Kadarius Toney, Desmond Ridder and the most surprising cut from every NFL team (2024)

Another busy roster cutdown day passed as NFL teams traded, released and waived their way to 53-man rosters by Tuesday afternoon.

Not every initial roster looks how it was projected to, though. There were more than a few swerves, shocks and surprises. Which cuts surprised and intrigued The Athletic’s NFL beat reporters? You can find one for all 32 teams below.

Arizona Cardinals

Desmond Ridder, QB

The surprise depends on the starting point. Had someone told you that Arizona would cut Ridder when it acquired him in a March trade from Atlanta for receiver Rondale Moore, yes, you would have been surprised. But had someone told you this after watching Ridder perform during the preseason? Not at all. He was not good. Here’s the thing: Arizona needed a QB to back up Kyler Murray. Despite a below-average 2023 season with the Falcons, Ridder was worth a shot. He had starting experience. He had won games. The trade made sense. All Ridder had to do was hold off second-year backup Clayton Tune. He couldn’t do it. (Not dismissing Tune, he deserves credit.) The question now becomes whether the Cardinals stick with Tune at No. 2 or if they bring in another QB to challenge him. —Doug Haller

Atlanta Falcons

Kevin King, DB

The No. 33 pick of the 2017 draft (by the Packers) hasn’t played in the NFL since 2021, but he looked like he was on the verge of reviving his professional career in Atlanta this preseason. King got lots of work at outside cornerback, nickel and safety during practices and preseason games and consistently drew praise from the Falcons coaching staff, including assistant head coach for defense Jerry Gray, who coached King in Green Bay. “If he’s on this team, you’ll see a guy who can make some plays,” Gray said. “He’s got great ball skills. I like him because I know what he can do.” In the end, Atlanta’s decision to keep only five cornerbacks on the initial roster seems to have cost King that chance. — Josh Kendall

Baltimore Ravens

Anthony Miller, WR

It says a lot for how predictable this year’s cutdown day for the Ravens was that the most surprising cut was a wide receiver who signed with the team about midway through training camp and hasn’t caught a pass in an NFL regular-season game since 2021. The reality was that there were no real surprises this year for the Ravens, who had a good number of their moves on perceived “bubble” guys impacted by injuries. Miller was practicing well and moving around the field at a different speed than many of the other Ravens receivers. Baltimore had some uncertainty at wide receiver beyond its top three of Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor, and you could have made a case for Miller, a former Chicago Bears second-round pick, to get one of those final spots. — Jeff Zrebiec

Buffalo Bills

La’el Collins, OL

Collins was the most surprising Bills cut by name recognition and guaranteed money, but nothing else. The team signed Collins in free agency hoping he’d be their top backup, someone who could play both tackle and guard, and gave him $1.5 million guaranteed to do it. Instead, the summer showed that Collins struggled with speed as a pass blocker and moving on pull blocks in the run game. After just a couple of weeks, the tackle-guard versatility vanished, and he only practiced at guard, even splitting some backup reps with younger players. It leaves the Bills with no starting experience among their backups, but Collins’ play didn’t warrant a spot over someone else. — Joe Buscaglia

Carolina Panthers

Terrace Marshall Jr., WR

The Panthers did a lot of their heavy-lifting roster trimming in March, so there were few players left who would qualify as a huge surprise. But we’ll go with Marshall because he was a high draft pick (second round in 2021) and because he was coming off a strong end to the preseason. But the writing has been on the wall for the former LSU wideout for a while. Marshall requested a trade last fall, and the Panthers were shopping him ahead of Tuesday’s cuts. When GM Dan Morgan found no takers, he moved on from Marshall, who probably needed a fresh start. — Joseph Person

Chicago Bears

Jake Curhan, OT

The Bears have injury problems up front. Backup left tackle Larry Borom was placed on IR but is designated to return. Center/guard Ryan Bates is week-to-week with a shoulder problem. And rookie lineman Kiran Amegadjie recently returned to practice following surgery on his quad in October. Curhan also played for new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in Seattle for three years. But the Bears opted for backup center Doug Kramer, a sixth-round pick in 2022, to round out their depth up front. Veteran Matt Pryor can handle every role but center. — Adam Jahns

