Notable NFL Cut Day releases

August 29^th was a tough day for fringe players looking to make Week 1 NFL rosters, but franchises across the league had to make difficult decisions. Amidst the bevy of transactions that take place are strategic signings and waiver claims made by other teams looking to pick up players who were recently dropped. We’ll take a look at some cuts that are worth mentioning.

Running back attrition and lack of respect has been a theme this offseason, and it’s fair to wonder whether Gordon will latch on with another NFL team. He was a solid backfield option as recently as a couple of years ago, when he punched in eight touchdowns for the Denver Broncos. The 30 year-old ball carrier may be forced into retirement sooner than he wanted.

Kickers don’t have a lot of room to make mistakes in the NFL, which is understandable considering they have one job to do. With that said, Maher did that one thing very well for four NFL seasons, and has knocked in 60 yard field goals in the past. However, he missed multiple extra points last year in the playoffs for the Dallas Cowboys, and the Broncos didn’t want to take a chance on him.

This figures to be a long season in Arizona, but parting ways with seemingly solid veteran depth behind starting running back James Conner is a bit puzzling. It appears like the Cardinals are either going to give Conner all the touches he can handle, or have elected to entrust unproven backs with real responsibility.

The Panthers made an intriguing move by letting Rowe go. He’s been a solid secondary player during his career, but this move might make teams wonder whether he’s taken multiple steps back. Carolina is in need of experienced leadership throughout their team, so cutting bait with Rowe must mean that they felt he could not contribute on the field.

Dantzler has certainly racked up the frequent flyer miles in recent months. After spending three subpar campaigns with the Minnesota Vikings, Dantzler was let go by the team that drafted him in March. Since then, the Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans have all brought him in, but eventually elected to go their separate ways.

It’s no secret that the Giants are looking for more production out of their wide receiver group. The fact that Crowder couldn’t find his way on to a roster with one of the most unproven pass catching units in the NFL is a troubling sign for his future plans. The slot man will look to catch on elsewhere, perhaps when another team suffers an injury in that area.

Abram is a former first round draft pick of the Las Vegas Raiders, and it seemed like he would be a hard-hitting presence for them. He’s bounced around the league in the last year or so, suiting up for the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. Abram may also need to prove that he can stay healthy, which is something that has plagued him in his brief career.

The Jets have one of the most interesting running back rooms in the NFL. Breece Hall is coming off of a serious knee injury, and the newly signed Dalvin Cook is in a race to get ready for the start of the season. New York felt that Michael Carter must have been enough of an insurance policy for the above situations, so they gave Knight the pink slip.

There were times last season where the Patriots openly wondered about Mac Jones as their unquestioned starter under center. Zappe’s name came up in a possible quarterback competition, but the team appears to have restored its faith in Jones. Zappe might resurface with the team on the practice squad.

Bengals fans are hopeful that star quarterback Joe Burrow will be ready for Week 1 after suffering a calf injury in training camp. If he’s not, Cincinnati will turn to Jake Browning, as the front office decided to move on from Siemian. Browning beat Siemian out fair and square, but it is interesting that the Bengals went with the player who has less NFL experience.