#nfl-roster-cuts

#nfl-roster-cuts

Higgins' reaction was among the highlights of a Ravens video that captured the reactions of three undrafted rookies who overcame the steep challenge of making an NFL 53-man roster. In a span of four months, Higgins, cornerback Keyon Martin and safety Reuben Lowery went from the dejection of not getting selected in the NFL draft to the joy of landing a spot on a Super Bowl contender's roster. Higgins' family put the video in a group chat. Inside linebackers coach Tyler Santucci played the video in the meeting room.

Those who weren't invited back to the team looked to sign elsewhere, including former first-round pick and infamous Bill Belichick reach, Cole Strange. He was a shocking yet not-so-much cut from this year's squad, primarily due to his inability to live up to his draft status, but also because the lack of offensive line depth made it seem like he could make the roster.

This was far more than a trim. NFL teams had to shear an enormous number of players from rosters Tuesday, dropping from as many as 90 players to 53 by 1 p.m. PDT. The league's tallest player and heaviest player both were cut. A former Rams star running back is out of a job. So is a star receiver. And so is one of Deion Sanders' sons, but not the one so many folks seem to love to despise.

Sam Hartman's tentative performance this preseason has left any immediate thoughts of him becoming the Washington Commanders' QB3 in disarray. Dan Quinn still has the definitive journeyman Josh Johnson on the initial 53-man roster, and it is possible offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury feels comfortable enough with the veteran to pencil him into the depth chart behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.

With a strong nucleus of veterans and ascending young players, and the addition of several key free-agents, the Rams went into training camp with a deep and talented roster. So deep that veteran running back Ronnie Rivers and several recent draft picks were among 23 players waived on Tuesday as the Rams trimmed the roster to the NFL-mandated 53 players.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Three-time Super Bowl champion Mecole Hardman and former first-round pick Isaiah Simmons were among the players released Tuesday by the Green Bay Packers, sources told ESPN. The Packers took fliers on both Hardman and Simmons this offseason, but neither showed enough in the preseason and training camp to crack the 53-man roster. Green Bay invested little in either player, giving Hardman just a $150,000 signing bonus and Simmons only $167,500.

Akers, a 2020 second-round draft pick, signed with the Saints in June and has been competing for a backup spot behind Alvin Kamara. Akers was released as part of a wave of 14 transactions the Saints made ahead of Tuesday's roster cut deadline. "NFL a crazy place," Akers wrote on X on Monday, adding a crying face emoji to his post.