Cincinnati Bengals

Jalen Davis, CB

The Bengals went with just five cornerbacks, and that left the veteran Davis on the wrong side of the bubble. Last year, head coach Zac Taylor dubbed Davis one of the 32 best slot corners in the NFL, he was just sitting behind a premier starter in Mike Hilton. The 28-year-old has played in 50 games the past four seasons for Cincinnati. When the Bengals needed to pull from a veteran spot to keep 12 rookies on the 53, he was the last one out. The flexibility of fifth-round pick Josh Newton to kick inside (as can outside starter Dax Hill) made Davis’ presence less necessary, and he’s free to sign anywhere. The Bengals hope to keep him on the practice squad with a chance for elevation during the season, but that will be up to Davis as he assesses his options. — Paul Dehner Jr.

Cleveland Browns

Germain Ifedi, OL

The Browns signed Ifedi in April for insurance, and it’s possible — even likely — that he will be back with the team in some capacity soon. But his release Tuesday was a surprise because he’d spent the last week-plus as the starting left tackle, and even with Jack Conklin back to practice Tuesday, there’s nothing settled at the position. Ifedi has mostly been a guard and right tackle in his career, and the Browns plan to have Jedrick Wills Jr. back at left tackle sooner than later. With nothing settled or certain, though, it’s interesting that Ifedi wasn’t among the Browns’ initial 53. — Zac Jackson

Dallas Cowboys

Viliami Fehoko Jr., DL

It’s really not that surprising. Dallas’ roster cuts were mostly predictable. Fehoko didn’t show much during training camp or the preseason, but he was a fourth-round pick last year, and the Cowboys usually don’t part with that high of a pick this early into their career. Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was a big reason Dallas drafted Fehoko with the 129th pick, so don’t be surprised if he joins Quinn in Washington. Quinn saw a player who could potentially be a three-technique defensive tackle or a defensive end. The Cowboys were working him at defensive end with Sam Williams being lost for the season because of a knee injury. — Jon Machota

Denver Broncos

Tim Patrick, WR

The veteran who first joined the Broncos in 2017 missed the past two seasons because of injuries. In the offseason, the Broncos re-worked his contract to essentially make him a vet-minimum player. Those realities alone made Patrick vulnerable, especially after the Broncos spent two draft picks on wide receivers (Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele). Still, Patrick rallied during the final two weeks of training camp, culminating in a strong performance Aug. 18 against the Packers in which he caught his first touchdown pass in almost three years. It looked like Patrick, a locker room favorite, had done enough, but the Broncos on Monday signaled they’d release Patrick if they couldn’t find a trade partner. Sean Payton has made a concerted effort to build a younger team, and that movement was especially prevalent at wide receiver. — Nick Kosmider

Detroit Lions

Nate Sudfeld, QB

The way the Lions talked about Sudfeld led many to believe they could go with three QBs on the roster. Campbell said Sudfeld had the “upper hand” to be Detroit’s QB2 as recently as last week. He was viewed as their experienced option and was more consistent than Hooker in practice. And though Sudfeld certainly didn’t pass the eye test in the preseason, comments like those usually carry weight with this staff. In the end, though, Sudfeld was left off the initial roster. We’ll see if he’s brought back in some capacity. Worth noting: If veteran DT Kyle Peko isn’t back on the roster in the coming days, he’d be a stronger candidate for surprise cut than Sudfeld. — Colton Pouncy

Green Bay Packers

Anders Carlson, K

I thought throughout camp that veteran Greg Joseph would have to blow Carlson out of the water to win the job over him. After all, Carlson was the incumbent on whom the Packers used a sixth-round pick last year and Joseph was the guy who had already played for three teams in his first five seasons, including two mediocre seasons with the Vikings in 2022 and 2023. Not only that, but perhaps special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia thought he could resurrect the younger Carlson’s career after a rocky rookie season (missed a kick in nine of the last 12 games) like he helped do with older brother Daniel Carlson on the Raiders a couple years ago. Anders made 61 of 75 field goals this summer in practices and games (81.3 percent), while Joseph made 58 of 74 (78.4 percent). Yet the Packers took Joseph on the initial 53 and released Carlson, though it remains to be seen if Joseph will stick as Green Bay’s Week 1 kicker. — Matt Schneidman

