This offseason, there seems to be a long list of NFL stars who have been cut. However, these aren't the final surprise cuts before the 2023 NFL season starts.
Last week, the Minnesota Vikings finally did what we all suspected. They cut Dalvin Cook. It was hardly a surprise since the Vikings made it clear they were moving on. He isn't even close to the biggest star to be cut. The Dallas Cowboys cut Ezekiel Elliott. Frank Clark won a title with the Kansas City Chiefs, and now he's facing his former team twice a year with the Denver Broncos. Shaquill Griffin, Ronald Darby, Bud Dupree, Carson Wentz, Myles Jack, and the list goes on and on.
There are myriad reasons that teams cut players during training camp. Sometimes they need the cap space. That's by far the biggest reason. Other times, star players end up losing starting jobs to younger, cheaper players. There are players who cause a fuss, players that don't fit in the locker room, and players who aren't good for a new scheme.
Remember, there is one major change to the cut process this year. Teams will carry 90 players until Aug, 29, when they will cut the rosters down to 53 in one fell swoop. That means approximately 1,184 players will hit free agency all at the same time. Talk about a frenzy.
Every NFL team's most surprising remaining cut candidate
By far, the biggest surprise cut this offseason was the Arizona Cardinals DeAndre Hopkins. The superstar wide receiver was on the trade block for weeks before the Cardinals new regime decided it was better to just cut bait and let him pick his next destination. That isn't the only offensive star leaving the Cardinals for the sake of cap space.
Arizona Cardinals — Zach Ertz
The Cardinals are looking toward the future. Hopkins didn't even get them one asset. They cut Kliff Kingsbury as head coach despite just signing him to an extension. Kyler Murray might miss the entire season. They didn't even draft a quarterback, and now they might be going with Colt McCoy as the starter.
There is no reason to keep a 32-year-old tight end on the roster. If a rookie quarterback was looking to build his confidence, then we could see it. With Colt McCoy? There is zero value in Ertz on this roster.
Let Ertz find a contender to spend his twilight NFL years. He has between one and three years left in the league. He shouldn't spend any with the Cardinals organization.
Atlanta Falcons — Cordarrelle Patterson
The Atlanta Falcons have already made a long list of cuts this offseason. They dropped cornerback Casey Hayward, a former big-money free agent who now looks for a new home. Quarterback Marcus Mariota is now with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons are looking to make a big move in the standings this season, so they must have the perfect mix on offense and defense.
The Falcons made the somewhat surprising move of drafting Bijan Robinson with their top pick in the NFL Draft. They did this despite Tyler Allgeier playing a key role down the stretch at running back. Allgeier kept taking larger portions of the offensive workload, hitting a plateau in Week 18 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he ran for 139 yards.
With two dynamic, young running backs on the roster, one would assume that's all the Falcons need. That's where the cuts come in. Cordarrelle Patterson was a revelation for the Falcons, carrying the offense for two years.
Now, Patterson is third on the depth chart. He could stick with the Falcons as a kick returner. Even at his advanced age (it still hurts to say that about a 32-year-old), he should be one of the better returners in the league. With Avery Williams tearing up his knee just a few days ago, the Falcons may feel compelled to keep Patterson. However, Over the Cap says the Falcons can save more than $4 million by parting ways with the former starter. There's a good chance that can happen.
Baltimore Ravens — Justice Hill
Going back to the running back well, the Baltimore Ravens have used a ton of them in the last few years. Last year, the Ravens had JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Kenyan Drake, Justice Hill, and Mike Davis taking snaps. On name alone, that's a loaded backfield. The year before was even crazier, adding Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, Le'Veon Bell, and Ty'Son Williams when injuries ravished the running back room.
This season, the Ravens look to have a normal year behind Lamar Jackson. Dobbins looks like he could be their breakout star.
The team will always be run-heavy, but loading up on the passing game is clearly a reaction to the team's lack of success with keeping backs healthy. They added Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency and Zay Jones in the draft, giving Jackson a proper slew of weapons when added to Rashon Bateman and Mark Andrews. That leaves them without a need for a stacked running back room.
Justice Hill could be the odd man out. The Ravens save no money by cutting Gus Edwards, and Dobbins is the man in that backfield. Hill is being regulated to third string, and that's not enough to stay on this roster anymore.
Buffalo Bills — Nyheim Hines
Back-to-back-to-back running backs. My goodness, it is a sorry state for that position. This one might be a little more of a surprise since the Buffalo Bills sent assets to the Indianapolis Colts to get the services of Nyheim Hines. The veteran back has been a returner for the Bills and a good one at that.
