Every NFL team's most surprising roster cut

With the preseason in the books, every NFL team has now trimmed their roster to the league-mandated 53 players. While these rosters will certainly undergo changes over the next couple of days, each team has their initial 53-man roster set.

But when going from 90 to 53 players, there are some tough calls NFL general managers have to make in the process. And there were certainly some shocking moves across the league during the final roster cuts, which should make for some interesting moves on the waiver wire.

We've rounded up our NFL Wires editors to highlight the most surprising roster cut from every NFL team.

Arizona Cardinals: WR Simi Fehoko

There were two real surprise cuts and one odd one. But Fehoko looked like a lock for the roster after both showing consistency on offense, scoring touchdowns in both the preseason games he played, and also showing out on special teams. He was praised by head coach Jonathan Gannon, and $1 million of his salary was guaranteed. I suspect that he could be re-signed after other roster moves, but if not, this was the move that raised eyebrows the most. – Jess Root, Cards Wire

Atlanta Falcons: S Jordan Fuller

This was a tough call between Fuller and quarterback Easton Stick. Not only was Fuller signed as a veteran replacement for Justin Simmons, but he was listed as a starter on all three preseason depth charts. Rookie Xavier Watts has impressed throughout training camp and it appears the team is ready to see what he can do next to Jessie Bates in the starting lineup. The Falcons only kept three safeties -- Bates, Watts and former seventh-round pick DeMarcco Hellams -- so I wouldn't be surprised to see them add another veteran before the season starts. –Matt Urben, Falcons Wire

Baltimore Ravens: DB Beau Brade

Last summer, Brade made the Ravens' 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie free agent after starring at River Hill High School and the University of Maryland. In the games he appeared in, Brade was mainly relegated to special teams roles and only saw the field on defense late in the fourth quarter of games where victory was well in hand. Braden recorded just three total tackles, including just one solo, and played 207 snaps on special teams compared to just 11 on defense. He was inactive for both playoff games.  He entered this summer looking to carve out a role, but lost out to undrafted rookies Keyon Martin and Reuben Lowery.  – Glenn Erby, Ravens Wire

Buffalo Bills: CB Dane Jackson

Looking at it through a lens of now, the end of training camp, the Bills really don’t have any surprise cuts. The shocker is Curtis Samuel making the roster but he could be a trade piece. If we go back to the start of camp, Jackson is a surprise player left off the roster. He has experience working in Buffalo’s defense but he never made an impact… so much so, despite injuries hitting the cornerback position, Jackson is still gone. –Nick Wojton, Bills Wire

Carolina Panthers: WR Hunter Renfrow

What started out as a flier on a former Pro Bowler nearly turned into a ticket to the Week 1 roster, as Renfrow thoroughly impressed in his return to the NFL this offseason. Heck, he had a who's who of Panthers—including head coach Dave Canales, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, quarterback Bryce Young and cornerback Jaycee Horn—singing his praises during the summer. But Renfrow's comeback story stopped short, as an injury in the preseason hamstrung his chances at making the cut. Ultimately, the Panthers gave the three final spots of their seven-man wideout room to David Moore, Brycen Tremayne and Jimmy Horn Jr.—all of whom have more to offer on special teams than Renfrow currently does. – Anthony Rizzuti, Panthers Wire

Chicago Bears: WR Tyler Scott

The Bears didn’t have any truly shocking roster cuts. But there were a pair of surprises in former third-round defensive tackle Zacch Pickens and fourth-round wide receiver Tyler Scott. The writing has been on the wall for some time with Pickens, who was a healthy scratch at year's end, so Scott narrowly gets the most surprising cut nod for Chicago. Scott has been a limited contributor during his two seasons with the Bears, where he's served as a depth receiver and special teams contributor. He appeared primed to earn that final receiver spot until undrafted rookie Jahdae Walker stole the show with an impressive outing that earned the fan-favorite a spot on the initial roster. Scott could very well be a candidate to return on the practice squad, assuming he clears waivers. – Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire

Cincinnati Bengals: LB Maema Njongmeta

Njongmeta was actually a feel-good story last year after going undrafted out of Wisconsin, slipping onto the final roster for Week 1, staying there for 17 games. It felt like a given he would keep ascending and in his spot. Instead, the Bengals overhauled the unit, parting with Germaine Pratt and Akeem Davis-Gaither before signing Oren Burks and drafting Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. Shaka Heyward made a push to top it all off and Njongmeta is surprisingly on the outs, at least for now. – Chris Roling, Bengals Wire

