The NFL's annual cutdown day is an exciting time for football fans, as it means that rosters are largely set and the countdown to the regular season, in days, has reached the single digits.

For players, though, it's much more of a mixed bag. Some who entered the offseason as long shots have defied the odds to make a 53-player regular-season roster. At the same time, hundreds of NFL hopefuls and veterans now find themselves looking at work after Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline.

The NFL is a business. Therefore, coaches and executives set their rosters based on what they believe is best for the team. If a former Pro Bowler gets released, a former first-round pick gets traded, an undrafted rookie makes the roster or a surplus of players are chosen at a specific position, there's a reason for it.

The reasons aren't always clear initially, and rosters will remain fluid in the coming days. However, there's still plenty to glean from every team's first 53-man roster of the 2024 season.

Bleacher Report's 2024 NFL cuts tracker can be found here.

Arizona Cardinals

On Tuesday, the Arizona Cardinals traded pass-rusher and 2022 third-round pick Cameron Thomas to the Kansas City Chiefs for a seventh-round selection, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The decision tells us two things.

Firstly, Arizona's 2022 draft class—the final haul under former general manager Steve Keim—isn't aging well. Tight end Trey McBride appears to be a budding star, but the Cardinals haven't gotten significant contributions from the rest of the class.

Secondly, the Cardinals will probably be in the hunt for additional pass-rushing help in the coming days. Arizona only recorded 33 sacks last season as a team and only one over the final six games.

That level of production can't sit well with head coach Jonathan Gannon, who, as the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator, oversaw a unit that garnered 70 sacks in 2022.

The Cardinals have already lost pass-rusher BJ Ojulari for the year to a torn ACL, and rookie second-round pick Darius Robinson is expected to miss "multiple weeks" with a calf injury, according to Rapoport.

Thomas had three sacks as a rookie but none in 2023, and it's clear that the Cardinals didn't view him as an impactful contributor. It'll be a significant surprise if they don't seek help elsewhere.

Atlanta Falcons

Taylor Heinicke's time with the Atlanta Falcons isn't over just yet.

Heinicke, who started four games for the Falcons last season, was hoping to stick around for another run. However, he knew that he wouldn't be a roster lock following the offseason additions of Kirk Cousins and rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr.

"I would love to be a part of the Falcons," Heinicke said on Saturday, per Terrin Waack of the team's official website. "I think this is probably the best roster I've been a part of when you look at it from top to bottom."

Heinicke will indeed be part of the roster, at least for now. The takeaway here is that Atlanta isn't messing around when it comes to quarterback depth—probably a wise decision with Cousins coming off an Achilles tear.

Atlanta may have made its decision following the NFL Players Association's recent reversal on the emergency-quarterback rule.

"NFL teams were informed that the NFLPA vetoed the revised Emergency 3rd Quarterback rule that would have allowed teams to elevate a bona fide QB from the practice squad an unlimited number of times," NFL Network's Tom Pelissero posted on X on Monday.

The vetoed ruling means that teams' game-day emergency quarterbacks must come from the 53-player roster. While some teams are choosing to only carry two quarterbacks on the active roster, initially, the Falcons are ensuring they have a strong Plan B (and Plan C) in place.

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens made one of the biggest moves of the offseason when they signed four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry.

Henry, one of the game's most physical ball-carriers, projects as a dangerous complement to Lamar Jackson in Baltimore's backfield. However, the Ravens are going to have a lot riding on his ability to stay healthy—and it's worth noting that running back injuries have been an issue for the Ravens in recent years.

Baltimore parted with running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins this offseason, and they released Chris Collier as part of this week's cuts. Owen Wright suffered a broken foot in the preseason finale, rookie Rasheen Ali is in concussion protocol, and it doesn't look like speedy change-of-pace back Keaton Mitchell will be making his return soon.

Mitchell, a 2023 undrafted rookie out of East Carolina, flashed his breakaway ability last season, averaging 8.4 yards per carry and 10.3 yards per reception. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL in Week 15 and is set to open the 2024 season on the PUP list, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Ravens do have Justice Hill as a primary backup to Henry, but they may look to bolster their backfield before Week 1.