Hines was given a new number with the Bills, the first to ever wear the number "0." It probably seems odd that the Bills would allow Hines to change his number just to cut him later that offseason. It's a good point, but we don't think NFL teams think that deeply about such small issues.
The NFL made kickoffs less important this season with a rule allowing fair catches to go to the 25-yard line. So kickoff returns like Hines' 96-yarder last year will almost never happen. So, Hines' importance is at an all-time low.
The Bills can save $2 million by cutting Hines this offseason. With diminished importance and a superstar roster needing every penny, the Bills may have no choice but to count their pennies.
Carolina Panthers — Chuba Hubbard
We swear it is not all running backs. This, however, makes a lot of sense from the "this could happen" side and the "legitimate surprise" aspect. The Carolina Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey last season, opening the door for another running back to take his place. Chuba Hubbard was afforded a chance to take over the role.
The former top college running back in the country just hasn't translated to the NFL. That's why the Panthers allowed D'Onta Foreman to take the starter role at the end of the season. He was quite good, but he left in free agency. Now, the Panthers are looking at another new starter.
They just gave Miles Sanders a big contract to be their new starter. They did that because they don't trust Hubbard to be a starting-caliber running back. With that said, it's hard to argue that Hubbard can survive roster cuts.
On top of all that, this is a brand new regime that is looking at Hubbard with new eyes. There has to be something in there for the Panthers to think he can still be a good back. He did average 4.9 yards per carry last season. However, Hubbard must show he can be a serviceable backup in training camp, or he will be looking for a new home.
Chicago Bears — Chase Claypool
This one is going to floor people if it actually happens because of the price the Chicago Bears paid to add Chase Claypool. They sent a second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers that ended up being the 33rd overall pick in this past draft. The Bears gave up way too much for what ended up being a middling upgrade at wide receiver.
Since joining the Bears, Claypool had 140 yards. He had that in seven games. Justin Jefferson had 154 yards in his first game against the Bears last season. Averaging 20 yards per game is unacceptable for any wide receiver. It's downright disgusting for a player the team thought could be their number one.
Now, the Bears are coming back with a much better wide receiver room. They added DJ Moore in the trade for the number-one overall pick. They welcome back Darnell Mooney. Bears brass added Tyler Scott in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. There is a ton of competition in training camp.
Many teams will avoid admitting their mistakes. Teams will hold onto players they overpaid. Then, there are teams that will cut their losses. Claypool could easily fall to fourth on the depth chart. Will he behave if that becomes the case? He's primed for a bounce-back, but he's also very close to being deemed useless.
Cincinnati Bengals — La'el Collins
The Cincinnati Bengals are in the upper echelon of NFL teams, and that comes with hard decisions. They have to pay just about everyone, including a record-breaking contract that's expected to come Joe Burrow's way. With that salary cap charge coming soon, the Bengals may need to pinch some pennies. They have to do it in a way that doesn't completely impact the on-field product. That complicates this one a bit.
The Bengals cannot go back to having a bad offensive line. It made things much harder for Burrow in his first few seasons. The Bengals put resources on the line, including the addition of La'el Collins after he was surprisingly cut by the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. He played well for the Bengals for most of the season, but then he tore both his ACL and MCL in a Week 16 game against the New England Patriots.
The Bengals did just fine without Collins, but Hakeem Adeniji definitely didn't play as well as he could. After the Bengals opted not to draft any offensive linemen, it might show they are fine with how things are. However, like Collins in 2022, the Bengals could see one of those 1,184 cuts be a better fit than a right tackle coming off a completely restructured knee.
This all comes down to injury for the Bengals. They cannot have a liability at right tackle. They need a replacement, so if they don't find one, they might be stuck with Collins. However, right tackles seemingly always become available during final roster cuts. Some lose out in training camp battles and see a new fire build. Others were straight cap casualties. Either way, the Bengals could use this method to keep Burrow upright.
Cleveland Browns — Jacob Phillips
The Cleveland Browns have an interesting offseason ahead of them. Even with the albatross Deshaun Watson contract, the Browns are in a pretty good position. That's why they were able to steal Za'Darius Smith from the Minnesota Vikings. The Browns hope to make it back to the postseason this year.
That's where cuts come in. Harrison Bryant made some sense, but he just restructured his contract to guarantee his spot on the opening roster. The offense needs as much help as possible to make sure Watson avoids another disastrous season, so it's the defense where the surprises will come.
