By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

June 1 - Tuesday - is a significant date on the NFL calendar.

Teams that cut players after June 1 are allowed to spread the salary cap hit from the player's signing bonus into the next year. Contract terminations made before June 1 force teams to add the remaining signing bonus to that year's cap number immediately.

For instance, the Bengals terminated quarterback Akili Smith's contract June 2 of last year, letting them spread what remained of Smith's $10.8 million signing bonus on the salary cap in 2003 and 2004.

The Bengals are poised to make at least one major post-June 1 free agent signing this year. Two sources outside of Denver have confirmed an April Denver Post report that the Bengals have reached agreement on a four-year, $9.3 million contract with defensive tackle Daryl Gardener.

The Broncos signed Gardener to a seven-year, $34.8 million deal in March 2003, but Gardener ended up playing in just four games with eight tackles. Denver will release Gardener after June 1. The Broncos had reached a settlement March 10 with Gardener regarding his $5 million signing bonus.

Gardener, 31, started 15 games for Washington in 2002 for then-Redskins defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, now Bengals coach. Gardener responded with a career-high 50 tackles and four sacks, second best in his eight-year career.

Regarded as an outstanding run stopper at 6 feet 6, 295 pounds, Gardener will work into a rotation that features starters John Thornton and Tony Williams and rookie prospect Matthias Askew.

The Bengals let fourth tackle Glen Steele sign with the Giants as an unrestricted free agent earlier this month.

In March, the Bengals terminated the contract of defensive tackle Oliver Gibson, who signed with Buffalo. In fact, the Bengals cleaned house of potential post-June 1 cuts early in the offseason.

In March, they terminated the contracts of former starting cornerbacks Artrell Hawkins and Jeff Burris and in April traded running back Corey Dillon to New England for a second-round draft pick.

By releasing and trading the four veterans, the Bengals saved an estimated $4.5 million of cap space this year. The Bengals also terminated the contact of backup offensive lineman Scott Rehberg.

The Bengals are carrying 92 players on their roster, including the 11 unsigned draft picks from this year's draft class.

With their four NFL Europe exemptions, the Bengals can take 84 players to training camp, which will begin when players report July 30 to Georgetown College.

As the rookies begin to sign, a corresponding number of veteran players will be released. Though there are no major salary cap savings to be had, some potential candidates for release include safety Marquand Manuel, linebacker Adrian Ross and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Any release figures to come because of crowded positions.

At safety, the Bengals signed Kim Herring after his release by the Rams, re-signed unrestricted free agent Rogers Beckett and restricted free agent Kevin Kaesviharn and invested their second second-round pick in Madieu Williams.

At linebacker, the Bengals spent two third-round picks on Caleb Miller and Landon Johnson and signed Nate Webster as an unrestricted free agent from Tampa Bay. Kevin Hardy, who started at middle linebacker in 2003, has moved outside to take Ross' spot.

At wide receiver, the Bengals signed Patrick Johnson as an unrestricted free agent, and though they re-signed Houshmandzadeh as an unrestricted free agent, concerns remain about his ability to stay healthy for an entire season.

Probable post-June 1 cuts in the NFL

Player	Pos.	Team	Comment
Tim Couch	QB	Browns	Not invited to minicamp
Daryl Gardener	DT	Broncos	Probable reunion with Marvin Lewis
Eddie George	RB	Titans	Won't restructure his contract
Jason Gildon	LB	Steelers	Strictly a business decision
Joe Johnson	DE	Packers	Good rehab after torn quad
Jamal Reynolds	DE	Packers	50-50 chance of release
David Terrell	WR	Bears	Ex-1st-round pick plagued by drops
Kurt Warner	QB	Rams	Eli Manning's tutor with Giants?

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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