Why this may be the year of the wide receiver in fantasy football
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Tuesday marked either a significant bump in the road or the end of the line for several football players and their professional careers. For others, though, it served as the beginning of a new journey in the NFL.
By 4 p.m. ET, all teams had to reduce their rosters to 53 players. A number of teams had already announced a first round of cuts, but many more were still to come. And the deadline also spurred action on the trade front, with a handful of players moving before the last releases were made official.
Take a look back at USA TODAY Sports’ rundown (and get a refresher on all of Monday’s meaningful transactions) for all the news on notable moves from the league:
The Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster is set.
Among the notable moves the team made to get there: Defensive tackle Chris Jones was placed on the reserve/did not report list. The four-time Pro Bowl selection is continuing a holdout that could result in him missing action in the regular season.
Here is the team’s release on its transactions today:
Released
Blanton, Kendall (TE – Missouri)Bush, Deon (DB – Miami)Reiter, Austin (C – South Florida)Shelton, Danny (NT – Washington)
Waived
Bootle, Dicaprio (DB – Nebraska)Boye-Doe, Ekow (DB – Kansas State)Buechele, Shane (QB – Southern Methodist)Bushman, Matt (TE – Brigham Young)Christiansen, Cole (LB – Army)Cook, Anthony (DB – Texas)Ealy, Jerrion (RB – Mississippi)Fryfogle, Ty (WR – Indiana)Gathings, Izaiah (WR – Middle Tennessee)Godrick, Chukwuebuka (T – No College)Green, Juwan (WR – Albany, N.Y.)Gutierrez, Sebastian (T – Minot State)Hailassie, Kahlef (DB – Western Kentucky)Hardy, Anderson (T – Appalachian State)Hoskins, Phil (DT – Kentucky)Jackson, Lamar (DB – Nebraska)Jones, Truman (DE – Harvard)Kaindoh, Joshua (DE – Florida State)Kinnard, Darian (T – Kentucky)Lowe, Duron (DB – Liberty)Norman, Isaiah (DB – Marshall)Oladokun, Chris (QB – South Dakota State)Perine, La’Mical (RB – Florida)Powell, Cornell (WR – Clemson)Prince, Deneric (RB – Tulsa)Scott, Ty (WR – Missouri State)Taylor, Reese (DB – Purdue)Williams, Chris (DT – Wagner)Wise, Daniel (DE – Kansas)
Waived, Injured
Carvin, Jerome (G – Tennessee)Fatukasi, Olakunle (LB – Rutgers)Remigio, Nikko (WR – Fresno State)
Traded to Panthers
Smith-Marsette, Ihmir (WR – Iowa)
Reserve/Did Not Report
Jones, Chris (DT – Mississippi State)
Acquired Via Trade with Raiders
Farrell, Neil (DT – Louisiana State)
The New England Patriots quashed any notion of Bailey Zappe taking the reins from Mac Jones at any point this season.
In a surprising move, the Patriots waived the backup quarterback and fourth-round pick in 2022, according to multiple reports.
Zappe stepped in as a starter for two games last season and led New England to wins in each contest, throwing for five touchdowns and three interceptions. But while Bill Belichick long avoided making explicit his plans for Mac Jones to be the starter, he eventually backed the third-year passer as his QB1.
And with undrafted rookie free agent Malik Cunningham also being waived, per reports, New England looks to be in the market for a backup quarterback.
The Indianapolis Colts are not moving Jonathan Taylor – at least for now.
The former All-Pro running back was not traded by Tuesday’s roster cut deadline and will not be activated from the physically unable to perform list, meaning that he will be ruled for the first four games of the season.
Taylor had requested a trade from the Colts amid the team’s refusal to grant the star running back a contract extension with one year left on his deal. Team owner Jim Irsay initially shot down that request, but the Colts granted Taylor permission last week to explore potential deals that might work for both the player and team.
In the end, however, nothing materialized, leaving the Oct. 31 trade deadline as the next notable cutoff in the standoff between the two sides.
Albert Okwuegbunam’s big performance in the final preseason game wasn’t enough to save him from the chopping block, but the tight end found a new home before Tuesday’s deadline for roster cuts.
The Denver Broncos are trading Okwuegbunam to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Broncos confirmed. Okwuegbunam had been expected to be cut prior to the deal materializing.