Jacob Phillips showed promise in his first two years, but there are flaws in his game that are impossible to ignore. He has severe issues tackling. That's devastating for a middle linebacker. Middle linebacker is already a position that is losing impact in the NFL. Those players need to be at the top of their game at all times. Phillips was very bad at times last season.
Players drafted in the first 100 picks of the NFL Draft almost always get all of the chances, but Phillips is still a liability as he faces the end of his contract. The Browns will likely just move on.
Dallas Cowboys — Will Grier
Will Grier has had an interesting career coming out of West Virginia University. He was drafted too high by the Carolina Panthers, who used a third-round pick to take him in 2019. Two years later, he was released. Grier jumped on with the Dallas Cowboys immediately, who didn't even let him hit free agency and claimed him off waivers. He was waived one year later but caught on with the practice squad.
Grier is back on the Cowboys this offseason, but he has an uphill battle to make the roster. Both Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush have had amazing moments on NFL fields. Grier has not had such moments. In fact, his time in NFL games has been dreadful. It's been a while, but Grier just isn't even one of the best 100 quarterbacks in the league.
Maybe Grier does better now that he's not playing under Kellen Moore, but the Cowboys just have bigger needs than to keep three quarterbacks. Grier seems like he's been flying under the radar up until now. He had a really good college career, and he flashed skills that should have translated to the NFL. He always had a long way to make a real NFL career, but it's hard to envision a world where he sticks on this roster.
The one saving grace for Grier is Prescott's injury history. The Cowboys might keep three on the roster for that reason alone, but if Prescott does get hurt, they will likely find someone.
Denver Broncos — Garett Bolles
One of the biggest reasons for star players finding themselves on the chopping block is the dreaded return from injury. The NFL is a brutal business. There is no emotion when it comes to keeping one of those 53 jobs on an NFL roster. For every player on the roster, there are 100 at the same position trying to take it. So when a player gets injured, he has to show the next season that he is the same player.
Garett Bolles has been very vocal this offseason. He's talked about Russell Wilson's bounceback possibilities. He talks about his issues watching the offensive line fall apart while he was gone. Bolles has a lot to say. The Broncos' left tackle wants to jump back into the offense.
However, this is a completely different offense. Sean Payton is the new coach, and he's bringing a no-nonsense approach to the team. If Bolles is trying to prove he's a leader here, he needs to do that on the field. The Broncos need everything to go well to show they can bounce back.
It might seem unlikely on paper that Bolles is going anywhere. However, that injury was pretty extensive. A broken leg is not like a torn ACL. It definitely heals differently for everyone. When someone weighs 300 pounds, it adds more stress on said injury recovery. If Bolles can't be the guy he was prior to the broken leg, Payton has no issue cutting him and saving close to $12 million.
Detroit Lions — Josh Reynolds
The Detroit Lions are in a different position than they've been in quite a few years. They are the favorites to win the NFC North Division. With the shine worn off the Minnesota Vikings and Aaron Rodgers playing in New York, the Lions are getting a majority of the betting money. With bigger headlines come bigger expectations. That means players aren't going to fly under the radar.
The Lions' offense took a hit when Jameson Williams was suspended for eight games. He was part of a gambling investigation where everyone else involved was cut from the team. He's also struggling in early mini-camps according to reports. It seems like this turn of events opens the wide receiver room.
That should open the door for other wide receivers to take spots. Josh Reynolds has shown flashes in the past. He had a 20+ yard catch in each of the first five games of last season. Then, he fell off a cliff.
The Lions still have Amon Ra St. Brown and Marvin Jones to fill the Williams void until he returns from his suspension. Reynolds fell off a cliff last season, and if he can't show he's closer to the first-half player, the expectations may be too large for him to survive.
Green Bay Packers — Preston Smith
The Green Bay Packers are facing a new era. Aaron Rodgers is in New Jersey, and Jordan Love is fighting for his NFL career. That will always have a haze over the Packers' season. Youth is key. After years of veterans across all positions, the Packers are about Love, Christian Watson, Romeo Dobbs, Lukas Van Ness, and Quay Walker.
There are a few veterans still on the team, but will they want to stick around to see what happens next? The two that stand out the most are Jaire Alexander and Preston Smith. Alexander has too much guaranteed money left to get cut. The Packers aren't going to eat $8 million just to save $2 million. Smith only saves a similar $2 million, but it only costs them around $4 million.
Listen, it's not something the Packers will do unwarranted. What will likely happen (if Preston Smith gets cut) is he will ask to be let out of his contract. This is a veteran who's given the past four years of his career to Green Bay after coming over from Washington.
