Tuesday will mark either a significant bump in the road or the end of the line for several football players and their professional careers. For others, though, it will mark the beginning of a new journey in the NFL.
By 4 p.m. ET, all teams reduce their rosters to 53 players. A number of teams have already announced a first round of cuts, but many more are still to come. And the deadline could also spur action on the trade front, as a handful of players have already been swapped in the last few days.
Check back with USA TODAY Sports throughout the day (and get a refresher on all of Monday’s meaningful transactions) for all the latest news on notable moves from the league:
Damar Hamlin makes Buffalo Bills’ roster
Damar Hamlin’s NFL comeback bid is officially a go.
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The third-year safety who suffered cardiac arrest in last season’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals will be on the Buffalo Bills’ 53-man roster, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
Hamlin had been a full participant in training camp and preseason games, and it was widely expected that he would find a place on the roster. But with Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde returning as starters, and Taylor Rapp added for depth, Hamlin still had to find his place as a backup.
Jacksonville Jaguars’ roster cuts finalized
The Jacksonville Jaguars have set their 53-man roster.
Here’s a look at the moves the team announced Tuesday to get them to that point.
Waived: Long snapper Tucker Addington, wide Kevin Austin Jr., safety Latavious Brini, outside linebacker D.J. Coleman, Conner, offensive lineman Coy Cronk, defensive lineman De’Shaan Dixon, Hallett, wide receiver Jacob Harris, cornerback CB Kaleb Hayes, linebacker Dequan Jackson, offensive lineman Samuel Jackson, wide receiver Oliver Martin, kicker James McCourt, safety Ayo Oyelola, Parish, tight end Josh Pederson, tight end Gerrit Prince, wide receiver Kendric Pryor, quarterback Nathan Rourke, Smith, outside linebacker Willie Taylor III, Vohasek, offensive lineman Darryl Williams, wide receiver Seth Williams and cornerback Divaad Wilson.
Waived/injured: Wide receiver Jaray Jenkins.
Released: Offensive lineman Chandler Brewer, cornerback Tevaughn Campbell, defensive lineman Michael Dogbe, offensive lineman Bobby Evans and running back Qadree Ollison.
Injured reserve: Offensive lineman Josh Wells and rookie linebacker Ventrell Miller.
Dallas Cowboys’ roster cuts include former fourth-rounder
The Dallas Cowboys are moving on from linebacker Jabril Cox, with NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reporting that the team is waiving the 2021 fourth-round pick out of LSU.
Cox tore his anterior cruciate ligament halfway through his rookie campaign, and he has had trouble finding significant work beyond special teams action. In two years, he has seen just 45 total defensive snaps.
Tight end Sean McKeon, running back Malik Davis, wide receiver Dennis Houston and safety Sheldrick Redwine were among the Cowboys’ other early roster cuts, according to multiple reports.
Another kicker on the move as Patriots send Nick Folk to Titans
Tuesday’s roster cut deadline has proven to be a catalyst for kicker trades.
The latest: The New England Patriots are sending veteran Nick Folk to the Tennessee Titans, according to multiple reports.
Nick’s ouster in New England was expected after Bill Belichick used a fourth-round pick in April on Maryland product Chad Ryland. Now, the job officially belongs to the rookie.
A 15-year veteran, Folk converted 32 of 37 field-goal attempts last season. He is set to take over in Tennessee after the Titans dropped Randy Bullock as part of their offseason overhaul.
Kicker trade! Saints send Wil Lutz to Broncos
Another one of Sean Payton’s former New Orleans Saints players is linking up with the coach as he begins his first year with the Denver Broncos.
The Saints are trading kicker Wil Lutz to the Broncos, according to multiple reports.
Lutz had been the Saints’ kicker since 2016 and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019. This offseason, however, he was pushed by rookie Blake Grupe, who now will take over for the team.
The Broncos faced uncertainty at kicker after cutting mainstay Brandon McManus in May. Rather than decide between Brett Maher and Elliot Fry – who combined to convert just one of four field goal attempts in the preseason opener – Payton turned to a familiar face in Lutz.
Philadelphia Eagles’ roster cuts include Olympian Devon Allen
The next hurdle for Devon Allen might not be so easy to clear.
The wide receiver and two-time Olympic hurdler is among the Eagles’ roster cuts on Tuesday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported.