Okwuegbunam, 25, recorded seven receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ win over the Los Angeles Rams this weekend.
“He had a big night,” new Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the game. “I mean, holy cow.”
Okwuegbunam, however, was stuck behind Greg Dulchich, Adam Trautman and Chris Manhertz on the depth chart.
A fourth-round pick out of Missouri in 2020, Okwuegbunam was expected to provide a dynamic receiving threat at the position. In three seasons, however, he managed just 54 catches for 546 yards and four touchdowns.
In Philadelphia, he could see occasional action as a target for an offense that has little established at tight end beyond starter Dallas Goedert.
Melvin Gordon’s stay with the Baltimore Ravens was short-lived.
The veteran running back entering his ninth NFL season was released by the Ravens on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
Gordon, 30, came aboard as additional backfield when JK Dobbins had yet to partake in training camp with the team. Dobbins returned to practice last week, however, and Gordon was relegated to working with the third-stringers in this weekend’s preseason finale.
Add Washington to the list of teams now set at 53 players.
Here’s the full list of moves they officially made to get to the cutdown number.
The Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys are swapping cornerbacks who struggled to live up to their draft billing.
The Dolphins are sending former first-rounder Noah Igbinoghene to the Cowboys for former second-rounder Kelvin Joseph, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Despite being the No. 30 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Igbinoghene has had a difficult time finding consistent playing time, logging just five starts in three years. Miami declined his fifth-year option this offseason.
Joseph, who was a second-round pick out of Kentucky in 2021, also was stuck further down the depth chart with limited opportunities for playing time behind Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore.
Damar Hamlin’s NFL comeback bid is officially a go.
The third-year safety who suffered cardiac arrest in last season’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals will be on the Buffalo Bills’ 53-man roster, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
Hamlin had been a full participant in training camp and preseason games, and it was widely expected that he would find a place on the roster. But with Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde returning as starters, and Taylor Rapp added for depth, Hamlin still had to find his place as a backup.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have set their 53-man roster.
Here’s a look at the moves the team announced Tuesday to get them to that point.
Waived: Long snapper Tucker Addington, wide Kevin Austin Jr., safety Latavious Brini, outside linebacker D.J. Coleman, running back Snoop Conner, offensive lineman Coy Cronk, defensive lineman De’Shaan Dixon, Hallett, wide receiver Jacob Harris, cornerback CB Kaleb Hayes, linebacker Dequan Jackson, offensive lineman Samuel Jackson, wide receiver Oliver Martin, kicker James McCourt, safety Ayo Oyelola, Parish, tight end Josh Pederson, tight end Gerrit Prince, wide receiver Kendric Pryor, quarterback Nathan Rourke, Smith, outside linebacker Willie Taylor III, Vohasek, offensive lineman Darryl Williams, wide receiver Seth Williams and cornerback Divaad Wilson.
Waived/injured: Wide receiver Jaray Jenkins.
Released: Offensive lineman Chandler Brewer, cornerback Tevaughn Campbell, defensive lineman Michael Dogbe, offensive lineman Bobby Evans and running back Qadree Ollison.
Injured reserve: Offensive lineman Josh Wells and rookie linebacker Ventrell Miller.
The Dallas Cowboys are moving on from linebacker Jabril Cox, with NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reporting that the team is waiving the 2021 fourth-round pick out of LSU.
Cox tore his anterior cruciate ligament halfway through his rookie campaign, and he has had trouble finding significant work beyond special teams action. In two years, he has seen just 45 total defensive snaps.
Tight end Sean McKeon, running back Malik Davis, wide receiver Dennis Houston and safety Sheldrick Redwine were among the Cowboys’ other early roster cuts, according to multiple reports.
Tuesday’s roster cut deadline has proven to be a catalyst for kicker trades.
The latest: The New England Patriots are sending veteran Nick Folk to the Tennessee Titans, according to multiple reports.
Nick’s ouster in New England was expected after Bill Belichick used a fourth-round pick in April on Maryland product Chad Ryland. Now, the job officially belongs to the rookie.
A 15-year veteran, Folk converted 32 of 37 field-goal attempts last season. He is set to take over in Tennessee after the Titans dropped Randy Bullock as part of their offseason overhaul.