Smith is going to be 31 during the regular season, and he only has so many useful seasons left before he is holding onto a roster spot like some other veterans on this list. Let him go to a true contender. Meanwhile, Van Ness, this year's 13th-overall pick, can take over the role.
Houston Texans — Brevin Jordan
What is up with this Houston Texans roster? They really gave up their own first-round pick with this roster? Will Anderson could be incredible, but is he worth something like Broderick Jones, Michael Mayer, Marvin Harrison Jr., and another pick? That's a haul of players that could really help DeMeco Ryans turn this team around. Will Anderson needs to be the new version of J.J. Watt to fill the shoes of that haul?
Anyway, this is a strange season, and with this new regime, so many people might be on the chopping block. Davis Mills is an intriguing name with CJ Stroud now in the room, but the Texans need backup options. Mills might have been the starter, but he wouldn't be the starter for anyone else. He should keep his role.
So we looked deeper into a very shallow roster. Brevin Jordan is a player we once had high hopes for, but he hasn't shown those factors in the NFL. The former Miami Hurricanes captain had a moment here and there in his rookie season, scoring three touchdowns from the tight end position. He was a non-factor last season.
Jordan is still a talented player. He's just 22 years old. He came into the league incredibly young, and he can still turn this around. Maybe that saves his time with the Texans, but it seems likely he'll have to prove himself with another franchise.
Indianapolis Colts — Sam Ehlinger
Not even six months ago, the Indianapolis Colts were giving Sam Ehlinger a shot to be the future of the franchise. He lost his job to Nick Foles. Then, he was given another shot, and he looked bad. The former Texas standout just never looked like the player who could live up to the hype.
This offseason, the Colts added Gardner Minshew in free agency and Anthony Richardson at the top of the draft. Those two QBs are immediately higher on the depth chart. Jeff Saturday is out, and Shane Steichen is in. Ironically, the Colts once again hired an Eagles offensive coordinator to be the head coach.
With the new regime, it's likely Sam Ehlinger is facing an uphill battle to keep his roster spot. He's not in a fight for the starting job. He would have had to steal Tom Brady's essence like the Monstars back in Space Jam just to get into the conversation. Minshew is a starting-caliber QB, and Richardson has had a great camp so far.
Ehlinger was given a shot, and ultimately, he failed to gain the starting job. He could have built something with the Colts, but now it looks like he won't have a third season with the Colts. He might settle with another team as a third-string, but the Colts need to focus on their best 53 players.
Jacksonville Jaguars — Calvin Ridley
This one would be WILD. The Jacksonville Jaguars traded for Calvin Ridley as he was serving a year-long suspension for gambling on the NFL during an injury. Ridley is currently sitting at the top of the Jaguars' depth chart, the top man for Trevor Lawrence as he attempts to jump into the upper echelon of quarterback. If this was prime Atlanta Falcons Ridley, then the Jaguars have a superstar on their hands. However, we've seen what a year off could do to a superstar when it happened to Deshaun Watson.
If Ridley comes into training camp out of shape, or if it looks like he immediately lost a step, what would the Jaguars do? Would they just suck it up and keep him, or would they cut bait?
None of Ridley's $11 million salary is guaranteed. That's right, Ridley is raking in eight digits this season if he sticks on the Jaguars roster. That's why the Falcons were more than happy to let him go elsewhere. Beyond the suspension, Ridley was prepared to make a killing. We forget that even before his suspension, Ridley stepped away from the team to deal with his mental health. Not taking that lightly, but he has to prove he is 100 percent committed to football.
The Jaguars can also save draft pick compensation if Ridley isn't on the roster next year. That doesn't have a ton to do with this, but it has to be at least a slight consideration for Trent Baalke, who is looking at all of his assets as he hopes to open a competition window. If Ridley signs an extension, the Jags have to give the Falcons a second-round pick. If he makes the roster next year, they have to give up at least a fourth.
Kansas City Chiefs — Clyde Edwards Helaire
Clyde Edwards-Helaire was once described as the perfect fit for the Kansas City Chiefs offense. When Andy Reid and Co. used a first-round pick on the former LSU running back, it felt like the final piece to a dynasty.
The Chiefs did win another Super Bowl this past season, but it wasn't CEH who was running the ball en route to the Lombardi Trophy. Instead, seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco out of Rutgers was the team's lead back. He finished the Super Bowl with 76 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Edwards-Helaire was a healthy scratch. Yup, he was healthy but didn't put on pads for the biggest game of the season. Then, during the Chiefs Super Bowl parade, he went to a fashion show instead.