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills released former Olympic wrestler and WWE developmental talent Gable Steveson as part of their cuts. Steveson had never played football before but was trying to make the team as a defensive lineman.

Naturally, Steveson's release wasn't the biggest surprise of Buffalo's final cuts. The Bills also released undrafted running back Frank Gore Jr., which was a bit of a surprise, given his strong performance during the preseason.

Gore rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo's preseason finale, averaging an impressive 5.6 yards per carry in the process. He had looked like he could provide the Bills with a physical change of pace behind starter James Cook and rookie fourth-round pick Ray Davis.

Of course, Gore's heavy workload in the finale may have given an indication of his spot on the bubble.

Gore, the son of longtime NFL starter Frank Gore Sr., will be a prime candidate to return to Buffalo's practice squad, though the Bills may have a hard time stashing him there. The Southern Miss product showed that he has NFL talent during exhibition play and will likely get looks from backfield-needy teams in the coming days.

Carolina Panthers

On Tuesday, the Carolina Panthers released wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., a 2022 second-round pick out of LSU who never quite played up to his potential.

In three seasons with the Panthers, Marshall appeared in 36 games but only caught 64 passes for 767 yards and one touchdown. He only appeared in nine games last season and had just 19 catches, even though Carolina had one of the most lackluster receiving corps in the NFL.

The obvious takeaway here is that the Panthers didn't see a bright future for Marshall, and new general manager Dan Morgan wasn't eager to keep a failed pick of a former regime.

The other takeaway is that Carolina feels comfortable with the moves it has made at receiver this offseason, including the trade for Diontae Johnson and the first-round selection of Xavier Legette.

Rebuilding teams rarely give up on young players who have shown some promise—Marshall did have 490 yards in 2022—but the Panthers are doing exactly that. As they look to improve the supporting cast around second-year quarterback Bryce Young, the Panthers believe they're better off doing so without Marshall.

Chicago Bears

Everyone loves a feel-good story, and 2023 undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent has become one.

The Shepherd product was signed by Chicago last offseason and ended up making the roster as the third quarterback behind Justin Fields and Nathan Peterman. He then pushed his way to second string and ended up starting four games while Fields dealt with a thumb injury.

Bagent only threw three touchdowns and six interceptions last season, but he did go 2-2 as the starter. That was enough for Chicago to retain him this offseason, even after trading away Fields.

No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, of course, is the quarterback of the future and the new starter. However, Bagent continues to show he belongs in the NFL. He beat out four-year veteran and free-agent addition Brett Rypien to retain the backup job.

Rypien was released on Tuesday.

Chicago also waived undrafted rookie Austin Reed. The Western Kentucky product is a solid practice-squad candidate, while Rypien—who has now spent time with five franchises—may be running out of chances to stick in the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are finally serious about protecting Joe Burrow.

This is the biggest takeaway to be made from their wave of cuts, which included 2021 second-round pick Jackson Carman. Teams don't like to give up on high draft picks after only a few seasons, but the Bengals did exactly that after the 24-year-old repeatedly struggled to get on the field.

The former Clemson tackle made six starts as a rookie and started two playoff games in 2022, but he only appeared in five regular-season games over the last two seasons.

Cincinnati has taken a lot of swings at the offensive line over the past few offseasons, most recently signing Trent Brown and using a first-round pick on Amarius Mims. It's also become increasingly clear that the Bengals aren't going to hang onto linemen who can't contribute, regardless of the investment.

The Bengals released La'el Collins just over a year into a three-year, $21 million contract because he was still recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. They let Jonah Williams walk after he allowed 20 sacks over the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. Now, they've dumped Carman three years into his rookie deal.

Burrow has taken 148 sacks in only 52 regular-season games and has twice finished a campaign on injured reserve. The Bengals seem to have finally realized they can't waste roster spots on players who can't keep him healthy.

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns provided fans with some good news and some bad news on the injury front ahead of their roster cuts.

On the down side, star running back Nick Chubb was placed on the physically unable to perform list (PUP), meaning he'll miss at least the first four games of the season. This wasn't entirely unexpected, as he suffered a significant knee injury last season that required multiple surgeries.

