Every NFL team’s most surprising roster cut (including the Bills)

If you watched the Cardinals in training camp and the preseason, this really isn’t a surprise. But looking from the outside, it is shocking. The Cardinals traded for Ridder because all they had was 2023 fifth-round pick Clayton Tune, whose one start as a rookie was one of the worst performances in NFL history (58 passing yards, two interceptions, a fumble, sacked seven times). But Ridder was bad in the preseason, so the second-year pro beats him out and Ridder gets the axe, although he might return to the practice squad.  – Jess Root, Cards Wire

While Blair wasn’t considered a lock to make the roster, he played well enough throughout training camp and the preseason to put himself in the mix. Blair led the team with 154 receiving yards on eight catches (19.3 yards per reception) in three preseason games. The Falcons have little depth behind Drake London and Darnell Mooney so it was a surprise that they kept just five receivers. Sixth-round pick Casey Washington, who also had a strong camp, beat out Blair for the fifth wide receiver spot. Expect Blair to return to Atlanta’s practice squad, where he spent most of the 2023 season. – Matt Urben, Falcons Wire

Williams entered his third season knowing he needed a breakout camp, but he was waived, and Baltimore chose the young safeties over the former Houston Cougar.  Williams missed almost all last season with an ankle injury and was in a roster crunch at slot cornerback. Still, Baltimore chose rookies Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade, choosing the comfort of Kyle Hamilton, Ar’Darius Washington, and Marlon Humphrey as slot cornerbacks in crucial situations. – Glenn Erby, Ravens Wire

Like many surprises on this team-by-team list, we have a few layers. The Bills used a sixth-round selection on Hardy and coveted his abilities as a return man. Head coach Sean McDermott continually had better and better things to say about Hardy during the preseason. Fast forward to cut-down day, Hardy is waived and the Bills made an in-division trade with the New York Jets for Brandon Codrington to be their returner. – Nick Wojton, Bills Wire

The real surprise isn’t that the Panthers cut Smith. It’s that they cut Smith even upon deciding to keep a whopping seven defensive linemen. There aren’t many opportunities to be had as is at the position, with Carolina running a 3-4 base that often features an insanely heavy dose of Pro Bowler Derrick Brown. So if we had known that the Panthers were keeping that many linemen before learning who’d they be, Smith—who led the team with 2.0 sacks during the preseason—would’ve seemed like a shoo-in.  – Anthony Rizzuti, Panthers Wire

There weren’t any major surprises with the Bears roster, where GM Ryan Poles said earlier in the offseason it was going to be difficult to make this team. Still, there were some standout performers who didn’t make the cut – including rookie cornerback Reddy Steward. While fullback Khari Blasingame was released, he’s going to be brought back after some roster shuffling. So I guess the most surprising cut goes to veteran quarterback Brett Rypien, who has the most experience in Chicago’s young quarterback room. Rookie Caleb Williams and second-year pro Tyson Bagent have a combined four regular-season starts between them, so it was a surprise that Rypien wasn’t retained on the roster. Especially when you factor in the amended emergency quarterback rule where the QB3 must be on the active roster. – Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire

There wasn’t a major shocker for the Bengals this time out. That said, the team did gut the depth of the roster in a dramatic way, with all 10 draft picks and two undrafted players making the roster. Jackson Carman, a former second-round pick, was the biggest example of this. He went from having a chance to seize a starting job as a rookie to getting demoted to fourth string this summer, getting supplanted by former undrafted talent Jaxson Kirkland. Carman was the biggest name cut and the final straw for a team that has seemingly finally seen the light about prioritizing more athletic offensive linemen.  – Chris Roling, Bengals Wire

Nick Chubb is still on the PUP list, and the running back depth otherwise is not great in Cleveland. It was a bit of a shock to see Foreman cut from the initial 53-man roster. However, the Browns tend to use vested veterans as chess pieces when other subsequent moves, like placing a player on Injured Reserve or working through a trade, still needs accomplished. There is good reason to believe that once one of the four quarterbacks on the initial roster is moved or another player is placed on IR that the Browns have a behind-the-back agreement in place with Foreman to come back to Cleveland. – Cory Kinnan, Browns Wire