This is clearly as toxic a relationship as there is in the NFL. If the Chiefs didn't just win the Super Bowl, it feels like this would be a much bigger narrative. Imagine all the hype surrounding Malcolm Butler being benched by the Patriots, except make it a skill position.
This is clear and obvious. Both sides want this relationship to end. We're pretty confused why it hasn't ended already. The Chiefs won't really save much when they cut the former promising running back. He saves the Chiefs around $800,000, but it will be worth it just getting him out of the locker room.
Las Vegas Raiders — Jimmy Garoppolo
This one is a doozy, but the Las Vegas Raiders could shock the world by cutting their quarterback signing before he takes a regular-season snap. Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72 million deal to replace Derek Carr this offseason. It was a strange decision at the time since Jimmy G seems like a lesser version of Carr in the first place, but the injury situation makes this that much stranger. The fact that Josh McDaniels might be on the hot seat makes this all very puzzling.
Garoppolo got foot surgery in the offseason and hasn't been cleared for workouts yet. If he can't pass a physical, the Raiders could opt to get out of the deal entirely. That seems likely since the Raiders don't want to deal with a hobbled quarterback. There's a chance they could settle for one of the quarterbacks who get cut. However, they might get stuck with Brian Hoyer as the starter, making their situation the worst in the league under center.
Despite the fact this has been in the headlines for a few weeks now, fans would be very surprised if the Raiders let this happen. Las Vegas could have traded up to take Bryce Young or CJ Stroud, something that was in the rumor mill. The Panthers wildly outbid everyone to take Young, and the Texans chose to take the Ohio State QB at number two.
Instead, the Raiders stayed put, put all their chips on Garoppolo, and now they are invested in his health. It would be pretty strange to do all that and then leave yourself with Brian Hoyer under center, but it might be better than locking into a contract for a QB on one leg.
Los Angeles Chargers — Austin Ekeler
Many thought this would have happened by now, but Austin Ekeler surprised the football world when he decided to restructure his contract to stay in Los Angeles. However, this contract seems pretty easy to get out of from the Chargers' standpoint. It's very incentive-laden, and the Chargers would only need to pay $1.5 million to get out of the deal.
So, if Ekeler starts to make a fuss again, and he continues with his trade demands, then the Chargers might just decide to cut bait. Brandon Staley has the hottest seat in the league. He can't take a chance on guys who could turn the locker room. Keenan Allen already had to restructure his contract, but it was to protect himself. Ekeler doesn't have a contract that's safe. He can be cut for close to nothing.
So, the Chargers have to see how the preseason goes. If Ekeler is a good soldier, then nothing will happen. He will play out the season, and then he will find a new team next year. Ekeler is still the best offensive weapon on that team outside Justin Herbert. The team can win more when he's in the lineup. This is a two-way weapon unlike any in the league.
Ekeler is the closest thing to Marshall Faulk in the league right now. The Chargers would be foolish to let him go. However, the Chargers have been foolish with this team.
Los Angeles Rams — Ben Skowronek
It's hard to find someone even worth cutting on the Los Angeles Rams roster. This was a team that won the Super Bowl a year ago? Really? They still have stars in Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford, and Aaron Donald, but the rest of the roster is pretty bare. So, to find a surprise cut, we look at players they were once high on that might fall off in the preseason and training camp.
Right now, Ben Skowronek is slated to be a starter in the Rams' offense. He might be the number two next to Cooper Kupp. Stafford is looking to bounce back after the worst year of his career. The former Notre Dame product looked like he was going to be a steal by Sean McVay after he drafted him in the seventh round.
Skowronek immediately got injured, fracturing his forearm in his rookie season. Then, in December, it was announced he'd miss the rest of his sophomore season with a calf injury. He was decent last season, but he caught more than two passes once after October 16th. He also scored zero receiving touchdowns all season.
The Rams need playmakers. They have an interesting wide receiver room. Besides Skowronek and Kupp, the Rams still have Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, and Demarcus Robinson. There are some really good players there, so Skowronek needs to show up in the preseason, or he's going to get cut.
Miami Dolphins — Skylar Thompson
Just a few months ago, Skylar Thompson was a playoff quarterback. He started for the Miami Dolphins when Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater couldn't be cleared for the game against the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins lost that game by three points. Three points! Now, tell me how this player is going to get cut not even a year later.
