For players in the bubble across the NFL, a Tuesday phone call can bring either very good or very bad news.
Such is the reality as 32 teams have scaled back from 80 players to 53 by 4PM ET, drawing up their initial rosters for the regular season and breaking up with hundreds of players in the process.
The process of slashing the roster isn’t always straightforward – there will be rollovers and maneuvers in the roster to count injuries – but it’s always tough, just as it’s a sign that the season is finally approaching.
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Preliminary steps for the NFL:Common Practices, The Deshaun Watson Epic, QB . Attitudes
This year, franchises can sign 16 players — including more veterans than ever — to coaching teams starting Wednesday.
In the meantime, here are some of the league’s most notable players who were let go ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s deadline.
Brown’s QP Josh Rosen
He was due to enter his fourth season in the NFL with his sixth different team, but Brown is said to be the latest team to move from Rosen.
The 10th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Rosen, 25, only lasted one season with the Cardinals, the team that drafted him. Join Dolphins as a backup the following year. Since then, he has spent time as a reserve or on the coaching team with the Buccaneers, 49ers, Falcons and most recently the Browns.
– Lorenzo Reyes
Denver had a quarterback fight back up between Johnson and Brett Rebian, and Rebian, for now, was on top. The Broncos can still consider who will be available after Tuesday’s break before finishing who goes into the regular season behind starter Russell Wilson. Johnson is a seasoned veteran, so he is free to sign anywhere, although Denver would like to return to the coaching staff. The 36-year-old quarterback has been with 14 NFL teams in his career and told USA TODAY Sports late last week that the key to dealing with uncertainty is, “For me, I’m just keeping my faith strong, knowing I’ll be all Right thing. Just focus on the work and everything will take care of itself.”
– Parker Gabriel
Harris started 14 games in Philadelphia last year and prior to that started 47 games over six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Last year, he had 72 tackles (two for a loss) to go along with his ball interception. Harris is a veteran, so his release means he’s a free agent rather than needing to clear concessions before signing with another team — or returning with the Eagles.
– Parker Gabriel
Johnson, a third-year receiver from Minnesota, had 36 catches on 55 goals for 360 yards in 2021, but he didn’t touch touchdowns. Even so, letting Tampa have him go, according to multiple reports, comes as a surprise. The Bucs are deep into the situation, headlined by Mike Evans and Chris Goodwin as well as off-season addition Julio Jones.
– Parker Gabriel
Colts RB Philip Lindsey
With star back and hurried captain Jonathan Taylor and backup Niheim Haynes firmly entrenched above the depth chart, The Colts are said to be transitioning from the 2018 Pro Bowl back to Phillip Lindsay. Indianapolis signed Lindsey on a one-year deal in May, but struggled to find a foothold in Indianapolis, carrying the ball 16 preseason games for just 55 yards.
Lindsey, 28, last season played for two teams, Texas and Dolphin. Houston released him in November before beating Miami in the final four games of the season. Overall, he lunged for 249 yards and one touchdown, and also rode 45 yards and earned a score of one. Lindsay was an unrefined rookie at the Denver Broncos, where he played his first three seasons. His most prolific campaign was his rookie year when he totaled 1,278 melee yards and 10 total touchdowns.
– Lorenzo Reyes
Vikings QB Keelen Mund
The Vikings have released backup quarterback Klein Mond, their pick in the third round of the 2021 draft, a person familiar with the situation confirmed. The person requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.
The move wasn’t much of a surprise after Mond struggled pre-season and the Vikings recently acquired Nick Mullins via trade from Auckland.
Mond was a pick from the previous system, but he also didn’t fit into the kind of new attacking coach Kevin O’Connell wanted to run. Meanwhile, Mullins played in a similar system with 49 players and gave Minnesota a backup playing experience, having started 17 games in four seasons.
– Mike Jones
Howard has signed a one-year deal of more than $3 million with Buffalo this season, but he will not be on the squad list, according to multiple reports on Tuesday morning. Howard caught 15 touchdowns and earned 119 hits for 1,737 yards during his first five seasons in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but had only 25 total in 21 games over the past two seasons. Howard was a first-round draft pick in 2017 from the University of Alabama.