Running back Nyheim Hines remains on the PUP list, so Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. are expected to lead Cleveland's rushing attack during Chubb's absence, though the Browns will almost certainly scout the waiver wire for reinforcements.

Free-agent addition D'Onta Foreman was among the team's cuts.

On a positive note, offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin were both activated from the PUP list, meaning they'll be available for Week 1, theoretically at least. Wills, Conklin and fellow tackle Dawand Jones all suffered season-ending injuries last season.

It's a welcome development for the Browns, who also watched backup tackle James Hudson III suffer an ankle injury in the second week of the preseason.

Cleveland must feel better about its offensive line situation than it did a few days ago, as tackles Roy Mbaeteka, Germain Ifedi and Chim Okorafor were among the team's final cuts.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are apparently unhappy with the backfield committee they've assembled this offseason—and, perhaps, equally unhappy with their chances of improving the group through post-cuts free agency.

Dallas parted with 2023 starter Tony Pollard in the spring and did little to replace him. The Cowboys ignored the position in the draft and only added veterans Ezekiel Elliott and Royce Freeman.

Elliott is largely expected to lead a committee that includes Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn.

Freeman was released, along with running backs Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and Nathaniel Peat.

However, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that Dallas would meet with four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook. Cook has remained available all offseason and didn't generate a lot of attention after struggling to see the field in 2023.

Cook signed with the New York Jets last August but only logged 67 carries before being released late in the year and landing with the Ravens for the playoffs. He may not be the last running back Dallas examines, since several more experienced veterans just reentered the market.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are confident that their rookie class can contribute early. They made the decision before their preseason finale that first-year signal-caller Bo Nix will be the Week 1 starter.

"He's been outstanding. Obviously there's a ton of room for growth, a lot of things he needs to work on," head coach Sean Payton said, per ESPN's Jeff Legwold. "... But there is a maturity level with him."

It appears Denver will rely heavily on rookie receivers Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele as well. It released eight-year veteran Phillip Dorsett, who was on the team's practice squad last season, and decided to part with former starting wide receiver Tim Patrick.

Patrick missed the last two seasons after suffering a torn ACL in 2022 and a torn Achilles in 2023. However, he appeared healthy this summer and caught his first touchdown pass in over two years during Denver's second preseason game.

Receivers Lil'Jordan Humphrey, David Sills, Michael Bandy, Brandon Johnson and Jalen Virgil were also among Denver's cuts.

Franklin, who played with Nix at Oregon, always felt like a lock to make the active roster. Vele, a seventh-round pick out of Utah, was more of a long shot. He likely fell in the draft due to age—he'll turn 27 in December—but he impressed during training camp and now appears poised to make an early impact.

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have dramatically improved their roster in their three-plus years under head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes.

"We're going to have to let go of some good players that I think ultimately can play in this league at some point, and that's a hard thing to do," Campbell told reporters. "But it also shows where our roster is at to this point. It's grown a ton."

Campbell isn't wrong. He inherited a team that was coming off three consecutive losing seasons and a patchwork roster that won only three games in his first campaign. Now the Lions have one of the league's deepest rosters and can afford to part with veterans such as running back Zonovan Knight and wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.

Knight made four starts for the New York Jets in 2022. Peoples-Jones, who was acquired from Cleveland in a 2023 trade, had 839 receiving yards in 2022. Their release says plenty about the depth Detroit has accumulated at positions such as running back and receiver.

In Peoples-Jones' case, it may also speak volumes about the ongoing development of 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams.

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are really hoping Jordan Love stays healthy throughout the 2024 season. That's obvious, of course, but they apparently didn't believe they had a solid Plan B should he miss any time due to injury.

This is the only logical conclusion after Green Bay traded a 2025 seventh-round pick to pry quarterback Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans. The move signaled that the Packers weren't content with what they saw from Sean Clifford and rookie seventh-round pick Michael Pratt during their competition to be the primary backup.

Neither quarterback stood out during the preseason, which precipitated the trade for Willis. Clifford and Pratt were both released on Tuesday.