For the most part, the Cowboys’ cuts were as expected. There weren’t any major surprises, but many thought Lawson would get more of a chance with Dallas after signing as a free agent this summer. He only played one preseason game and had limited snaps, so he didnt get an opportunity to fully show that he can be a productive pass rusher. With Sam Williams’ injury, it was reasonable to think the Cowboys would keep Lawson as a reserve edge rusher, being the proven veteran that he is. – Cameron DaSilva, Cowboys Wire

Patrick missed the 2022 and 2023 seasons with ACL and Achilles injuries, but he’s healthy now and agreed to take a massive pay cut this spring. After impressing in preseason, Patrick seemed likely to make the squad, but coach Sean Payton opted to go with younger receivers instead. Patrick, 30, will now get a fresh start as a free agent. He totaled 104 receptions for 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns from 2020-2021 before back-to-back injuries. – Jon Heath, Broncos Wire 

The veteran nose tackle quietly turned in a very strong training camp, often getting first-team reps with DJ Reader still sidelined. Peko even flashed some pass-rush ability to go with his hard-nosed, smart run defense. With his old Titans DL coach, Terrell Williams, coaching him in Detroit, Peko felt like a no-brainer, especially with Reader just being activated and Brodric Martin headed to I.R. The Lions only kept four DTs on the initial 53-man roster, which is also a bigger surprise than any WR or TE they parted with.  – Jeff Risdon, Lions Wire

The Packers did a number of surprising things at roster cutdowns, including trading for quarterback Malik Willis, sending running back A.J. Dillon to injured reserve, and releasing kicker Anders Carlson, the incumbent, and linebacker Kristian Welch, a special teamer who had a great preseason. But the most shocking move was still releasing Johnson, a seventh-round pick last year who started games for the 2023 Packers and was excellent at times this summer. Green Bay kept special teamer Zayne Anderson and fifth-round pick Kitan Oladapo at safety instead. Johnson is a converted cornerback who was coming into his own as a physical, do-everything safety. – Zach Kruse, Packers Wire

Brown wasn’t a lock to make the roster, but he basically was the league’s top target for two weeks last November. He finished with 153 yards and a touchdown against the Buccaneers. A week later, he caught seven passes for a career-high 172 yards, including a 22-yard reception to set up a game-winning field goal. Without Brown, Houston doesn’t win the division and likely finishes below .500 under C.J. Stroud. 

Brown’s shoulder injury opened the door for Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III to gain ground. I expect him to land on his feet elsewhere and start by Week 2 immediately for another team looking to build around their young quarterback. For two weeks every season, Brown looks like the most unstoppable force with a ball in his hands . — Cole Thompson, Texans Wire

As a veteran who has played just over 500 combined snaps the last two seasons, the Colts probably believe that they’ll be able to bring Harrison back on the practice squad as they did last summer. However, the surprising part about this is that a position with major question marks already, potentially not having Harrison reduces the safety depth and options the Colts have. As a strong safety, having Harrison on the roster gave the Colts some added flexibility if Nick Cross struggles at free safety or if there’s an injury. At a position that already has uncertainty, the Colts now have fewer options if they run into an issue. – Paul Bretl, Colts Wire

The Jaguars didn’t have any big surprise cuts, but second-year cornerback Christian Braswell was definitely the biggest shock of the group. The former sixth-round pick had a strong training camp and preseason in the nickel cornerback role, even starting the first two games as Darnell Savage Jr. nursed an injury, and he also brought special teams versatility. But Jacksonville elected to roll with third-round rookie Jarrian Jones earning the role of backup nickel Tuesday. If Braswell clears waivers, he’s a top contender for the practice squad. – Alyssa Barbieri/Zach Goodall, Jaguars Wire

Irv Smith Jr. seemed like a lock to make Kansas City’s 53-man roster when he signed with the Chiefs earlier this year, but after a lackluster performance in the preseason, he was cut on Tuesday. Instead of keeping Smith, Kansas City traded for Dallas Cowboys TE Peyton Hendershot, who will compete with Noah Gray and Jared Wiley for playing time with Patrick Mahomes in Andy Reid’s offense. – John Dillon, Chiefs Wire

