The deadline to trim NFL rosters from 90 players to 53 doesn’t mean depth charts are set. A massive wave of new free agents turns the tail end of August and beginning of September into a roster-building flea market.
Trusted veterans and potential-laden young projects will float to new teams as general managers shuffle players to injured reserve and make important foundational tweaks. While most of the names to hit the waiver wire Tuesday will fade away from the NFL or languish on practice squads, others will be useful cogs in a successful machine.
We already know who the biggest names to be cast toward the unemployment line on cutdown day were. Now we’ll see where those rising prospects and fading veterans have ended up for 2023.
OT Germain Ifedi to the Buffalo Bills
The depth behind starting tackles Spencer Brown and Dion Dawkins was perilously thin — the only other listed tackle on the roster is Ryan van Demark, a 2022 undrafted free agent without any regular season experience. Ifedi can step in as the team’s top swing tackle (or kick inside and play guard) and has 83 starts in his seven-year career.
CB Desmond King to the Pittsburgh Steelers
King was an All-Pro in 2018 thanks to his special teams contributions with the Los Angeles Chargers. His kicking and punting team snaps fell over the course of two seasons with the Houston Texans, but he remains a valuable veteran contributor on that side of the ball. As a defensive back, he’s underwhelmed — he’s allowed more than 73 percent of the passes thrown his way in coverage to be completed — but he can contribute at cornerback or safety and help out a secondary in need of depth.
RB Myles Gaskin to the Minnesota Vikings
Gaskin will compete for snaps amidst a running back rotation that already features Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu and Ty Chandler. He averaged 3.5 yards per carry over his last two seasons for the Miami Dolphins.
QB Josh Johnson back to the Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens released Johnson on cutdown day. That was a risk, but when he went unclaimed on waivers they took the opportunity to bring him back to the fold after clearing roster space through injured reserve moves. 2023 will mark his 16th season playing professional football.
He’s not the only player the team will bring in:
I’m told QB Josh Johnson, DB Kevon Seymour & DE Brent Urban are currently expected to be added to the #Ravens 53-man roster, per source.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) August 30, 2023
WR Phillip Dorsett to the Denver Broncos
Dorsett, the journeyman former first round pick, will rejoin with Russell Wilson — the quarterback from whom he’d caught a single pass for three yards during the 2021 season. The Broncos are in need of wideout depth; Tim Patrick is nursing another season-ending injury, Jerry Jeudy is dealing with a hamstring strain and former Day 2 selection KJ Hamler was released this summer.
K Brett Maher to the Los Angeles Rams
Cutdown day left Los Angeles without a kicker. Maher, who made nine of his 11 attempts from 50-plus yards last season, was arguably the best available option.
S K'Von Wallce to the Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals need all the help they can get in a rebuilding season (which may be the first of many). Claiming Wallace off waivers gives them a 26-year-old safety who’d started seven games the last three seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles.