The 2022 third-round pick out of Liberty hasn't exactly shined during his few NFL opportunities. In 11 appearances with three starts, he completed only 35 of 66 pass attempts for 350 yards with no touchdowns, three interceptions and a 49.4 passer rating.

For a team with playoff aspirations like the Packers, Willis may not seem like an ideal backup option—and Green Bay may not be done adding to the QB position. Adding him, though, does give the team a little more insurance than it had entering training camp.

Houston Texans

Like the Lions, the Houston Texans have quickly revitalized their roster and are now in a position to part with quality NFL players.

On Tuesday, Houston released wide receiver Noah Brown, who had 33 catches for 567 yards and two touchdowns last season. While Brown did land on injured reserve with a shoulder injury during the playoffs and may not be fully recovered, his release tells us two things.

For one, the Texans have a loaded receiver room after the offseason's trade for Stefon Diggs. Brown would be a solid WR3 on many rosters, but he was unlikely to earn significant playing time behind Diggs, Nico Collins and second-year receiver Tank Dell.

Secondly, the Texans must be pleased with the progress of Dell, who suffered a season-ending leg fracture in Week 13 last season. Dell has appeared on track to return to pre-injury form and had a 34-yard touchdown reception in Week 2 of the preseason.

The release of Brown pretty much confirms that Houston has no qualms about Dell's early-season availability or his ability to remain an impact receiver in his second season.

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts appear to have given third-year safeties Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas II a vote of confidence through their roster decision.

Cross, a 2022 third-round pick out of Maryland, has struggled to earn a prominent role in his two years, has made just four starts and played just 25 percent of the defensive snaps last season.

His lack of progression has been glaring enough that ESPN's Stephen Holder labeled him as a player on the hot seat entering the regular season.

"He has played both strong and free safety, but coaches are still unsure what they will ultimately do with him," he wrote. "If he doesn't earn a starting role this season, his long-term future is cloudy, at best."

Thomas, a 2023 seventh-round pick out of Yale, took a step back in his second season as a starter.

Veteran safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. was among Indianapolis' cuts. While that doesn't guarantee the Colts have found the perfect safety rotation to complement Julian Blackmon—who re-signed with Indy this offseason—it suggests they feel good about their young defensive backs.

Harrison has typically played the strong safety spot and was deployed as a hybrid linebacker last season, but he did get some looks at free safety this summer.

The 27-year-old also has 48 starts on his resume, making him a sensible depth player for a team that has questions on the back end.

The Colts, apparently, do not.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Mac Jones' quest for NFL redemption continues. The 2021 first-round pick was a rookie Pro Bowler but regressed over the next two seasons and was traded by the New England Patriots for a sixth-round selection this offseason.

Now, Jones will continue his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the primary backup to Trevor Lawrence.

Jones was competing with C.J. Beathard for the backup role, and there was never any guarantee that he would win it. Beathard spent the last three seasons in Jacksonville and made one start in place of Lawrence last season.

However, Beathard was released with an injury settlement (groin) on Tuesday, according to Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper.

Beathard's release comes after a fairly impressive preseason for Jones. He was 9-of-11 for 98 yards in the opener, 16-of-20 for 210 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2 and 13-of-18 for 113 yards and a touchdown in the finale.

Ideally, the Jags won't see Jones on the field again this season, unless it's in mop-up duty. If that's the case and the preseason is the final impression Jones makes before next offseason, he could draw quite a bit of interest in 2025 free agency.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are capable of making mistakes.

During Kansas City's recent run—which has included three Super Bowl wins and six straight appearances in the AFC title game—the team hasn't had many clear missteps. However, the 2022 trade for Kadarius Toney was a rare miss.

The Chiefs sent a third-round draft pick to the New York Giants for Toney and did see some promising glimpses from the 2021 first-round pick early. He had a 65-yard punt return and a fourth-quarter go-ahead touchdown in Super Bowl LVII, and it briefly appeared that Kansas City would unlock Toney's potential where the Giants had failed.

However, Toney experienced a mistake-filled 2023 campaign and was ultimately made inactive for the final three regular-season games and the entire playoff run.

On Tuesday, the Chiefs decided to end their experiment with Toney, releasing him as part of their final cuts.

