Today is the first big roster transaction day as teams are required to cut from 90 players to 80 players. It originally was going to be a cut from 90 to 75, but I believe the lockout made the NFL decide 80 was a better number. Teams will make their final cutdown to the 53-man roster this weekend following the final preseason game of the schedule.
The roster cuts will come down some time today, but in the meantime, let's get predictions of the ten guys you think are released today. Maybe you think a big name gets a pink slip, or maybe it's a bunch of undrafted free agents. Some of the most likely UDFA candidates would include:
DL Brian Bulcke
OL Donovan Edwards
WR Chris Hogan
WR Joe Hastings
DB Anthony West
OT Derek Hall
OT Kenny Wiggins
RB Seth Smith
WR Tyler Beiler
The team has actually brought on some really interesting UDFAs and quite a few are going to make it past this cut. The most prominent names are guys like McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Chase Beeler, and even guys like Monte Simmons and Kenny Rowe. These are some legitimate practice squad candidates that will get one more game to show what they can do.
In deciding who to remove from the final ten, part of it does come down to whether you think a certain player can show you any more in a final preseason game. While I think Moran Norris sticks around at least into the weekend, it would not surprise me in the least if the team decided to make him one of the first ten cuts.
I say this even though I have him on my most recent 53-man roster projection because if the team decided not to keep him around, cutting him now gives him some additional time to sign on with somebody else. I've got to think they know what they have in him at this point. I'll even say that if he survives this first roster cut, the odds are high that he sticks around through the next roster cut. I'm sure I'll be wrong, but I'll go out on that limb.
As we look at the veterans on the roster, here are some possible cut candidates:
OG Nick Howell
TE Nate Lawrie
WR Kevin Jurovich
The combination of UDFAs and veterans puts us at only twelve guys for these first ten cuts. I think Jurovich and Nate Lawrie could find themselves sticking around, but either one being cut would not be a shocker. There are enough veterans involved in some final roster battles that I think only a few are legitimately likely to be cut tomorrow.
What ten players do you predict will be cut later today?