– Parker Gabriel
WR Chiefs Josh Gordon
The veteran wide receiver was fired on Tuesday after earning a single pass in pre-season. Gordon played in 12 games for Kansas City in 2021, receiving five assists for 32 yards and a touchdown. Of course, the veteran wide receiver exploded onto the scene in 2013 when he had 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. From there, though, he was suspended multiple times for violating the league’s drug use policy and his best statistical season came in 2018 when he racked up 40 passes for 720 yards and three goals in New England. Gordon tweeted Tuesday, “Excited to see where the next part of my footballing journey will take me.”
– Parker Gabriel
Dolphins RB Sony Michel
Michel joined Miami in May on a one-year, $2.1 million deal after playing well with last year’s Super Bowl champion Rams. The Year 5 player rushed for over 900 yards in each of his first two professional seasons with the New England Patriots in 2018 and 2019 to match 13 rushing touchdowns. The Dolphins, though, will instead head into the regular season with a backdrop headed by Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert.
– Parker Gabriel
49ers WR Willie Snead
The 49ers part with Snead, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.
The veteran wide receiver signed a one-year deal with the 49ers in early August and made a good impression with the team. The 49ers have an interest in signing Snead onto their coaching staff, someone close to the situation told USA TODAY Sports.
Snead entered the league in 2014 as a non-drafted free agent. He has produced 279 receptions, 3,431 reception yards and 16 touchdowns in 95 career games with the Saints, Ravens, Panthers and Raiders.
– Tyler Dragon
Jaguar WR Laquon Treadwell
Treadwell, a former first-round draft pick for the Minnesota Vikings, was fired Monday after collecting 33 passes for 434 yards at Jacksonville last year. The Jags had an active Monday as they also traded receiver Laviska Shenault to Carolina. Treadwell (6 feet 2, 215 pounds) had his best year in 2021, but only lost five in 70 games. Perhaps another team thinks they can get more use out of it this fall.
– Parker Gabriel
Lions LB Jared Davis
In the first round of Detroit in 2017, Davis spent four out of five professional seasons with the Lions before being cut short on Monday. He started 41 games for the franchise during his first three seasons with the University of Florida. But he made just nine appearances in 23 games over the past two seasons – 2020 with the New York Jets and back last year in Detroit, when he made 25 low tackles in nine games. The Lions have several options in the linebacker including Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez in the sixth round.
– Parker Gabriel
Bells RB Duke Johnson
Johnson is on his way out of Buffalo. Bills decided to dispense with Johnson after the team signed the veteran player in March. The well-traveled jogger spent his first four years in Cleveland before making stops in Houston, Miami, and Buffalo.
The 2015 third-round pick contains 530 runs for 2,261 yards and 11 touchdowns in 96 career games.
Buffalo’s top running options are expected to be Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and rookie James Cook.
– Tyler Dragon
Bears QB Nathan Peterman
The Bears have informed Peterman that he is being circumcised, but the team would like to return to the coaching staff, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.
Peterman was originally drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2017 draft. He played two seasons at Buffalo and spent two years with the Las Vegas Raiders before joining the Bears. He has 573 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 10 career games. He is best known for throwing five interceptions in his first career start.
The sixth-year quarterback has been a backup for most of his career.
Punters Sam Martin (Denver) and Brett Kern (Tennessee)
A pair of veteran punters hit the market on Monday when the Broncos and Titans released Martin and Kern, respectively.
Martin has appeared in 139 career games, the value of the past two seasons in Denver, but keeping Corliss Waitman heading into the regular season would save $1.425 million on their salary cap.
Meanwhile, Kern was cut by Denver in 2009 and He went on to chase the Titans for over 12 seasons. He lost a camp fight to rookie Ryan Stonehouse outside of Colorado.
– Parker Gabriel
DB Javelin Guidry Gates
Guidry, a former non-designated free agent, played in all 17 games for the Jets last year, including three. He has appeared in 28 competitions during his first two seasons in the NFL. In 2020, he forced four fouls, and last year he scored 48 tackles in total.
– Parker Gabriel
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