Oh wait, that's our job. Thompson is currently in competition with Tagovailoa, who is a lock to be the starter if he's healthy, and Mike White, who the Dolphins gave $8 million on a two-year deal this offseason. Then, there's one of the more intriguing undrafted rookies at the position. James Blackman had a wild college career, starting as a freshman at Florida State. He played there for four years, but he transferred at the end of it to Arkansas State. He was really good last year, but he didn't drum up much hype.
Blackman is from South Florida, so maybe playing for the hometown team gets him to put together a legendary preseason performance if that exists. Thompson isn't guaranteed a spot by any means. It's highly unlikely the Dolphins go into the season with just two quarterbacks with Tagovailoa's injury history.
So, it comes down to Thompson and Blackman. Unless another quarterback becomes available, which is very possible, it's down to two. Let's see who wins the job.
Minnesota Vikings — Jalen Reagor
The Minnesota Vikings traded for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jalen Reagor last season. It was an ironic trade since the Eagles took Reagor over Justin Jefferson, the best wide receiver in the league. This allowed the Vikings to take Jefferson. Now, they have both.
Reagor's main impact last season was as a return man. Because of his lack of impact last season, Reagor is definitely in line for an option in Cutsville. On top of Reagor barely getting 100 yards on the season last year, the Vikings drafted Jordan Addison in the first round this offseason. Addison was a great punt returner for the Pitt Panthers before he transferred to USC. He didn't really return many punts with the Trojans, but we assume it's like riding a bike.
So, that makes Reagor even more replaceable. The Vikings have a ton of talent at the position with KJ Osborn ahead of Reagor on the depth chart. Heck, even Jalen Nailor and Brandon Powell had better stats than Reagor.
The one saving grace for Reagor is he has a fully-guaranteed contract. It's only worth around $2.5 million, so it's not that serious. The Vikings won't mind eating that deal if it means opening a roster spot for a better player.
New England Patriots — DeVante Parker
The New England Patriots have a stacked wide receiver room despite having no real number-one receiver. They added Juju Smith-Schuster in free agency and Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas in the draft this offseason, and they still have DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, and Kendrick Bourne on the roster. Again, this is a stacked room with a ton of potential but a very complicated future.
The Patriots are looking to build an offense that allows Mac Jones to thrive. He is trying to prove his worth to Bill Belichick. The Pats brought Bill O'Brien to run the offense after the disaster produced by Matt Patricia. It's almost like everything that happened last year doesn't count. That includes DeVante Parker, who didn't really produce a lot of offense in his first year in New England.
Where is that player from 2019? He had 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns that season. He immediately plummeted, and he never came close to 1,000 yards again. He failed to get to 600 yards for the second-straight season last year. He did average 17 yards per reception, his best since his rookie year, but the quantity wasn't there.
Parker needs to prove he deserves his spot in the offense. Especially if the Patriots add another receiver, Parker's spot on the roster is far from guaranteed. Parker also has $0 in guaranteed money left. The Patriots would save more than $6 million by saying goodbye to Parker.
New Orleans Saints — Tre'Quan Smith
Prior to last season, Tre'Quan Smith was looking to finally make space in a crowded wide receiver room. Marquez Callaway was getting the fantasy buzz, but it ended up being rookie Chris Olave who was the great player at the position. Smith fell behind Olave and Rashid Shaheed on the depth chart.
Smith returned to the Saints after testing free agency last season, but he has one year left on his deal. There will be a lot of competition in training camp, with Michael Thomas returning to the lineup, surprisingly. Nobody expected Thomas to try again with the Saints, but he did, and now the WR room is decent.
Incoming starter Derek Carr needs to have a plethora of options to throw to. Right now, Smith doesn't need to be one of those options. If they cut Smith, the Saints would save more than $2 million in cap space. This is a team that always finds itself in salary cap hell. So, keeping a wide receiver who might end up being the fourth or fifth option is not viable.
Smith spent the last five years with the Saints. He always flirted with breaking out but never got over the hump. Now, he's 27 years old, and his prime isn't impressive. The Saints will do what they can to save the money.
New York Giants — Sterling Shepard
This might be a weird question to ask, but who is the New York Giants' number-one wide receiver right now? A few mistakes at the position (namely Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney) have the Giants asking this question. They have veterans Parris Campbell and Darius Slayton looking to solidify roles on this offense. The team has high hopes for Isaiah Hodgins after showing flashes last season.
Speaking of flashes, at one point, Sterling Shepard was once the flashiest wide receiver on the roster. This was a player who once had 100 targets with this franchise. The last time he did that was before the pandemic.
