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Kadarius Toney and Bailey Zappe among best players available after NFL roster cuts
The NFL’s deadline for every team to trim their roster down to 53 player has passed.
With 32 teams cutting down from their 90-man training camp rosters, that meant over 1,000 players got some devastating news on Tuesday. While that may spell the end of NFL dreams for some players, others will find a new NFL home over the next few hours.
Under the NFL’s transaction rules, veteran players (defined as players with four or more years of accrued service) were free to sign with an NFL team immediately. That meant that players such as Allen Robinson, the veteran wide receiver released by the New York Giants, could start looking for a new landing spot immediately.
Players with less than four years of services were waived, and are now subject to the league’s waiver process. Teams have until 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 28 to place their waiver claims.
Here are some of the players that teams will likely be interested in following Tuesday’s cutdown day.
Bailey Zappe, QB
With the New England Patriots signing Jacoby Brissett and drafting both Drake Maye and Joe Milton this offseason, the quarterback room in Foxborough became crowded overnight. While Bailey Zappe showed flashes in limited action over the past two seasons — including a memorable debut as a rookie against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field — the third-year quarterback was the odd-man out in New England’s QB numbers game.
Desmond Ridder, QB
Many stories will one day be written about the 2022 NFL Draft Class of Quarterbacks.
One of those players is now searching for his third team in as many seasons.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted Desmond Ridder in the third round that year, and he saw significant playing time as a rookie under Arthur Smith. He entered the 2023 campaign entrenched as the starting quarterback, but ultimately lost his job to Taylor Heinicke. He was traded to the Arizona Cardinals, only to be waived by the team on Tuesday.
C.J. Beathard, QB
While Zappe and Ridder are quarterbacks on the younger end of the spectrum, C.J. Beathard brings seven years of experience, and 32 career starts, to the table as a quarterback in the NFL. He might be an option in Los Angeles behind Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett with the Rams.
Terrace Marshall, WR
A former second round pick, Marshall came out of the LSU receiver factory and was third in receiving on the 2019 National Championship team behind Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. A jack-of-all-trades pass catcher, Marshall never found a niche while on the Panthers and became expendable as new coach Dave Canales installed his offense. Is there potential there? Perhaps. Is he better than a lot of guys who found themselves on the back-end of 53-man rosters? Also yes.
Noah Brown, WR
A victim of a stacked Texans receiver room, Noah Brown simply found himself as the odd man out — and it wasn’t for lack of production. The 28-year-old caught 33 passes for 567 yards last season, and not making the final 53 in Houston was a stunner. Of all the receivers released on Tuesday he has the best chance of making an impact on a new team.
Kadarius Toney, WR
Former first-round draft picks get a lot of chances in the NFL.
As such, Kadarius Toney is likely going to find a new home sooner rather than later. Let our pals at Secret Base do the convincing:
Gregory Stroman, CB
A familiar refrain as a lot of guys on this list, Stroman was released by the Bears because they are confident in their current group of defensive backs. Appearing in just seven games in 2023, Strowman made the most of his limited opportunities by posting a respectable 66.6 grade according to Pro Football Focus, and being a fairly useful deep rotation defensive back. There’s some talent here for a team in dire need of help at the position, but it’s difficult to find a landing spot for him based on the amount of youth that’s been injected into DB groupings around the NFL in the last few years.
Caleb Farley, CB
At one point a lock to be a Top 10 pick, injury concerns pushed Farley down the board of the 2021 NFL Draft and unfortunately he’s just never been healthy. The Titans decided to move on, but there’s no doubt there are some NFL front offices who believe in the promise he once had. An ideal-framed 6-foot-2 cornerback, there was a time Farley was one of the best lockdown corners in all of college football, and for a while people thought he would be the first defensive back off the board. A building team looking for upside could absolutely take a flier and see if he can get healthy.
Kene Nwangwu, RB/KR
Speedy Kene Nwangwu, with three kick return touchdowns over his NFL career, seemed primed to play a big role for the Minnesota VIkings this season, particularly with the “dynamic kickoff” rules being implemented this year. He also ranks second in punt return yardage over the past four NFL seasons, and figured to be in Minnesota’s running back rotation as a third-down option.
Given his special teams prowess alone, expect to see Nwangwu picked up soon.
D’Onta Foreman, RB
Over six years in the NFL D’Onta Foreman has racked up over 2,000 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, carving out a role as a power and short yardage back in the league. While the Cleveland Browns made him a surprising cut — and with Nick Chubb on the PUP list that leaves Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. as their only running backs — the team might look to bring him back.
Provided another team does not make a move for him.