It was a move that many expected and may have been heralded by Kansas City's decision to bring back JuJu Smith-Schuster on Monday.

Smith-Schuster was the Chiefs' most productive wideout in 2022 and will get another opportunity to catch passes from Patrick Mahomes. Toney will now look elsewhere for his next NFL chance.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders announced shortly after their second preseason game that free-agent addition Gardner Minshew would be the Week 1 starting quarterback over incumbent Aidan O'Connell.

"We feel like Gardner gives us the best opportunity to get off to a fast start, and that's what we're going with," he said, per NFL.com's Grant Gordon.

For the time being, it appears that Minsehw and O'Connell will be the only quarterbacks on Las Vegas' active roster. Nathan Peterman and Carter Bradley, an undrafted free agent out of South Alabama, were released on Tuesday.

For Las Vegas, this indicates that the team is comfortable with the dynamic of having former starter O'Connell serve as Minshew's game-day backup. It also indicates that the team didn't view quarterback depth as a significant priority—though Bradley is a logical practice-squad candidate.

This also means that Peterman may be running out of chances in the NFL. A 2017 fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh, Peterman has made five NFL starts but holds a disastrous 39.4 career passer rating.

Peterman was signed on August 13 for his second stint with the Raiders after being waived by the New Orleans Saints.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert should be at 100 percent for the season opener.

While the Chargers may lean heavily on the ground game under new head coach Jim Harbaugh—and after parting with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Gerald Everett in the offseason—Herbert is still expected to be the team's offensive centerpiece. However, there had been some concern about his Week 1 availability after Herbert missed camp time with a plantar fascia injury.

The first big indication that Herbert would be available for Week 1 came during the team's preseason finale against Dallas.

"He told me last night that his right foot has healed completely and is no longer an issue," Dan Fouts said during the preseason broadcast, per Fernando Ramirez of The Sporting Tribune.

The second indicator came during L.A.'s final roster cuts, which included quarterbacks Max Duggan and Luis Perez. This leaves, for now, Easton Stick as the only signal-caller behind Herbert on the active roster.

In other words, the Chargers expect Herbert to start against the Raiders, and they don't consider him a serious risk for re-injury.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams released running backs SaRodorick Thompson and Boston Scott as part of their final cuts, which suggests that rookie third-round pick Blake Corum is primed for a prominent role in Year 1.

Los Angeles leaned heavily on Kyren Williams last season when he was healthy, but he spent time on injured reserve with an ankle injury, which left the Rams scrambling to fill the void.

This year, the plan may be to lighten the 24-year-old's weekly workload, and with Scott out of the picture, the job of spelling Williams will likely fall to Corum—take note, fantasy fans.

Scott spent his first six seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and emerged as a capable third-down back and change-of-pace player. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry and caught 71 passes with the Eagles while appearing in eight playoff games, including Super Bowl LVII.

While the 29-year-old was never likely to earn a substantial role in L.A., he seemed like a perfect piece of veteran insurance. His release seems to suggest the Rams believe they won't need much insurance behind Williams and Corum this season.

With Corum getting the veteran treatment and sitting out the entire preseason, the Rams also seem to believe he'll be ready to contribute immediately.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are confident that Tua Tagovailoa's injury woes are behind him.

Tagovailoa, the 2020 No. 5 pick, has a lengthy injury history dating back to his time at Alabama. A series of concussions cost him four games in 2022, and the 26-year-old had not played a full NFL campaign before last season.

The four-year, $212 million extension Tagovailoa received this offseason was a firm indicator that the Dolphins view him as the long-term answer at quarterback. The recent release of quarterback Mike White suggests that Miami also isn't concerned about Tagovailoa's long-term health.

White joined the Dolphins on a two-year contract last offseason and made six appearances in mop-up duty in 2023. His release leaves 2022 seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson as the unquestioned backup.

Thompson started two games for Miami during that 2022 season.

While White could make his way back to the active roster or practice squad, making him available means the Dolphins aren't overly concerned with keeping experienced quarterback depth. It's a move they wouldn't have made if they believed there was a significant risk of Tagovailoa missing time in 2024.