Another one of Sean Payton’s former New Orleans Saints players is linking up with the coach as he begins his first year with the Denver Broncos.
The Saints are trading kicker Wil Lutz to the Broncos, according to multiple reports.
Lutz had been the Saints’ kicker since 2016 and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019. This offseason, however, he was pushed by rookie Blake Grupe, who now will take over for the team.
The Broncos faced uncertainty at kicker after cutting mainstay Brandon McManus in May. Rather than decide between Brett Maher and Elliot Fry – who combined to convert just one of four field goal attempts in the preseason opener – Payton turned to a familiar face in Lutz.
The next hurdle for Devon Allen might not be so easy to clear.
The wide receiver and two-time Olympic hurdler is among the Eagles’ roster cuts on Tuesday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported.
Allen, 28, could be a candidate to return to the Eagles’ practice squad, where he spent all of last season. If Allen is to crack the active roster and make any contributions in 2023, however, his best route might be as a returner. In the Eagles’ preseason finale against the Colts, Allen had a 73-yard kickoff return that set up the team’s first touchdown.
“I still have a lot to accomplish in both sports,” Allen said in June. “I’ve still got goals (in track) − world championship medals, world records. And then on top of that, to contribute and play football and win a Super Bowl.”
The Buffalo Bills will be without one of their leaders and key contributors to start the season.
Von Miller will be out for the team’s first four games as he remains on the physically unable to perform list past Tuesday’s deadline for activation, according to multiple reports.
The eight-time Pro Bowl pass rusher is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 12 of last year. The move means he will miss the “Monday Night Football” opener against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, as well as contests against the Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins.
The Miami Dolphins are moving on from a key player of yesteryear.
The team plans to release running back Myles Gaskin, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Gaskin, 26, was a seventh-round pick of the Dolphins in 2019 but went on to lead the team in rushing in both 2020 (584 yards) and 2021 (612). With Mike McDaniel taking over last season, however, the offense turned to speedier backs in Raheem Mostery and Jeff Wilson Jr., both of whom re-signed with the team in March. Miami also selected De’Von Achane out of Texas A&M in the third round of April’s NFL draft.
The New York Giants made a couple of moves to resolve their glut of slot receivers.
Veterans Jamison Crowder and Cole Beasley were cut by the team on Tuesday morning, according to multiple reports.
Crowder and Beasley signed with New York this offseason but were part of a crowded group of slot receivers, including Parris Campbell and Wan’Dale Robinson. Robinson was set to be activated from the physically unable to perform list ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Meanwhile, the Giants also swung a trade with the Buffalo Bills to add pass rusher Boogie Basham. A second-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2021, Basham has recorded 4 1/2 sacks in two seasons for Buffalo. In New York, Basham should add to an edge rush led by second-year standout Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari.
The team is also releasing outside linebacker Oshane Ximines, according to multiple reports. A third-round pick out of Old Dominion in 2019, Ximines played in 15 games last season and made four starts, recording two sacks.
If the Los Angeles Chargers see any future with Max Duggan, it won’t begin with the former TCU quarterback on the active roster to begin the year.
The Chargers plan to waive Duggan, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
A seventh-round selection, Duggan was a long shot to stick on the 53-man roster in his first year, though he could be a candidate to land on the practice squad as a developmental option. His departure leaves the Chargers with only Justin Herbert and backup Easton Stick at quarterback.
Duggan, who played at TCU alongside rookie Chargers receivers Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis, accounted for 41 total touchdowns last season and helped lead the Horned Frogs to the national championship game.
The Philadelphia Eagles are taking a flier on a defensive player who won’t make any contributions for at least a year.
The Eagles on Monday signed cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who is suspended for at least the entire 2023 season for gambling on NFL games.
Rodgers, 25, was released by the Indianapolis Colts in June after the ban was handed down. He started nine games last year and had recorded three interceptions in three seasons while also contributing as a returner.
Teams must pare their rosters down to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Several teams have already announced their first wave of cuts, and more will filter through on Monday and Tuesday before the official lists come out.
However, the rosters are not exactly “final” by Tuesday afternoon. Teams have until noon on Wednesday to make claims on any players waived in the roster cutdown process. Of course, teams must make corresponding moves to keep their rosters at 53 when adding a player, which means that some players might be led to believe they’ve made the “final” cut only to learn a day later that they’re out.