Cleveland Browns: K Dustin Hopkins

The Browns didn’t really have a surprise cut, per se. Most of the moves were predictable as Cleveland works through a transition year in 2025, leaning more on young players than expensive veterans. However, kicker Dustin Hopkins was in a kicking competition just one year after signing a new three-year deal with the Browns. He went from record-setting numbers in 2023 to perhaps the worst kicker in the NFL a year ago. Hopkins missed an extra point in the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams, and that may have sealed his fate. The Browns went with former Lou Groza Award winner Andre Szmyt, parting ways with Hopkins and eating a healthy amount of dead money in the process. – Cory Kinnan, Browns Wire

Dallas Cowboys: TE Rivaldo Fairweather

For about 30 minutes, this section was going to be a slamfest on the Cowboys front office Perrion Winfrey, but it turns out he misunderstood the phone call from team offices and told a media member, erroneously, he had been released. Fairweather was mighty impressive throughout training camp and preseason games, displaying an ability to both get open and make contested catches. The UDFA from Auburn seems like a perfect TE3 behind Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford, but the club is holding on to 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker and let Fairweather hit waivers. – K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire

Denver Broncos: CB Damarri Mathis

Denver was probably trying to trade Mathis leading up to the 53-man roster deadline, but the team apparently wasn’t able to find any suitors. A former fourth-round draft pick, Mathis began his career with 17 starts through his first two seasons, but he fell behind in a crowded cornerback room in 2024. The Broncos have one of the best CB depth charts in the NFL with Pat Surtain (the reigning Defensive Player of the Year), Riley Moss, Ja'Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron (a first-round draft pick in April) and Kris Abrams-Draine.  – Jon Heath, Broncos Wire 

Detroit Lions: OT Dan Skipper

It's not terribly surprising from a football standpoint that the Lions released Skipper. The veteran reserve did not have a strong training camp, often looking very overwhelmed when taking first-team LT reps while Taylor Decker was sidelined early on. But Skipper is a fan favorite and a popular locker room leadership presence. He's also been heavily utilized as a sixth OL in jumbo packages, and does have experience playing guard as well. – Jeff Risdon, Lions Wire

Green Bay Packers: CB Kalen King

I’m not sure any of the Packers’ cuts truly qualifies as “surprising,” but King was widely seen as a favorite to grab one of the final 53-man roster spots. The 2024 seventh-round pick spent his rookie season on the practice squad and looked improved this summer, and the Packers are lacking depth at corner. Then again, King played mostly in the slot, lacks elite size and athleticism and isn’t a multi-phase special teamer. Another cut bordering on “surprise” was linebacker Kristian Welch, a terrific special teams player who was cut (for the second straight year) even after the Packers moved on from Isaiah Simmons. – Zach Kruse, Packers Wire

Houston Texans: OT Trent Brown

It’s hard to call Brown’s release "shocking" when he didn’t practice throughout the preseason, but given the Texans’ previous offensive line woes,, plus the positive prognosis of his recovery time, it seems odd Houston would just let him leave. Even as a veteran reserve coming off a season-ending injury, the Texans are putting ample faith in Tay Ersery and Tytus Howard as starters on the corner. One is a rookie and the other hasn’t played a full season since 2022.  Add in the fact that Cam Robinson was rumored to be a trade chip, having Brown’s position flexibility would have been a promising option to play the swing tackle role on a roster that’s built to win now. Perhaps Houston brings him back when he’s fully healthy.   – Cole Thompson, Texans Wire

Indianapolis Colts: CB JuJu Brents

I wouldn’t say that this was the most surprising release out there. Brents has unfortunately dealt with injuries in his short career, appearing in only 11 games over his first two NFL seasons. He then missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury. However, the surprising element is always going to be there when a team moves on from a former second-round draft pick after only two seasons. The Colts have prioritized reshaping the cornerback room this offseason. – Paul Bretl, Colts Wire

Jacksonville Jaguars: S Daniel Thomas 

The writing seemed to be on the wall for Thomas as camp progressed. Rookie Rayuan Lane took on an active special teams role–a job that had belonged to Thomas during his Jaguars’ career–and Lane also started making more plays on defense as more practices took place. But with that said, there’s a bit of a surprise when a team moves on from an established player in favor of a later Day 3 draft pick. Adding to the surprise factor was that Caleb Ransaw was placed on season-ending IR, which could have opened up a roster spot at safety. – Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire

Kansas City Chiefs: RB/FB Carson Steele

Steele has never been a truly vital asset for the Chiefs, but he showed some promise during his rookie season in limited action after veteran rusher Isiah Pacheco was sidelined due to injuries. His potential to develop into a useful sort of running back/fullback hybrid is intriguing, but it wasn’t a must-have for Kansas City’s coaching staff or front office this season. The former Ball State Cardinal and UCLA Bruin will almost certainly get picked up by another team in the coming days, but if he doesn’t, fans should expect to see Steele land with the Chiefs’ practice squad. – John Dillon, Chiefs Wire

Las Vegas Raiders: WR Alex Bachman

It might seem odd choice to be surprised a journeyman wide receiver who has only appeared in ten games in his career would be cut. But throughout training camp and preseason, Bachman was the first on the field with the second team. Basically the number four receiver. He seemed like a shoo-in among an overall weak receiving corps. But in the end, the addition of Amari Cooper made Bachman the odd man out. Something in talking with him, he’s experienced a lot in his career. He was hoping to make his first 53-man roster after a strong camp. But once again it wasn’t to be. – Levi Damien, Raiders Wire

Los Angeles Chargers: S Tony Jefferson

Jefferson's release by the Chargers was arguably the most surprising. The veteran safety was a key contributor on defense en route to an elite PFF grade of 93.5 during the preseason. He also showed up on special teams. Despite his play on the field and being a well-respected locker room leader, Jefferson was let go in favor of Kendall Williamson, who led the team in special teams tackles during the preseason. While he is up there in age (33), Jefferson should garner plenty of interest from teams looking to shore up their secondary. – Gavino Borquez, Chargers Wire

Los Angeles Rams: LB Chris Paul Jr.

When the Rams drafted Paul in the fifth round this year, many fans and analysts thought it was a steal. He was an exciting rookie who filled a position of need with speed, athleticism and coverage skills. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out the way the team hoped. Paul missed the start of training camp with a calf injury that didn’t heal as quickly as the Rams expected and while he did play in all three preseason games, he played deep into the fourth quarter of the finale, which was a bad sign. He’s a promising young player but it appears he’ll need some time to develop before being thrust into a role on defense. – Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire

Miami Dolphins: TE Pharaoh Brown

None of the transactions made by the Dolphins on Tuesday were truly shockers. Brown seemed close to a lock to make the 53-man roster, though. The experienced blocking specialist was one of Miami’s first additions in free agency and, while not exactly a sexy add to the team, a necessary one for a squad that needed to get its run game back on track. Yet, the Dolphins decided Tuesday that they’d rather keep Tanner Conner on the roster for a fourth year, despite getting only three receptions out of him in his first three seasons. – Adam Stites, Dolphins Wire

Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Gabriel Murphy

The Vikings defense is one of the more versatile units in the NFL. They rely on their pass rushers to make the lives of their secondary easier, thus, they need a deep war chest of them. The Vikings have stuck with Gabriel Murphy for two years, gave him a lot of guaranteed money as a UDFA in 2024, and now they are cutting bait. He was never a finished project for them but he flashed with speed and ball tracking ability in the backfield. He is coming off having 1.5 sacks this preseason and Brian Flores seemed fond of him so this was a shocker. – Andrew Harbaugh, Vikings Wire

New England Patriots: EDGE Bradyn Swinson

It isn't every day that you see a team cut a rookie fifth-round draft pick, especially one as highly-touted as Bradyn Swinson was coming out of LSU. The Patriots choosing to carry eight receivers and cutting a young pass rusher with Swinson's upside was certainly a choice for their final 53-man roster. Hopefully, it isn't one that comes back to haunt the team. The Patriots have a habit of getting it wrong in the draft. It would be a disaster if they cut a player they actually got right. – Jordy McElroy, Patriots Wire

New Orleans Saints: TE Treyton Welch

The runner-up here is quarterback Jake Haener, who a lot of fans were ready to move on from but who was a consensus lock to make the team according to the Saints beat. But Welch did the most in preseason out of the different tight ends on the roster and flashed real talent as a receiver. That seventh-round pick Moliki Matavoa made the cut instead was surprising. Welch   – John Sigler, Saints Wire

