the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Jaylon Jones is entering the final year of his rookie contract and may ultimately serve as the Colts’ surprise training camp cut once it’s all said and done. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme proved to be ill-suited for Jones during their first season together in 2025, therefore his potential release would more so be due to a schematic disconnect.

June 1st wouldn’t affect Jones’s dead cap situation, though; therefore, his release will save the Colts $3.74 million in cap space regardless of its designation.

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Jones is by no means lacking in talent, but it was evident that his playstyle isn’t something Lou Anarumo covets. Colts 2025 UDFA signing Johnathan Edwards started in five games as a rookie compared to Jones’s two starts in Anarumo’s first year, and with an even deeper cornerback room heading into 2026, Jones will have to prove himself as someone you can’t stomach cutting if he wants to make the opening-day roster.

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How Fever guard Sophie Cunningham stays ready in crunch time

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How Fever guard Sophie Cunningham stays ready in crunch time


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — On Saturday night inside Mohegan Sun Arena, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham caught fire in crunch time.

Cunningham returned in Saturday’s road matchup against the Connecticut Sun after missing the previous game with a right elbow injury.

On Saturday, Cunningham scored 11 consecutive points in the final two minutes of Saturday’s 85-75 win against the Sun and hit a season-high three triples, all in the last two minutes.

Cunningham told reporters how she’s always prepared for the moment when her number is called.

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“You just have to stay ready,” Cunnigham said. “I think that’s kind of been my whole career is you’ve got to control what you can control, and that’s about being a pro. You can’t always control when you’re going to be out there, who you’re going to be out there with. But you got to make it count, and so I did that tonight, but also shoutout to my teammates for getting me the ball when I was open.”

Both Cunningham and Caitlin Clark shared the floor down the stretch of Saturday’s double-digit win. Clark finished with 25 points and connected on five triples, her second-most threes in a game all season.

While it is usually Clark hitting the game-sealing type of shots most fans are used to, this time, it was Cunningham’s moment to put the game on ice.

Cunningham described how much energy she gets from playing alongside Clark and the rest of Indiana’s star-studded lineup.

“I like playing with C [Caitlin Clark],” Cunningham said. “I think that C is an aggressor, I think that AB [Aliyah Boston] is an aggressor, I think Kelsey’s [Mitchel] an aggressor. When you have three elite players like that who all can dominate a game and take over a game, it’s really up to you, so when you get the ball, you can do what you do. I think that you just have to have a feel for the game. Sometimes the energy is low, so you have to go out there and be the aggressor and bring the energy up. But when they already have it, you just got slide right in and don’t drop the energy.”

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Cunningham is averaging 8.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game through 12 games played this season.

The Fever are currently 8-5 and will host the Toronto Tempo inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse this Tuesday, June 16th.



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High school baseball state finals matchups set for the weekend

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High school baseball state finals matchups set for the weekend


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The state championship bracket for Indiana high school baseball has been set, with eight teams preparing for the chance of bringing home a state title.

A total of four state title games will be played between Friday, June 19th, and Saturday, June 20th. Classes 1A and 3A will play on Friday, and classes 2A and 4A will compete on Saturday.

All state championship games will be played at Victory Field, the home of the Indianapolis Indians.

The state championship matchups and times are as follows.

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Friday, June 19th:

Class 3A state championship: 4:30 p.m. ET

  • Guerin Catholic (27-3-1) vs Andrean (30-3)

Class 1A state championship: 8 p.m. ET

  • Northeast Dubois (23-5) vs Kouts (31-1)

Saturday, June 20th:

Class 2A state championship: 4:30 p.m. ET

  • Evansville Mater Dei (29-3) vs Bluffton (19-10)

Class 4A state championship: 8:00 p.m. ET

  • Bloomington South (25-6) vs Lake Central (27-8)



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Thousands gather at Indy Pride Festival, celebrating LGBTQ community and allies

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Thousands gather at Indy Pride Festival, celebrating LGBTQ community and allies


INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — Thousands of people ventured to Military Park in Indianapolis Saturday for the 2026 Indy Pride Festival, including members of the LGBTQ community and their allies.

WATCH FULL STORY BELOW:

John-Michael Riggs, of Tennessee, travels to several pride festivals across the country each year. He said they are important because “it gives people the confidence to be who they are, to show you can go out in public and still not be hated upon.”

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Erika Holland-Lesch, who came to the festival with her wife, said, “Pride means everything. It literally feels like Christmas for our community… You feel supported, you feel accepted.”

Chris Bultman said it’s the sixth time he’s attended the Indy Pride Fest.

“It’s really important for me that my friends, my family, feel really valued in this city,” he said. “We show up for pride because pride matters to our city.”

WRTV

For Rikki Wydra, it was her fifth Indy Pride Fest. She said this year’s festival seems bigger to her than in previous years, and she takes that as a sign that support for the LGBTQ community is growing in Indiana.

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“You’ll never get any free expression like this any other time of the year in Indiana,” she said. “The vibe is the best.”

The festival came as Indiana Governor Mike Braun proclaimed June as Nuclear Family Month, defining the family as a husband, a wife, and children, causing backlash in Indiana’s LGBTQ community.

“That is absolutely ridiculous,” said Stefonya Shirhall. “This month is fully for the gay community as a whole. We have went through so much to get here and it is amazing to celebrate it.”

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Festival attendees proudly sported creative costumes, wore rainbow clothing, held rainbow flags, and even cooled down with rainbow fans, keeping vendors busy, like Freddy Reed, who has a business selling pride-themed merchandise.

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“I do Pride every weekend in a different city,” Reed said. “It’s amazing. Every town we go to, the people are so happy, they have fun. There’s never fights. Everyone’s nice.”

The positive, festive energy at Indy Pride Fest worked in tandem with the seriousness of the cause of standing up for LGBTQ rights.

“It’s important for people, if part of the LGBTQ community, to attend these because of visibility,” Riggs said. “We need to be seen, we need to be recognized and we need to be celebrated. it’s also important for our allies to attend these events to… uphold and uplift the community and to make us feel like a community at large”





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