For four seasons, the Giants have seen Sterling Shepard come into the season with a ton of hype and see it go by the wayside. Just about every time, it's because of injuries. It started in 2019 when he had two concussions during the season. Then, turf toe ruined things in 2020. In 2021, he tore his Achilles tendon toward the end of the season. He tried to work his way back quickly, making it back to start the next year. Clearly, he should have taken his time because he tore his ACL by Week 3.
Shepard re-signed with the Giants this offseason to try and prove himself one more time. However, it's too many injuries and too much baggage. It's time to move on.
New York Jets — Duane Brown
The New York Jets are all in on this season. They had strengths across the roster, with superstars at wide receiver, running back, cornerback, defensive line, and offensive line. The issue was they had Zach Wilson, Mike White, and Joe Flacco under center. This offseason, they added Aaron Rodgers to fix that issue. It would be fun to say that Zach Wilson could be the surprise cut candidate, but the Jets made it clear that's completely unlikely.
So, let's look down the list. On the offensive line, there's a lot of money going around. Laken Tomlinson and Duane Brown both make $10+ million per season. The rest of the offensive line is pretty great. Mekhi Becton is still on his rookie contract. Alijah Vera-Tucker is in the same boat.
With so much talent on the offensive line, can they afford to save money with one of their most expensive members? The Jets can save more than $9 million if they cut Brown at this point.
Head coach Robert Saleh said recently it would be "hard to push Brown out the door," but it's not his decision. The Jets have Beckton, who can play left tackle. They have Billy Turner and Greg Senat who could be decent in elevated roles. They would certainly survive without Brown on the line.
Philadelphia Eagles — Quez Watkins
With so many stars, one would assume there are surprise cuts across the Philadelphia Eagles roster. Surprisingly, there isn't a lot of fat to cut here. If the Eagles won the Super Bowl, then maybe there would be a change. They wouldn't be all in. Unfortunately for the City of Brotherly Love, the Eagles blew a big lead and dropped a championship attempt to Patrick Mahomes.
So, looking at the roster, Quez Watkins makes the most sense as a "surprise" cut candidate. Trey Sermon seems like a pretty good bet to get cut, so Watkins at least comes with a slight surprise element.
Olamide Zaccheaus is providing competition for Watkins in training camp. Some Eagles players, including Jalen Hurts, have shown excitement for Watkins, but we've seen it at this time of the year. That doesn't always translate to saved jobs come August and September.
Watkins is coming off a down year, and he has a contract decision for Eagles brass. If he doesn't come out of the blocks running in training camp and preseason, he might find himself on another roster come Week 1. He could absolutely earn a spot on this roster, and maybe it was just a down year, but he has to prove he can bounce back to go on another Super Bowl journey.
Pittsburgh Steelers — Dan Moore Jr.
Bring up the name Dan Moore Jr. in Pittsburgh, and it brings pain to most in the Steel City. It's about as painful a name as Matt Canada for Steelers fans. Dan Moore Jr. had a very bad season at left tackle, but who could really blame him? He was a second-year player who was a fourth-round pick the year before. He was thrust into the left tackle spot unexpectedly, and now he's being blamed for some of the struggles on offense.
The Steelers clearly knew they had an issue, and they traded up to select Broderick Jones, the best tackle in the class according to some analysts. Jones is ready to jump into the lineup immediately, pushing Moore out of it. How will the Steelers handle that?
Moore is pushing hard for a position in the lineup this offseason. Reports say he's lost weight. He wants to push the rookie for a job he believes he earned.
What happens if what we all expect to happen happens? Will Moore be a good teammate and just let his job go? Seeing your team draft a younger version to be your replacement seems like a hard pill to swallow. The Steelers might decide it's just easier to part ways with Moore entirely.
San Francisco 49ers — Javon Kinlaw
The San Francisco 49ers front seven is always one of the best in the NFL. They constantly add to this strength, as they did when they drafted Javon Kinlaw in 2020. The 49ers traded back and still got what they thought was the best defensive tackle in the draft. This was a player the 49ers envisioned would be a staple in their defense for a decade.
This offseason, the 49ers signed Javon Hargrave to a three-year, $39 million deal because Kinlaw did not live up to the hype. Now, Kinlaw has been considered a pretty clear trade candidate. Trades with high-upside players don't usually pan out because teams know they can just wait until the other team is forced to cut them.
The 49ers already declined Kinlaw's fifth-year option. It's not that hard to see why. He hasn't done much of anything lately. He only played six regular season games last season, recording four tackles. He couldn't even average one tackle per game? That's very bad, especially with the great defensive ends and outside linebackers on this team.
