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5 NFL Players Who Could Be Cut Before the 2025 Regular Season

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5 NFL Players Who Could Be Cut Before the 2025 Regular Season

The unfortunate reality of gearing up for the NFL season is that these beefy 90-player rosters have to become 53 players before August 26th.

That'll mean that a lot of previous contributors and former top draft picks finally hit the road from their current teams for contractual reasons or poor play.

However, some gems will appear and potentially help a different squad in 2025.

Here are five players who might surprise you to be on the bubble -- and where they could be heading.

Top NFL Players on Their Team's Roster Bubble

Tommy DeVito, QB, New York Giants

It's not exactly like a starting-caliber quarterback is on any roster bubble. Heck, even backups are tough to find.

Taylor Heinicke probably outlasts DJ Uiagalelei on the Los Angeles Chargers' depth chart, so if he stays put, the biggest name on the market at QB is probably Tommy DeVito.

"Tommy Cutlets" is more well-known for his unique celebration and character of an agent than his own ability, posting a QBR of 27.0 or worse in each of his first two NFL seasons with 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. DeVito's mental options seemed to be to run, check it down (per a 5.3-yard aDOT in 2024), or throw it away.

Realistically, the quarterback's New York chapter ended when the team drafted Jaxson Dart after signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason.

DeVito is not good, but he's got a small slice of NFL lore with an adventurous 3-5 record as a starter. Maybe he'll resurface at some point.

Audric Estime, RB, Denver Broncos

I don't think there's a better player than second-year running back Audric Estime who might be available. He and Sean Payton need a divorce.

Estime, a fifth-rounder out of Notre Dame in 2024, has a very unique skillset at 227 pounds. He's a bruiser with a nose for the goal line. He totaled 2,598 scrimmage yards in two years as a starter for the Irish as one of the top RB prospects in his class.

However, he caught only 26 balls in college when Payton and Bo Nix shuffled the fourth-most targets to running backs last year (117), and they've gone to more of a zone running scheme under the former New Orleans Saints coach.

There's still a ton of promise for Estime in a power scheme, and he's only 21 years old. He could contribute right away on early downs for the Chicago Bears or Dallas Cowboys, but my favorite fit for his longevity might be spelling Derrick Henry with the Baltimore Ravens.

Diontae Johnson, WR, Cleveland Browns

If the Browns are indeed keeping four quarterbacks on the active roster, other positions will feel that pain.

Cleveland's wide receiving room is sneaky deep with both Diontae Johnson and David Bell on the bubble. Rookie Gage Larvadain seems to be ahead of both after such a good preseason that the Browns ensured not to let him assist Shedeur Sanders in the second half of Saturday's contest.

Bell might survive on an injury list, making Johnson a bit of a surprising cut. It would continue his fall from grace for a guy that averaged 8.3 targets (26.6% share) and 51.0 receiving yards per game for the Carolina Panthers in the first seven weeks of 2024.

Johnson could end up helping an injury-plagued room down the road, but many teams could say "no thanks" after last year's tumultuous stints with the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans.

Taysom Hill, TE, New Orleans Saints

There can be ugly math involved in these tough decisions, too.

Taysom Hill tore his ACL last December, so he's out for the bulk of the season already and could certainly begin the season on injured reserve. That would be the normal plan for a player in this situation.

However, Hill might also be at a crossroads. He's 35, and the Saints just hired a brand new coaching staff under Kellen Moore and drafted Tyler Shough in the second round in April. The team could save roughly $10 million by separating from Hill with a post-June cut.

Of course, former coaches and offensive coordinators are now with the Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, so it may not be the last we see of the do-it-all wild card. Before the injury, he was arguably having the most consistent stretch of his career as a skill player, drawing 39 targets and 31 carries in more of a backfield role behind Alvin Kamara last season.

Cole Strange, G, New England Patriots

Bill Belichick's success as a drafter in New England might have had as much to do with the six-time Super Bowl winner's exodus as his success on the field.

Another humbling reminder of that for Pats fans is offensive guard Cole Strange. In 2022, Les Snead and Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams infamously mocked (in somewhat positive spirits) New England's selection of Strange in the first round, saying that they identified him as a fourth-round prospect from UT Chattanooga.

Well, surprise picks or "reaches" don't always fail, but Strange seems to have. He was Pro Football Focus (PFF)'s fourth-worst graded center last year, and the new regime can't love what they've seen in preseason.

Strange is seemingly on the roster bubble in Foxborough via most sources after a summer where New England invested quite a few resources into its offensive line, including the No. 4 overall pick in April. Snead and McVay might have a chance to land their guy after all.


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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

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