Ideally, Tagovailoa will play a full 17-game season for the second straight year and prove Miami right in its assessment.

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings' cuts yielded two big takeaways. The first is that they are clearly happy with the growth of second-year quarterback Jaren Hall.

With rookie J.J. McCarthy set to miss the entire 2024 campaign following knee surgery, the Vikings are likely to lean on offseason addition Sam Darnold.

While Darnold may have opened the season as the starter anyway, McCarthy's absence increases the need for quarterback depth.

Following a strong preseason, Hall earned a spot over Matt Corral—a 2022 third-round pick of the Panthers who also spent time with the New England Patriots and the UFL's Birmingham Stallions.

Hall, a 2023 sixth-round pick, isn't Minnesota's quarterback of the future, but he's done enough to be in the team's plan for now.

The Vikings also released several cornerbacks—including A.J. Green III, Jacobi Francis and Jaylin Williams—this week. This suggests they are happy with a room that includes Shaquill Griffin, Byron Murphy Jr. and newcomer Stephon Gilmore.

Cornerback depth was a question for the Vikings, who ranked 24th in passing yards allowed last season. Rookie Khyree Jackson died in a car accident in July. NaJee Thompson and Mekhi Blackmon both suffered season-ending injuries during training camp.

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots' effort to overhaul their quarterback room is complete.

The big question, of course, is whether rookie third overall pick Drake Maye has shown enough to start over journeyman Jacoby Brissett in Week 1. Head coach Jerod Mayo hasn't given a clear indication there.

"I would say at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby," Mayo told WEEI's The Greg Hill Show (h/t Jaclyn Hendricks of the New York Post). "Now in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work, going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp, and we'll see where we end up."

What is clear is that New England has turned the page completely on its recent quarterback struggles. Bailey Zappe, who started eight games over the past two seasons, was waived on Tuesday.

Zappe should draw interest in the coming days and will almost certainly land on a roster or practice squad—possibly New England's. There wasn't room among the Patriots' final 53, however, after Brissett, Maye and sixth-round pick Joe Milton III were added in the offseason.

New Orleans Saints

It appears that 2023 undrafted free agent Jordan Mims will continue his NFL ride with the New Orleans Saints thanks to a strong camp and preseason.

Mims was initially signed by Buffalo but was claimed by New Orleans off waivers last August. He appeared in two games last season and was competing to provide depth behind Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams this offseason. He now appears set to hold the RB3 role.

Veteran running back James Robinson, who has 32 starts on his resume, was among New Orleans' cuts. Running back Jacob Kibodi was released as well.

2023 third-round pick Kendre Miller is expected to open the season on injured reserve, according to The Athletic's Josina Anderson. Miller's future with the Saints has been clouded by injuries, including his current hamstring ailment.

"Quite frankly, since we drafted him, there hasn't been a whole lot of new information other than what I saw on the college tape, because he hasn't been available," head coach Dennis Allen told reporters.

Mims will now get his opportunity to help boost a Saints rushing attack that ranked 31st in yards per carry last season.

New York Giants

The New York Giants are finally building out a new, young receiving corps. Last season, the Giants had two young, budding receivers in second-year wideout Wan'Dale Robinson and rookie Jalin Hyatt. This offseason, they added LSU product and first-round pick Malik Nabers.

Third-year man Daniel Bellinger and rookie fourth-round pick Theo Johnson appear set to lead New York's tight end room.

As the Giants experience an offensive youth movement, some veterans are on the way out. Tight end Darren Waller retired this offseason, while veteran pass-catchers Isaiah Hodgins, Allen Robinson II and Lawrence Cager were among this week's cuts.

Hodgins, who was claimed off waivers from Buffalo in 2022, started 14 games for the Giants over the past two years. Cager, a converted wide receiver, appeared in 11 games for New York at tight end last season. Robinson, an offseason addition, has 122 starts on his resume.

Fans should be thrilled to see younger players sticking to the roster after years of struggling to field a functional receiving corps—and after the failed Kadarius Toney experiment. The Giants may finally be building a receiving corps with upside. The big question now is whether Daniel Jones will stick around long enough to take advantage.