The issue here is the 49ers don't save any money by cutting Kinlaw. That makes this a lot more complicated. Would the 49ers allow this to simmer all season just to avoid eating the contract? It doesn't seem like something they'd do.
Seattle Seahawks — Quandre Diggs
See that picture right above this? That's San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle scoring a touchdown on Quandre Diggs. The Seattle Seahawks' safety just isn't what he used to be. Diggs has been dealing with injuries for the past few offseasons, with a major ankle injury impacting his offseason program in 2022.
It's not all Diggs' fault that his play dropped like it did. We mentioned the injuries, but he's tried to do a major lift for the secondary since Jamal Adams has missed basically a season and a half. Adams signed this big contract to be the man for Seattle, and he has not lived up to it at all. He's going down as one of the worst trades in recent memory.
Diggs was supposed to play in tandem with Adams. Now, he's trying to do the heavy lifting. So, why wouldn't the Seahawks just cut Adams? The issue with that is Adams has a lot of sway in the locker room, and he comes with close to $10 million in dead money. The Seahawks have a lot more value in giving Diggs another season.
Diggs might have been saved by Ryan Neal signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but this is a "surprise" cut list. This is a player that needs a strong training camp to keep his role secured. The Seahawks signed former Giants safety Julian Love this offseason, and he could very much steal the starting role from Diggs from Adams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Devin White
This is another situation where a star player is asking out, and the team is waiting for the right trade candidate to come along. Devin White is a superstar linebacker who helped the team win its second Super Bowl Championship in 2021. He demanded a trade earlier this offseason, but it seems the two sides were able to mend fences for now. White is attending team activities.
The situation is fragile, and it could take no time at all to turn a corner towards bad again. If White doesn't like what he sees out of an offense led by Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask, he could call for another trade. Jason Licht could eventually call it a day on their relationship, letting White go where he pleases.
Since White is still on his rookie contract, it's essentially fully guaranteed. Would White allow the Bucs to restructure the deal so it's easier to get out of? There's no way the Bucs just let White take $11 million on the way out the door.
It's much more likely this would end in trade. White is still immensely valuable on the open market. However, we thought the same about DeAndre Hopkins, and he was cut by the Cardinals.
Tennessee Titans — Malik Willis
The Tennessee Titans are looking for their quarterback of the future. They thought he fell in their lap last season when Malik Willis, who some thought could go as high as the first round, fell to the third round. The Titans were ecstatic, thinking they might have the steal of the draft. Then, he hit the field. Willis was indecisive, despondent, and just a bad player in his starts.
Willis finished the season with zero touchdowns and three interceptions on 61 attempts. That's hardly a small sample size. It's one thing to overcome a bad season when it's only Ryan Tannehill in front of you. Now, the Titans drafted Will Levis, a true first-round talent, in the second round of this past draft.
Some thought Levis could be one of the top prospects in the draft. There was real consideration he could go in the top five at one point. He ended up missing the first night entirely, being in that embarrassing spot of sitting in the green room all night.
Willis has to prove he is much better this offseason into training camp. We will not believe any of the scuttlebutt coming out of OTAs. That is just positivity personified. The Titans have to see a Willis who truly had a better experience to beat out Levis and stay on the roster.
Washington Commanders — Logan Thomas
It's a brand new world in the nation's capital, with a new ownership group led by Josh Harris. Ron Rivera is still the man in charge, but he has a seat as hot as anyone. The old guard is out, and that could mean the end of Logan Thomas, who has been holding on to hope while dealing with injuries. The tight end showed flashes in 2020, and we've been waiting for it to come to fruition ever since.
The Commanders need the best possible weaponry around quarterback Sam Howell. The former North Carolina product was alright last season, but he hardly builds confidence for the fanbase. It helps to have a receiver like Terry McLauren and Jahan Dotson catching balls. Curtis Samuel is here right now, but he seems like a pretty confident cut candidate. Could Thomas be close to unemployed with him?
There is one thing that could save Logan Thomas. Armani Rogers, who would be the most logical replacement for Thomas, ruptured his Achilles tendon just a few weeks ago.
Maybe the Commanders could sign another tight end? There were a lot of really good tight ends in the draft, which could make other tight ends available through cuts and trades. The Commanders could look for a player who is less injury prone. Rivera is trying to prove his worth with Sam Howell under center. If the Commanders lose Thomas after already losing Rogers, they'd be in a really bad spot at the position.
