It's the day every NFL player fears.
On the next-to-last Tuesday before the regular season, teams are required to trim their rosters from their bloated preseason sizes to a tidy 53 players. It’s a process that can lead to difficult decisions, rookies and veterans alike saying goodbye and the occasional trade.
Every year, some cuts jump off the page. College legends, big-name journeymen and fantasy stars often rank among the exiled. Occasionally, cut players find their way back to their former teams via the practice squad.
Here is a rolling list of many of the notable players to whom NFL teams bid adieu on Tuesday.
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Jamison Crowder, wide receiver, Giants
A three-time 1,000-yard receiver at Duke and a former Commander and Jet, Crowder spent 2022 with the Bills; it was the first season of his eight-year career in which he recorded less than 300 receiving yards.
Jake Fromm, quarterback, Commanders
Fromm is best known for his feats at Georgia, with which he won the SEC title as a freshman in 2017. He was picked by Buffalo in the fifth round of the 2020 draft and started two games for the Giants in 2021.
Devon Allen, wide receiver, Eagles
Allen has yet to play a down in the NFL, but is known for his world-class speed, having finished 0.04 seconds out of the medals in the 110-meter hurdles at the Tokyo Olympics in '21.
Bradley Roby, cornerback, Saints
The Broncos took Roby 31st overall in the 2014 draft and he won the Super Bowl with them a year later; since then he's played for the Texans (2019–20) and Saints (2021–22).
Jaylon Smith, linebacker, Saints
An All-American at Notre Dame in 2015, Smith suffered a catastrophic injury in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State that short-circuited his draft stock. He recovered to make the Pro Bowl with the Cowboys in 2019.
Damien Williams, running back, Raiders
Williams, a nine-year veteran, is best known for his 2018–19 stint with the Chiefs. Famously, he rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown in Kansas City's win over the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.
Nathan Peterman, quarterback, Bears
Notorious as one of the most interception-prone quarterbacks in football history—he’s thrown just four career touchdowns against 13 picks—Peterman saw action in three games in 2022.
Keelan Cole and Phillip Dorsett, wide receivers, Raiders
Both veterans, Cole was a key depth piece for the Jaguars in the late 2010s while Dorsett won Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots in 2018. Dorsett has had a particularly journeymanlike career, playing for three teams in '21 alone.
Trey Sermon, running back, Eagles
San Francisco picked Sermon in the third round of the '21 draft but played him sparingly, waiving him in Aug. '22. Sermon, who played collegiately for Oklahoma and Ohio State, is one of a few players to suit up in the College Football Playoff for two different teams.
Deion Jones, linebacker, Panthers
Jones started five games for the Browns a year ago, but has struggled to regain the promise of his first two seasons with the Falcons, in which he received Defensive Rookie of the Year votes and made the Pro Bowl.
Ben DiNucci, quarterback, Broncos
DiNucci remains a cult hero in Dallas for starting one game in ’20, a 23–9 loss to Philadelphia on Nov. 1 in which he completed 21 of 40 passes for 180 yards.
Myles Gaskin, running back, Dolphins
Washington's all-time leading rusher hasn't been able to recapture his collegiate magic in the professional ranks, topping out with 612 yards in '21.
Austin Watkins, wide receiver, Browns
Watkins gained a measure of notoriety for leading the league in receiving yards during the preseason; he won the USFL title with the Birmingham Stallions in the spring.
Royce Freeman, running back, Rams
A near-clone of Gaskin on paper, Freeman ran for 1,000 yards three times at his Pacific Northwest power (Oregon), but hasn't cracked 600 yards in the pros.
Brett Rypien, quarterback, Rams
The nephew of two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Mark Rypien, the Boise State product started one game in '20 and two in '22 for Denver.
Melvin Gordon, running back, Ravens
After running for over 2,500 yards at Wisconsin in '14, Gordon initially found productivity (and two Pro Bowl berths) with the Chargers, but his 318 yards with the Broncos in '22 were the fewest of his career.
Danny Shelton, defensive lineman, Chiefs
The 12th pick of the ’15 draft by Cleveland, Shelton never became a game-breaking contributor but has won Super Bowls with New England and Kansas City.
Bailey Zappe, quarterback, Patriots
Zappe, the single-season FBS record-holder for passing yards, started two games for the Patriots last season. He ended his rookie year with a 70.7 completion percentage, 781 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
Malik Cunningham, quarterback, Patriots
Cunningham made waves with a successful preseason piloting New England, but it wasn't enough to stay on the roster after going undrafted out of Louisville.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