New York Giants: WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

Throughout the spring and summer, Ihmir Smith-Marsette not only seemed like a lock for the 53-man roster but had drawn emphatic praise from the coaching staff. He appeared to be on his way to a special teams captain role and was even seeing increased reps on offense. Then Gunner Olszewski was re-signed, and everything changed. Olszewski made his presence felt as a wide receiver with a multitude of dazzling receptions, while continuing to excel on special teams. It spelled a sudden end for ISM. – Dan Benton, Giants Wire

New York Jets: WR Brandon Smith

Smith and Quentin Skinner were vying for a final roster bubble spot at WR for the Jets… but evidently neither did enough. The final spot went to Xavier Gipson as the coaching staff must have liked his experience on offense and special teams. If Smith and Skinner make their way through waivers, but will likely be on the practice squad. – Nick Wojton, Jets Wire

Philadelphia Eagles: WR Ainias Smith 

Smith caught both his targets for 19 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 22-13 preseason loss to the Browns, and scored twice during the preseason. As a rookie wideout in 2024, Smith caught four passes for 35 yards and a touchdown when the team rested its primary starters in Week 18. Still, he was a non-factor on offense during his previous six appearances in the regular season and spent most of the season on the PUP list and injured reserve. He entered 2025 looking to prove he can contribute to the passing game and special teams, but lost out to rookie wideout Darius Cooper.  – Glenn Erby, Eagles Wire

Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Beanie Bishop Jr.

Head coach Mike Tomlin has been singing the praises of all his new cornerbacks during training camp and the preseason, which was a bad sign for the returning guys. Bishop was second on the Steelers last season with four interceptions but it wasn’t enough to save his spot on the 53-man roster. – Curt Popejoy, Steelers Wire

San Francisco 49ers: DT Sebastian Valdez

Typically it isn’t a huge surprise when an undrafted rookie is let go. However, Valdez made a legitimately strong impression in training camp and the preseason and looked to be on his way to a roster spot in a defensive line room that’s looking for cost-controlled, young talent. The 49ers opted instead to stick with a handful of veterans and placed Valdez on waivers, likely with the hope he’ll clear those and make it back to their practice squad. In three preseason games, the UDFA from the University of Washington posted four pressures, one sack, two quarterback hits and four total tackles according to Pro Football Focus. There’s not a ton of quality depth in the 49ers group of defensive tackles, and Valdez looked to have enough upside to stick around on the 53-man roster. – Kyle Madson, Niners Wire

Seattle Seahawks: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

The Seahawks signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a one-year, $4 million contract back in March, where the expectation was he'd serve as the third wide receiver and bring some playmaking speed to the offense following DK Metcalf's trade this offseason. Fifth-round rookie Tory Horton had an impressive summer performance and passed Valdes-Scantling up on the depth chart. Seattle wound up carrying six receivers on the roster, and it's still a surprise that Valdes-Scantling isn't one of them. Many considered Valdes-Scantling a potential trade or cut candidate heading into roster cuts, so it's not a massive surprise but a surprise nonetheless. – Alyssa Barbieri, Seahawks Wire

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Kyle Trask

While it shouldn’t be a surprise, it still came across as one when the Bucs moved on from quarterback Kyle Trask. The former second round pick was a local pick, he was a project of Bruce Arians, and he never had to play meaningful time in the regular season. However, the arrival and immediate improvement of the offense from Trask to Teddy Bridgewater was he’s to avoid and left Jason Licht no choice. – Andrew Harbaugh, Bucs Wire

Tennessee Titans: WR James Proche

The Titans were looking for some receivers to step up this summer outside of veterans Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett. Rookie Elic Ayomanor had a strong camp. So did veteran WR James Proche. A veteran of five NFL seasons, Proche was looking to stick with the Titans as a receiver and returner. Tennessee stuck with Bryce Oliver and Van Jefferson over Proche, who will no doubt find a new home before Week 1. – Dan Benton/Bryan Manning Titans Wire

Washington Commanders: DE Clelin Ferrell

I’m not sure there’s one player who perfectly fits the bill here. Ferrell, a veteran defensive end who started 10 games last season, was re-signed this offseason. However, he was playing late in preseason games, which is unusual for a veteran not considered on the bubble. Ferrell was a disappointment as a top-five pick years ago, but he’s carved out a career as a rotational DE. Many considered Ferrell a lock before the start of training camp. Ferrell is more of a run stopper than he is a pass rusher, which limits his upside.  If not signed by another team, Ferrell could be re-signed to the practice squad. – Bryan Manning, Commanders Wire

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: NFL roster cuts: Every team's most surprising move