Houston Texans

Desmond King II, CB

Most of the Texans’ cuts seemed pretty straightforward, but the decision to move on from King was a mild surprise. The former All-Pro defensive back and return man served as Houston’s lead nickelback last season. However, this preseason, Jalen Pitre had started to cut into King’s playing time after making the move from safety to nickel. The eighth-year veteran has nine career interceptions and 35 pass breakups and should manage to find work with a team looking to add another veteran to their secondary. — Mike Jones

Indianapolis Colts

Evan Hull, RB

Hull played just eight snaps during his rookie season last year because of a torn left MCL, but the 2023 fifth-round pick returned to form this summer and appeared to be contending for a backup role behind Jonathan Taylor. Instead, the Colts opted to keep Trey Sermon, who has been sidelined for weeks with a hamstring injury, and former UDFA Tyler Goodson. Hull hasn’t proven much in the NFL, though he was a solid pass-catcher and serviceable pass-blocker throughout training camp. Perhaps a couple of teams may be willing to take a swing on the 23-year-old with a waiver claim. — James Boyd

Jacksonville Jaguars

Terrell Edmunds, S

The Jaguars have done a nice job over the past couple of seasons fortifying their secondary, which led to the 27-year-old Edmunds being expendable during final cuts, though it would make sense for the sides to reunite if he’s unclaimed. Edmunds, a Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick in 2018, has six career interceptions and tallied a couple of forced fumbles this preseason, so he could be an attractive waiver wire possibility for teams looking for playmaking upside in a reserve role. — Jeff Howe

Kansas City Chiefs

Kadarius Toney, WR

Last year, the Chiefs started training camp with Toney as their projected No. 1 receiver. But following a disastrous 2023 season, one that ended with him not in uniform during the team’s Super Bowl run, Toney’s chances of making the Chiefs’ initial roster for this season were pretty slim. He missed a decent amount of time in training camp with ankle and back injuries, and his first snap of the preseason against the Lions was dreadful: He committed two penalties, as he covered tight end Irv Smith Jr. on the line of scrimmage and then held cornerback Khalil Dorsey while trying to block on the perimeter for running back Deneric Prince. When the Chiefs signed veteran receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to their roster Monday, it all but assured that Toney’s time in Kansas City was over. — Nate Taylor

Las Vegas Raiders

Jalen Guyton, WR

The Raiders signed Guyton this offseason to add depth to the receiver room, but he didn’t have much of a chance to prove himself. He missed most of OTAs and training camp with an undisclosed injury. In his absence, other receivers like Tre Tucker and DJ Turner showed up, played well and made Guyton expendable. Despite his ties to general manager Tom Telesco — Guyton played for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2019 to 2023 — he didn’t do enough to justify a roster spot. Perhaps he sticks around on the practice squad. — Tashan Reed

Los Angeles Chargers

Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, Edge

Morris-Brash was a steady performer during training camp, and even though he was an undrafted free agent in a crowded edge rusher room, it looked like he was trending toward a 53-man spot. He was disruptive as a pass-rusher in practice, including against the Chargers’ first-team offensive line. His go-to move is an inside spin, and in one practice during the fourth week of camp, he used it to create pressure while one-on-one against left tackle Rashawn Slater. Morris-Brash carried the strong practices into the preseason games, where he totaled four pressures and had a pick-six in the preseason finale against the Cowboys. Between game and practice production, I thought Morris-Brash had done enough. That was not the case. — Daniel Popper

Los Angeles Rams

Ernest Jones IV, ILB (trade)