For a minute there it looked like Wilkerson might be the third best receiver on the team behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. And all throughout camp, he was a mainstay with the second team offense. Basically the next man up after the starting three which included Tre Tucker. But looking back, there were three other receivers who routinely had more wow plays than Wilkerson. Making them far more intriguing and Wilkerson ended up being the odd man out. – Levi Damien, Raiders Wire

The Chargers didn’t make any surprising cuts. But to some, leaving Donald Parham Jr. off the roster was head-scratching. Parham was an asset in the passing game the past four seasons, particularly in the red zone. However, he dealt with injuries, including one that caused him to miss nearly half of the summer. Upon returning, Parham continued to flash his receiving skills, but his blocking remained a weakness. And in Greg Roman’s offense, his tight ends need to be able to block. Ultimately, Stone Smartt made the squad as the third tight end. – Gavino Borquez, Chargers Wire

The Rams didn’t have any wildly surprising cuts but Smith comes as at least a mild shock. He was one of their best and most versatile offensive players in the preseason, contributing as a receiver, runner and return specialist. The Rams have struggled to find a consistent and reliable return man and Smith seemed like he could be a good one for them, but they decided to move on from the second-year receiver. They kept six other receivers instead, going with Tyler Johnson over Smith for the sixth spot on the depth chart. – Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire

It was a little surprising that Nik Needham was released and the absence of a long-snapper is a curveball, but Ezukanma is the one that raises eyebrows. The former fourth-round pick didn’t see the field much as a rookie and missed almost all of his second season due to a neck injury. With a few new receivers added to the mix, the pressure was on Ezukanma to prove he still deserved a spot and he seemed to do so. Mike McDaniel praised the receiver in camp and Ezukanma stood out in a preseason win over the Commanders. That surge coupled with a wave of injuries at receiver made it seem that Ezukanma was in line for a spot. Instead, the Dolphins kept just four receivers in their initial 53 on Tuesday.  – Adam Stites, Dolphins Wire

The Minnesota Vikings and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had a rather uneventful time cutting down the roster. Despite that, they made one move that while it won’t make national headlines is a buzzing to those who follow the team. The decision to cut Kene Nwangwu came as a shock when it came across the news for several reasons. One, Nwangwu played well this preseason, he constantly ran hard and was making plays with every carry he was awarded. Two, his burst and ability to accelerate quickly made him a valuable kick returner with the rule change. Last, and potentially the biggest point, his release leaves the Vikings with just two running backs in Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler. – Andrew Harbaugh, Vikings Wire

The Patriots already had their one-two punch at running back with Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. However, Kevin Harris was widely believed to be a lock as the No. 3 option for the team. Stevenson hasn’t had the best track record with injuries, and Harris was the only other experienced power back on the roster. The Patriots’ decision to cut Harris came a couple of days after he hauled in an 18-yard touchdown reception from rookie quarterback Drake Maye in the preseason finale. This was one of those moves that few, if any, saw coming. – Jordy McElroy, Patriots Wire

Hergel was a quick standout among the undrafted free agent class, taking all of the second-team snaps at right guard before earning more opportunities at center and left guard in the preseason games. His experience with former Miami Dolphins offensive line coach Matt Applebaum and a system derived from the same coaching tree as Klint Kubiak’s offense gave him an edge over his competition to start training camp. He was widely projected to make the team as the ninth offensive lineman. Instead, he’ll hope to clear waivers and re-sign with the practice squad. The Saints need more depth at tackle than guard and they clearly feel that eighth roster spot should go to a bookend, not an interior lineman. But Hergel can play and it wouldn’t shock me to see another team snatch him up. – John Sigler, Saints Wire

The Giants have relied heavily on a fullback/H-back this summer, frequently using their tight ends in that role before a wave of injuries struck the position. They added former Raider Jakob Johnson to take over that role and he performed admirably despite a limited time in the offseason. He improved each day as he became more comfortable and appeared to be a 53-man roster lock. However, he was among the early releases, which came as a surprise. The Giants may look to add him back to the practice squad. – Dan Benton, Giants Wire

