Every NFL roster is down to 53 players following Sunday's deadline. Among the unfortunate realities of the offseason is that not every signee will make a team's squad by Week 1, and for hundreds of players, this weekend marked the end of their employment. Some of those who became roster limit casualties were quite surprising.
For every eyebrow-raising move like the New York Giants keeping Odell Beckham Jr. around and the Minnesota Vikings running things back with J.J. McCarthy as a backup quarterback, there was a head-scratching release. Numerous projected second-teamers, recent early-round draft picks and prolific veterans hit the waiver wire.
Here are 12 of the biggest surprises from roster cutdown day.
1. Will Levis, QB, Titans
It is an unceremonious end to the Will Levis experiment in Tennessee. Just three years ago, Levis arrived as the No. 33 overall pick and the Titans' potential franchise quarterback. As recently as 2024, he was the unquestioned starter when healthy. He has not played since then, though, and not only did he lose his role as the face of the offense to Cam Ward, but he also slipped behind two others on the depth chart. The Titans kept Mitchell Trubisky and Hendon Hooker as their backups instead of Levis, which goes to show how far he has fallen in less than two years.
T-2. Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski, QBs, Dolphins
The Dolphins found their starting quarterback and moved on from literally everyone else in his group. Malik Willis just watched all of his position mates be shown the door. Miami started by trading No. 2 quarterback Quinn Ewers to the Jaguars, and then released both Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski. Since they need a backup, of course, the Dolphins agreed to terms on a trade to bring in Kyle McCord from Green Bay. That makes it two former Packers in the quarterback crop and only two players in total after the Dolphins entered the weekend with four.
4. Justin Joly, TE, Broncos
A couple of months ago, few would have believed that Justin Joly would be without a job. He was a standout at North Carolina State, won the Tight End MVP award at the Senior Bowl and went to the Broncos in the fifth round of the draft. The path was clear for Joly to secure a top-three job in Denver's tight end group, but he struggled in camp and missed numerous blocks in preseason games. Not even an 88-yard touchdown on Friday could save him from the waiver wire.
T-5. Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, RBs, Cowboys
It would not have been a huge surprise to see one of Jaydon Blue or Phil Mafah miss the roster, considering Malik Davis locked down the Cowboys' No. 2 running back job, but for both of them to be waived and for Dallas to keep former UFL player Jashaun Corbin instead is a shock. Jerry Jones selected Blue and Mafah in the fifth and seventh rounds, respectively, only a year ago. Playing time was hard to come by during their rookie seasons, but Blue at least saw action in five games, posted 129 yards and scored a touchdown.
7. Colby Wooden, DT, Colts
The Colts lost the Zaire Franklin trade by a mile. In March, Indianapolis traded the 2024 Pro Bowler to the Packers in exchange for Colby Wooden. Five months later, Wooden is off the roster. Green Bay received a veteran leader in the middle of its defense while Indianapolis walked away empty-handed. Wooden would have been a backup if he made the roster, but clearly the Colts envisioned him having a role if they were willing to part with Franklin to secure him. The change of plans is puzzling.
8. Wanya Morris, OT, Falcons
That Wanya Morris arrived in Atlanta as part of a 2027 late-round pick swap rather than as a piece in a player-for-player trade reduces some of the pain of cutting him, but this is still a player for whom the Falcons gave another team draft capital. The Falcons acquired Morris in June to add depth to a thin offensive line, so cutting him two months later is telling of how little he impressed them during his short time at the facility. The group's depth remains a problem.
9. Elandon Roberts, LB, Steelers
Elandon Roberts made double-digit starts in six of his first eight years in the NFL, was a staple in the Raiders' lineup last year and spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons as a fixture on the Steelers' defense. He reunited with both Pittsburgh and his former defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham, when he signed with the Steelers during the preseason. His familiarity with the franchise and its staff, plus his perennial role as a contributor, made him an unforeseen cut.
10. Jake Browning, QB, Buccaneers
For much of this decade, Jake Browning has been among the highest-regarded backup quarterbacks in the NFL. He appeared locked in as the No. 2 behind Baker Mayfield since signing with the Buccaneers in March, but when Tampa Bay whittled its quarterback room down to just two players, it was Browning who missed the cut -- not the undrafted free agent who joined the team in May. Jalon Daniels thrived in the preseason as a highly mobile signal-caller, but in his start on Friday, he struggled to the tune of 8-for-15 passing for 57 yards with a fumble.
11. Evan Neal, IOL, Giants
As the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 draft, anything shy of stardom would have been a disappointment for Evan Neal. To be released before the end of his rookie contract is a complete letdown. He did not pan out at tackle, but what makes his release surprising is that he settled in decently well on the interior and spent training camp working with the second team offense, presumably as someone who would see playing time as part of a rotation at guard. The Giants also traded backup linemen Joshua Ezeudu and Daniel Faalele, removing some of their competition. Apparently, Neal was not part of New York's plans, either.
12. Johnny Hekker, P, Vikings
Time is winding down on Johnny Hekker's NFL career. He is not the same punter he was in the mid-2010s, when he redefined the punter's market value and made six consecutive All-Pro teams. Still, it is surprising to see the league's active leader in career punt yardage lose his job to a rookie, especially since the Vikings signed him in March to presumably be their lone punter. Instead, undrafted free agent Brett Thorson will handle the special teams duties in Minnesota while Hekker searches for a third team in one calendar year.