This isn’t a cut, but could it have been? Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay sure sounded on Tuesday afternoon like the team’s decision to move on from starter and captain Ernest Jones was purely for on-field reasons, between Jones missing some time in the spring with a knee issue — having to catch up in camp as a new defensive coordinator took over — and the emergence of younger (in the Rams’ perspective, cheaper) players like undrafted rookie Omar Speights. Jones is one of the better blitzing inside linebackers in the NFL and should fit right in to Titans DC Dennard Wilson’s scheme, but it was still a move that left the Rams fan base scratching their heads. — Jourdan Rodrigue

Miami Dolphins

Mike White, QB

Probably could have gone with cornerback Nik Needham, too, but ultimately picked White because it’s surprising that it came to this. It was just last year that White was viewed as a coveted backup quarterback option. After a 2022 season that raised major questions about starting QB Tua Tagovailoa’s health and future, the Dolphins made White a free agent priority as their top insurance policy for Tagovailoa. It ended up being a policy Miami didn’t need — Tagovailoa started all 18 Dolphins games, including playoffs — and this summer, White has been outplayed by 2022 seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson. With Thompson still on a rookie contract, it made it much easier for the Dolphins to move on from White. — Jim Ayello

Minnesota Vikings

Kene Nwangwu, RB/KR

Nwangwu seemed like a shoo-in for the Vikings roster for a couple of reasons. First, he is an accomplished kick returner, having tallied three kick return touchdowns in his career. Second, he was the team’s third-string running back throughout most of camp and looked as spry and complete a back as at any point in his career. Cutting him leaves two clear holes, and one big one, considering the altered kickoff rules. Maybe the Vikings ask Brandon Powell, who has returned punts and might be more durable, to do the returning. Maybe they sign another running back to play behind Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler. Regardless, now both spots need filling. — Alec Lewis

New England Patriots

Kevin Harris, RB

It’s admittedly a bit difficult to pick a surprise cut on a team with a bad roster, but we’ll go with Harris, who seemed like the team’s No. 3 running back for most of training camp. Instead, the Patriots left Tuesday with only three running backs on the roster (Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, and JaMycal Hasty) even though they plan on running the ball more than most teams. Harris had an impressive 18-yard touchdown reception from Drake Maye in the preseason finale, but it wasn’t enough to earn one of the final roster spots. — Chad Graff

New Orleans Saints

Lou Hedley, P

Wherefore art thou, Thomas Morstead? Punter has become a revolving door since the Saints let the veteran leave following the 2020 season. Add Hedley to the list of former Saints punters since Morstead’s departure. Last offseason, the Saints opted to keep Hedley, a former semi-pro Australian footballer who punted at Miami, instead of incumbent Blake Gilikin. Now Hedley is out after only averaging 39.7 net yards per punt last year, ranking tied for 27th, but finished tied for fifth with 31 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. So as of now, it’s Matthew Hayball time at punter. — Larry Holder

New York Giants

Miles Boykin, WR

Boykin is the biggest surprise … for now. Giants coach Brian Daboll called the roster situation “fluid” ahead of Tuesday’s practice, making it clear the final 53-man roster isn’t yet set. Boykin, who worked as a special teams starter throughout camp, looked like he had a place on the team. However, with 2023 UDFA Bryce Ford-Wheaton in attendance Tuesday, it seems that role might go to Ford-Wheaton. Isaiah Hodgins was another wide receiver cut that caused a stir given Hodgins’ impact on the 2022 playoff team. But Hodgins couldn’t carve out a role in camp with a revamped receiver group pushing him down the depth chart. — Charlotte Carroll

New York Jets

Jaylen Key, S

Maybe it’s not a shocker like it was when the Jets cut Jason Pinnock a couple years ago, but general manager Joe Douglas rarely cuts recent draft picks (especially in the year they were drafted, which he’s only done once before) and Key showed an ability to at least contribute on special teams while developing as a safety. The Jets ultimately decided to just keep four safeties and clearly didn’t see a role for Key right away. “Mr. Irrelevant” will be back on the practice squad assuming he doesn’t get claimed on waivers first. — Zack Rosenblatt

