Decision Day has officially arrived in the NFL.
By 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, all 32 teams must trim their rosters to 53 players. The cutoff deadline is sure to be painful for many players across the league, with newcomers and veterans facing major setbacks as they try to continue pursuing their football futures. But for others, the day could be the realization of a dream if they are included on an initial active roster.
A handful of teams have already begun releasing or waiving players on Monday, with some making dozens or more moves. USA TODAY Sports will be providing live news and updates on all roster moves throughout Tuesday, so stay tuned for the latest:
Patriots waive quarterback Billy Zabe
The New England Patriots are still trying to figure out which quarterback will be in the starting lineup for the regular season, but Billy Zapp won’t be a part of it — at least on the active roster.
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According to multiple reports, the team is waiving the player, who is in his third season.
Zapp, a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky in 2022, started eight games for the Patriots the past two years. He was cut at the deadline last year but later returned to the team and started six games in 2023, throwing for 1,272 yards with six touchdowns and nine interceptions.
However, a return to the active roster this season is unlikely, as the team is set to go with veteran Jacoby Brissett, third-overall pick Drake May, and sixth-round developmental player Joe Milton III.
Texas ends draft with former first-round pick
NBC Houston’s Aaron Wilson reports that the Houston Texans have decided to trade defensive lineman C.J. Henderson, ending the team’s experiment with the former first-round pick.
Henderson, the No. 9 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, signed a one-year deal with the Texans in March after spending the last two and a half seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Houston had been looking for reinforcements behind Derek Stingley in the defensive secondary, but the team appears ready to move on with rookie Kamari Lassiter, second-round pick Desmond King and possibly another former first-round pick in Jeff Okudah.
Packers make change at kicker
Auburn sophomore Anders Carlson has had a rocky rookie season and appears to have lost the battle with veteran Greg Joseph. Carlson, who missed a 32-yard field goal attempt on the final kick of the preseason, made 27 of 33 field goal attempts and 34 of 39 extra-point attempts last season. ESPN was the first to report Carlson’s release.
Who are the prominent players who are candidates for exclusion?
USA TODAY Sports took a look last week at There are several key figures who may be removed from leadership positions. Some of the latest names to be removed from leadership positions include:
Kadarius Toney, Wide Receiver, Chiefs: His chances of staying with the two-time defending champions already looked uncertain, and that was before Kansas City brought back JuJu Smith-Schuster on Monday.
Tim Patrick, wide receiver, Broncos: A trade may be necessary for a team in need of a future, but Denver has no plans to move on with Patrick, according to multiple reports, after he suffered two season-ending injuries the past two summers.
Samaji Perin, RB, Broncos: Another potential player Denver could let go of, Perine averaged 4.5 yards per carry and had 50 receptions last season.
Who are the standout players who have already been left out?
Jackson Carman, Offensive Lineman, Bengals: The 2021 second-round pick couldn’t stick as a backup after an unstable preseason and camp.
Mike White, Quarterback, Dolphins: After seemingly losing out to Skyler Thompson in the battle to be Tua Tagovailoa’s replacement, White will now try to stick with another team as a potential No. 2.
Matt Breida, RB, 49ers: Although he rushed for 1,902 yards in three years in his first go-round with the team, Breida’s second stint in the Bay Area ended prematurely after less than a month.
Watch the back’s movement.
There has already been one trigger man trade since the preseason ended, The Tennessee Titans are sending Malik Willis to the Green Bay Packers on Monday. Willis leaves Nashville and gets a fresh start and a chance to be Jordan Love’s primary backup with the Green Bay Packers.
Don’t be surprised to see similar moves on Tuesday given the high value of quarterbacks, but many teams likely won’t keep more than two on their 53-man rosters. Veterans like the Atlanta Falcons’ Taylor Heinicke or the Denver Broncos’ Zach Wilson are the type of players who might fit the bill for a trade — veterans who have experience but are on expiring contracts and have no tangible claim to the second-string quarterback role in their current situations.
Key players involved in the transaction
Waiving, forgoing or trading players isn’t the only way to trim a team’s roster to 53 players. There are a fair number of other players, many of them stars, who will be retained in other categories that will exempt them (at least temporarily) from the 53-man roster. Here are some players who won’t start the year on active rosters:
PUP List: Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne (ACL), Dolphins OLB Bradley Chubb (ACL), Browns RB Nick Chubb (knee), Rams TE Tyler Higbee (knee), Vikings TE TJ Hockenson (knee), Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell (knee), Chiefs DE Charles Omenihu (ACL), Dolphins OL Isaiah Wynn (quadriceps).
List of non-food items: Panthers defensive back Jonathan Brooks (knee).
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When is the NFL deadline for roster cuts?
All rosters must include 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
What happens after the registration deadline?
NFL teams have until noon EST on Wednesday, Aug. 28, to claim players who were waived as part of league-wide roster cuts. Once those claims are resolved, clubs will begin filling their practice squads.
How big are NFL coaching teams?
Expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, teams are now allowed to include up to 16 players on the practice squad, completing the 53-man roster. Up to 10 players with two or fewer seasons can join a designated practice squad while a maximum of six other players with unlimited NFL service are also eligible for spots.
A 17th international player may be added if he meets certain eligibility requirements.
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