There weren’t any massive surprise cuts for the Jets, but the release of tight end Zack Kuntz came as a bit of a shock considering the team isn’t super deep at the position. The former seventh-round pick has good size and speed, and he built a rapport with quarterback Aaron Rodgers last year. Rodgers said he threw to Kuntz a lot on the side field as he was rehabbing from his torn Achilles last season. The Jets have just two tight ends on the roster in Tyler Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert, so you have to imagine another move could be on the way (perhaps on the waiver wire). – Alyssa Barbieri, Jets Wire

Jenkins had a strong training camp and preseason and was among the favorites to make the roster behind star tight end Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra.  Jenkins went undrafted out of Georgia Tech in 2023 and signed with the Jets but was released at final cuts. Jenkins signed up for the Eagles’ practice squad in November before signing up with the Raiders’ practice squad in January.  He signed a futures deal with the Eagles on Jan. 22. Jenkins had nine receptions during the preseason for 66 yards and a 7.3 average yards per catch.  Jenkins could return to the practice squad, but he’ll also have his share of suitors on the waiver wire. – Glenn Erby, Eagles Wire

I went back and forth between Johnson and wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick. Both guys had strong training camps and preseason performances and both guys play positions that the Steelers left themselves short-handed after roster cuts. I give Johnson the edge here because The Steelers have bigger roster needs like wide receiver, cornerback and offensive tackle so they might just want to make due at outside linebacker with a guy like DeMarvin Leal as a situational edge rusher instead of keeping Johnson so can really explode off the snap. – Curt Popejoy, Steelers Wire

While Mitchell wasn’t cut, he was placed on Injured Reserve with no designation to return. The 2021 sixth-round pick became a mainstay in the 49ers’ backfield during his three seasons. It looked like Jordan Mason had eclipsed him on the depth chart which threw Mitchell’s role into question, but the 49ers coaching staff had enough trust in him that it was easy to see Mitchell sticking around. Alas, a hamstring injury late in the preseason wound up landing him on IR with no chance to return for San Francisco in 2024. – Kyle Madson, Niners Wire

George Holani and Kenny McIntosh duked it out in the preseason for the RB3 spot behind Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. Although it is fair to say McIntosh won the competition, Holani looked like he was going to force the Seahawks to somehow make room for him on the 53-man roster. A strong, physical runner, Holani helped give Seattle even greater depth at a position they already have plenty of talent in. It wasn’t just what he could do between the tackles that made him an asset, it’s also the fact he was a quality pass blocker as well – something we know the Seahawks have struggled with since, well, for as long as anyone can remember. Any little bit extra to keep Geno Smith upright helps! Seattle is surely hoping Holani can make it through waivers and come back to them as a member of the practice squad, but I have a feeling other teams took notice of the former Boise State Bronco. – Kole Musgrove, Seahawks Wire

Long snapper Zach Triner is not the highest profile player to be cut, but he is the most surprising. Triner was Tampa Bay’s long snapper since 2019 and is the most tenured player to be cut by the Bucs this year. Cuts to the likes of Sterling Shepard were less surprising as Shepard could not stay healthy for much of training camp and the preseason. Triner had no health issues. He was just beaten out by the younger Evan Deckers, which came as a surprise to many. The lack of big cuts stems from the Bucs’ roster-building since Tom Brady’s departure, eschewing big free agent signings for the development of draft picks and other home-grown talent. Every one of Tampa Bay’s draft picks from the last two years is now on their 2024 roster. – Jason Kanno, Bucs Wire

Although Hassan Haskins was in a three-way competition for the RB3 spot, many felt his special teams prowess would give him the edge. He was routinely praised by head coach Brian Callahan throughout training camp and the preseason, and it came as a surprise that the team went with Julius Chestnut instead. Ultimately, the Titans placed a greater emphasis on offensive production than special teams production, which may come back to bite them. – Dan Benton, Titans Wire

The Commanders surprisingly waived second-year defensive end K.J. Henry, a surprise considering Washington’s need there. While the Commanders have several veterans at the position, Henry, a 2023 fifth-round pick, showed some promise over the second half of last season. In the final preseason game vs. New England, Henry sacked QB Jacoby Brissett and spent some time playing inside. Washington chose to keep 2024 seventh-round pick Javontae Jean-Baptiste over Henry because he has a more athletic upside. Henry will be a candidate for the practice squad if no one claims him. There’s a good chance someone claims Henry, though. – Bryan Manning, Commanders Wire