Philadelphia Eagles

Dylan McMahon, C

In a head-scratching move, the Eagles waived sixth-round pick Dylan McMahon. It’s unusual for general manager Howie Roseman to part with recent draft picks. He’s the first player drafted by the Eagles to not make the initial 53-man roster since JaCoby Stevens (sixth round, 2020). The Eagles are confident in Cam Jurgens as their starting center, but there isn’t much certainty right now who his backup is. Of Roseman’s moderate investments along the interior offensive line — McMahon, Trevor Keegan, Mekhi Becton, Brett Toth, Max Scharping, Nick Gates — only Keegan, a collegiate left guard, made the roster. McMahon is subject to waivers, so it’s not a given the Eagles can stash him on the practice squad. Roseman may need to do some scavenging to prevent two-time Pro Bowler Landon Dickerson from ever needing to spell Jurgens. — Brooks Kubena

Pittsburgh Steelers

Dez Fitzpatrick, WR

Fitzpatrick isn’t necessarily a name many fans of the league may know. However, last season on the Steelers’ practice squad, he was often tasked with simulating the opponent’s top receiver, providing quality looks for Joey Porter Jr. during his rookie season. Fitzpatrick’s game grew in the process, and he put together a strong camp, highlighted by a 62-yard reception in Saturday’s preseason game against Detroit. On a team with plenty of question marks at receiver, he looked like he had made a strong push. Instead, the Steelers chose to keep just five receivers on their initial 53-man roster and may be looking for a more-established veteran to snag on the open market. — Mike DeFabo

San Francisco 49ers

Eric Saubert, TE

No, Saubert’s not a household name. But he was the team’s best blocking tight end not named George Kittle throughout the spring and summer. What’s more, the team also waived 2023 draft picks Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis on Tuesday. That left them with just two tight ends on the initial roster, Kittle and Jake Tonges, who has played just 16 offensive snaps in his career. The 49ers obviously will make at least one more transaction at tight end Wednesday, perhaps signing Saubert. But the meager condition the position is in at the moment speaks to the misses and miscalculations they’ve made there over the past year and a half. — Matt Barrows

Seattle Seahawks

D.J. James, CB

James, a sixth-round rookie out of Auburn, was the only Seahawks draft pick to be waived. The move is a surprise because of Seattle general manager John Schneider’s tendency to keep healthy draft picks. James played with the backup secondary throughout camp, bouncing between outside cornerback and nickel. In three preseason games James played 147 defensive snaps and recorded one pass breakup, two tackles for no gain on pass plays and a sack. James was waived in favor of undrafted rookie Dee Williams, another surprising move even though Williams has value as a kickoff returner. — Michael-Shawn Dugar

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sterling Shepard, WR

The truth is the Bucs didn’t have a surprising cut. Every one of their cuts could be seen coming, including Shepard, who didn’t really distinguish himself in training camp. There were hopes for Shepard when the Bucs signed him in the offseason. He and Baker Mayfield had been a potent combination at Oklahoma, and his NFL career began promisingly after the Giants chose him in the third round. But he hasn’t been the same since tearing his Achilles in 2021. Bucs coach Todd Bowles indicated he would like to get Shepard back in some capacity. — Dan Pompei

Tennessee Titans

Gabe Jeudy-Lally and Tre Avery, CB

These two go together because both figured to make the roster to give the Titans six cornerbacks — two of them, L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie, having missed most of camp and entering the season with significant injury histories. But the fact that neither of those corners stuck with the team is quite a surprise. Jeudy-Lally, an undrafted free agent who stood out early in camp, seemed like a solid bet as CB5. Avery was a bit more of a question but also has experience and has played solid football for the Titans. With four corners, the Titans must have a clear plan for the waiver wire. — Joe Rexrode

Washington Commanders

KJ Henry, DE

This isn’t solely about the release of last year’s fifth-round pick, though Henry showed promise as a pass-rusher. Henry was one of five members of Washington’s seven-player 2023 draft class released Tuesday. Yes, only two remain, and one of them, first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, struggled throughout his rookie season. These misses are on top of other evaluation flops by the previous regime and help explain the roster concerns inherited by new GM Adam Peters. — Ben Standig

(Top photos of Desmond Ridder, left, and Kadarius Toney: Justin Casterline and David Eulitt / Getty Images)