Allen, 28, could be a candidate to return to the Eagles’ practice squad, where he spent all of last season. If Allen is to crack the active roster and make any contributions in 2023, however, his best route might be as a returner. In the Eagles’ preseason finale against the Colts, Allen had a 73-yard kickoff return that set up the team’s first touchdown.
“I still have a lot to accomplish in both sports,” Allen said in June. “I’ve still got goals (in track) − world championship medals, world records. And then on top of that, to contribute and play football and win a Super Bowl.”
Von Miller to miss Buffalo Bills’ first four games
The Buffalo Bills will be without one of their leaders and key contributors to start the season.
Von Miller will be out for the team’s first four games as he remains on the physically unable to perform list past Tuesday’s deadline for activation, according to multiple reports.
The eight-time Pro Bowl pass rusher is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 12 of last year. The move means he will miss the “Monday Night Football” opener against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, as well as contests against the Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins.
Denver Broncos’ cuts include former touted tight end
Albert Okwuegbunam’s big performance in the final preseason game wasn’t enough to save him from the chopping block.
The Denver Broncos are releasing the tight end, according to multiple reports.
Okwuegbunam, 25, recorded seven receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ win over the Los Angeles Rams this weekend.
“He had a big night,” new Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the game. “I mean, holy cow.”
Okwuegbunam, however, was stuck behind Greg Dulchich, Adam Trautman and Chris Manhertz on the depth chart.
A fourth-round pick out of Missouri in 2020, Okwuegbunam was expected to provide a dynamic receiving threat at the position. In three seasons, however, he managed just 54 catches for 546 yards and four touchdowns.
Miami Dolphins’ cuts include former leading rusher
The Miami Dolphins are moving on from a key player of yesteryear.
The team plans to release running back Myles Gaskin, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Gaskin, 26, was a seventh-round pick of the Dolphins in 2019 but went on to lead the team in rushing in both 2020 (584 yards) and 2021 (612). With Mike McDaniel taking over last season, however, the offense turned to speedier backs in Raheem Mostery and Jeff Wilson Jr., both of whom re-signed with the team in March. Miami also selected De’Von Achane out of Texas A&M in the third round of April’s NFL draft.
Giants clear up outlook at receiver, add a pass rusher
The New York Giants made a couple of moves to resolve their glut of slot receivers.
Veterans Jamison Crowder and Cole Beasley were cut by the team on Tuesday morning, according to multiple reports.
Crowder and Beasley signed with New York this offseason but were part of a crowded group of slot receivers, including Parris Campbell and Wan’Dale Robinson. Robinson was set to be activated from the physically unable to perform list ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Meanwhile, the Giants also swung a trade with the Buffalo Bills to add pass rusher Boogie Basham. A second-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2021, Basham has recorded 4 1/2 sacks in two seasons for Buffalo. In New York, Basham should add to an edge rush led by second-year standout Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari.
The team is also releasing outside linebacker Oshane Ximines, according to multiple reports. A third-round pick out of Old Dominion in 2019, Ximines played in 15 games last season and made four starts, recording two sacks.
Chargers part with Heisman Trophy runner-up
If the Los Angeles Chargers see any future with Max Duggan, it won’t begin with the former TCU quarterback on the active roster to begin the year.
The Chargers plan to waive Duggan, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
A seventh-round selection, Duggan was a long shot to stick on the 53-man roster in his first year, though he could be a candidate to land on the practice squad as a developmental option. His departure leaves the Chargers with only Justin Herbert and backup Easton Stick at quarterback.
Duggan, who played at TCU alongside rookie Chargers receivers Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis, accounted for 41 total touchdowns last season and helped lead the Horned Frogs to the national championship game.
Eagles add suspended CB Isaiah Rodgers
The Philadelphia Eagles are taking a flier on a defensive player who won’t make any contributions for at least a year.
The Eagles on Monday signed cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who is suspended for at least the entire 2023 season for gambling on NFL games.
Rodgers, 25, was released by the Indianapolis Colts in June after the ban was handed down. He started nine games last year and had recorded three interceptions in three seasons while also contributing as a returner.
When are NFL final roster cuts due in 2023?
Teams must pare their rosters down to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Several teams have already announced their first wave of cuts, and more will filter through on Monday and Tuesday before the official lists come out.
However, the rosters are not exactly “final” by Tuesday afternoon. Teams have until noon on Wednesday to make claims on any players waived in the roster cutdown process. Of course, teams must make corresponding moves to keep their rosters at 53 when adding a player, which means that some players might be led to believe they’ve made the “final” cut only to learn a day later that they’re out.
