The first Tuesday after NFL preseason is always one of the hardest days on the calendar because it’s when teams have to reduce their rosters to 53 players from as many as 90. That means hundreds of football players will be let go, marking the end of several football careers that likely started 10-plus years ago.
It’s usually end-of-roster players who get cut, but there are always several familiar names as well. Here are this year’s most notable.
Cowboys: QB Will Grier, RB Deuce Vaughn, DB C.J. Goodwin
Despite Dak Prescott getting hurt in three of the last five years, the Cowboys are going with just two quarterbacks, putting Will Grier on the waiver wire. As for Deuce Vaughn, his father is a Cowboys scout. While that was enough to get Deuce drafted in 2023 and last two years with the club, it wasn’t enough for the 5-foot-6 running back to make it to Year 3. Meanwhile, C.J. Goodwin may not be a big name for the casual football fan, but he’s been a special teams standout for the last decade. He rarely sees the field on defense but played in 82 percent of special teams snaps for Dallas last season. He’s likely to be in pursuit of a team in need of a gunner.Giants: QB Tommy DeVito, RB Dante Miller
Cult hero Tommy DeVito got caught up in the numbers game with New York adding quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Jaxson Dart in the offseason. A New Jersey native, DeVito infamously was living at home with his parents while being a starting QB for the Giants in 2023, so maybe the Jets will come calling and DeVito can continue his current living situation.Dante Miller made a bit of a name during the preseason as no player, not even wide receivers or tight ends, had more than his 14 receptions. He had 135 receiving yards and 80 rushing yards and could be destined to spending the 2025 NFL season on a team’s practice squad, just as he did in 2024.
Texans: OT Trent Brown
In 2018, Trent Brown was the starting left tackle for Tom Brady and the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. In 2019, Brown signed with the Raiders, became the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL, and made the Pro Bowl. But on Tuesday, Brown was released after starting training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Joining a team’s practice squad is a possibility that would also allow him to rehab a patellar tear from last year.49ers: RB Jeff Wilson Jr., WR Russell Gage, P Thomas Morstead
Running back Jeff Wilson’s reunion with San Fran lasted just through training camp, while receiver Russell Gage, who missed the last two seasons due to injury, will have to continue his comeback attempt with another team.The most surprising release by the 49ers was cutting 16-year punter Thomas Morstead, a former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion who led the NFL in punting yards in 2023 and played in all 17 games with the Jets in 2024. The Niners have no other punters on their roster, so unless kicker Jake Moody performs double duty, the team will have to make an addition between now and Week 1.
Bengals: QB Desmond Ridder, DT Taven Bryan
Quarterback Desmond Ridder started 13 games for the Falcons just two years ago but now finds himself without a job. He was signed this offseason by Cincinnati, but the Bengals are going with Jake Browning, and only Jake Browning, as Joe Burrow’s backup. Ridder has now been traded or cut by four teams since March 2024, but as a 25-year-old QB with starting experience, he’ll likely be scooped up by another team quickly.As for defensive tackle Taven Bryan, he was a first-round pick by the Jaguars in 2018 but has never shown much as a pass rusher or in defending the run. He’s become a journeyman—Cincy was his fifth team in four years, but getting cut by a team that struggled as much on defense as the Bengals did in 2024 is not a good sign.
Seahawks: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
A two-time Super Bowl champion whose 17.4 yards per reception is the highest among all active players, Marquez Valdes-Scantling signed a $5.5 million deal with Seattle in the offseason. He’s seen as a one-trick pony who can only run deep routes, but that one trick will have to be utilized on a different team. His release means that fifth-round rookie Tory Horton likely earned a starting spot in the Seahawks’ three-receiver sets.Chargers: QB DJ Uiagalelei, WR Brenden Rice
A former five-star recruit best known for his time at Clemson, DJ Uiagalelei went undrafted but latched onto the Chargers as a free agent rookie. He was battling Trey Lance for L.A.’s No. 3 quarterback spot behind Justin Herbert and Taylor Heinicke but ended up losing the battle. Given his pedigree, he seems like a lock to land on some team’s practice squad. Meanwhile, Brenden Rice, son of Jerry Rice, may see a San Francisco Bay Area number on his phone soon as it would be shocking if the Niners didn’t at least give him a tryout.Browns: QB Tyler Huntley, WR Diontae Johnson, K Dustin Hopkins
Despite trading away Kenny Pickett, the Browns still jettisoned Tyler Huntley, leaving a pair of rookie QBs as Joe Flacco’s backups. Meanwhile, wide receiver Diontae Johnson’s stock has fallen precipitously since being a 2021 Pro Bowler. Since the start of 2024, he’s been traded twice, suspended once, and now waived by three teams.Dustin Hopkins played in 31 games for the Browns over the last two years but saw his field goal percentage drop from 91.7 in 2023 to 66.7 in 2024. The writing was on the wall, as Cleveland’s kicker for the new season will be Andre Szmyt, who was undrafted in 2023, led the UFL in made FGs in 2024, and has yet to play in an NFL game.