New York Jets

The New York Jets are taking a budget route to filling out their defensive line depth. Undrafted free agents Eric Watts, Leonard Taylor III and Braiden McGregor all ended up making the initial 53-man roster.

McGregor making the team isn't a complete surprise. He helped the Michigan Wolverines win a national championship last season and made quite an impression during the 2024 preseason.

In New York's finale, McGregor recorded two solo tackles and two sacks.

This is a lot of undrafted players for a team with playoff aspirations to keep, however. This suggests that New York wants players who can help the team win now, regardless of draft status or pedigree.

Keeping a few cap-friendly depth players behind starters Quinnen Williams and Jermaine Johnson may also give the Jets a little more financial flexibility heading into the season. That could be important for two reasons.

For one, the Jets are hoping to make a serious run with a healthy Aaron Rodgers in 2024. If the opportunity to add another difference-maker arises, they're probably going to take it.

Secondly, New York still hasn't sorted things out with pass-rusher Haason Reddick, who wants a new contract and has requested a trade. If Reddick doesn't reverse course, the Jets will need additional pass-rushing help. If their undrafted rookies can't provide it, signing another edge defender may be on the to-do list.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are clearly in win-now mode. They took an aggressive approach to reloading their roster in free agency and when training camp competition didn't uncover a quality third receiver, they went out and got one.

Philadelphia has struggled to find a reliable third wideout behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith—Olamide Zaccheaus was third with just 167 receiving yards last season—and it threw several darts at the position this offseason.

The Eagles signed Parris Campbell, John Ross and DeVante Parker—Parker subsequently retired—and used fifth- and sixth-round picks on Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson, respectively.

However, the Eagles ultimately decided that dealing with a division rival was the best way to fill their need for receiver depth. They sent a 2025 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round selections to the Washington Commanders for Jahan Dotson.

The 2022 first-round pick out of Penn State has flashed potential in the NFL but hasn't quite played up to his draft status (84 catches, 1,041 yards, 11 TDs). He's no sure thing, but he has loads of upside and should provide more than Philly has had recently from its third receiver.

Campbell and Ross were both released on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers may continue looking for cornerback depth in the coming days. Pittsburgh found one reliable starter last season in rookie Joey Porter Jr., but its secondary left much to be desired.

The Steelers ranked 20th in net yards allowed per pass attempt.

This offseason, Pittsburgh traded for Donte Jackson, used a sixth-round pick on Ryan Watts and snagged undrafted free agent Beanie Bishop Jr.—who stood out in camp but also missed time with an injury.

The Steelers also brought back Cameron Sutton, though he was handed an eight-game suspension for violation of the league's personal conduct policy after he was charged with misdemeanor battery.

Porter and Jackson appear set to start, and Bishop could have a prominent role in the slot. However, Pittsburgh's depth remains questionable, especially after several defensive backs—including Anthony Averett, Kalon Barnes and Grayland Arnold—were released.

Averett has 27 NFL starts on his resume, while Barnes spent time on Pittsburgh's practice squad last season. Arnold briefly got a look in the slot during camp before being limited by a calf injury.

Pittsburgh may continue looking for cornerback help in post-cuts free agency.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers' final cuts included a few notable skill players, including running back Matt Breida and receiver Robbie Chosen.

Breida, who spent his first three NFL seasons in San Francisco, is probably the most notable cut. His release suggests that the 49ers are comfortable with rookie fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo and veteran Jordan Mason as primary depth pieces behind Christian McCaffrey—reinforced even more by the fact Elijah Mitchell was placed on season-ending IR.

Guerendo didn't have the most impressive preseason running the ball, though he did have a 93-yard kickoff return against the Raiders.

Chosen was only signed in early August, but he had the potential to be a solid veteran backup—Chosen has 120 games and 86 starts on his NFL resume.

The release of Chosen suggests that San Francisco feels good about the health of rookie first-round receiver Ricky Pearsall. The Florida product had missed three weeks with a shoulder injury but returned to practice on Monday, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Brandon Aiyuk's contract dispute still hasn't been settled and may have been complicated by CeeDee Lamb's recent four-year, $136 million extension. Receiver depth may be tested early, but the 49ers appear confident that Pearsall and fellow rookie Jacob Cowing will be ready to contribute if needed.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have decided to end the D'Wayne Eskridge experiment. The Western Michigan product joined Seattle as a second-round pick in 2021 but struggled to stay on the field and play up to his draft status.

Eskridge landed on injured reserve with a concussion as a rookie, suffered a broken hand in Year 2 and was suspended for the first six games of 2023 for violation of the league's personal conduct policy.

Through three seasons, the 27-year-old caught only 17 passes and played only 373 offensive snaps. He was a long shot to find a large offensive role behind DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo this year. However, he had an outside shot at sticking as a special teams contributor.

While Eskridge doesn't have extensive special teams experience—he has only returned 17 kickoffs and played a mere 45 special teams snaps in the NFL—he finally found the highlight reel in Seattle's preseason finale with a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown.

That return might earn Eskridge a shot with another team in the not-too-distant future.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There weren't many surprises with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' cut decisions, as the team is looking to run it back with a core group that again won the NFC South in 2023.

However, the Bucs aren't going to rely solely on veteran talent this season.

Perhaps the most notable decision was Tampa's choice to only keep five receivers on the active roster. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were locks, of course, but rookie third-round pick Jalen McMillan and undrafted rookie Kameron Johnson will join them—along with Trey Palmer.

Cody Thompson, who signed in June, shined during the preseason and is a strong candidate to make the practice squad. The Buccaneers also released veteran Sterling Shepard, who was a notable signing primarily because he previously played with quarterback Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma.

The Bucs' initial 53-player roster is also filled with defensive backs, including rookie third-round pick Tykee Smith. This suggests that a lot of DBs will provide aid on special teams. It also suggests that Tampa may not have a definitive answer on how to improve a secondary that ranked 29th in passing yards allowed last season.

We could still see some shuffling on the back end of Tampa's defense this season.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans will give quarterback Will Levis every opportunity to prove himself this season.

Levis, a 2023 second-round pick out of Kentucky, started nine games as a rookie and showcased his toughness, dual-threat ability and arm talent. However, he went just 3-6 as the starter and had an underwhelming 84.2 quarterback rating.

It's been fairly clear throughout the offseason that Tennessee believes Levis can be the future. The Titans hired an offensive head coach in Brian Callahan, bolstered their receiving corps by signing Calvin Ridley and passed on taking another quarterback with the seventh overall pick in the draft.

Tennessee didn't add any real competition for Levis either. It signed veteran backup Mason Rudolph, who has shown he can start in a pinch but isn't a threat to overtake Levis as the QB of the future.

If there was such a threat on the roster, it was Malik Willis. The Liberty product hasn't shown much at the NFL level, but he was a 2022 third-round selection and is only 25 years old.

Tennessee's decision to send Willis to Green Bay made Tennessee's quarterback plan very apparent. Either Levis will pan out, or the Titans will be in the quarterback market next offseason.

Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders believe rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels can elevate their supporting cast, and not the other way around. This is what "franchise" quarterbacks are supposed to do, of course, but they don't already do it early in their careers.

A few of Washington's decisions ahead of final cuts suggest that the LSU product is already up to the challenge.

For one, the Commanders named Daniels the Week 1 starter before the preseason had even wrapped. Secondly, they traded 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson to the Eagles the week before the cut deadline.

The trade of Dotson tells us two things. One, it says the Commanders trust Daniels to get the most out of receivers like Olamide Zaccheaus, Dyami Brown and rookie Luke McCaffrey—Terry McLaurin is a proven star.

If Washington was looking to carry the rookie, it probably would have kept Dotson, who has been inconsistent but flashed talent with 11 touchdowns and a 12.4 yards-per-catch average in two seasons.

Secondly, it says the Commanders believe in the receiver depth they have and/or they can find a viable replacement for Dotson via trade or in the post-cuts free-agent pool.

Washington didn't get a ton in return for Dotson (a 2025 third-round pick and a pair of seventh-rounders) to send him to a division rival. So, while the compensation is something, the trade appears to be more about the current team—specifically, that Daniels is ready to help the Commanders turn the corner right away.

*Contract information via Spotrac.