Decisions made when NFL teams trim their rosters from 90 players down to just 53 are bound to be met with at least some criticism. It's rare for a GM's 53-man roster to match up with what fans project. The reality is that most of the players battling it out on the margins won't do much elsewhere ... but there are also bound to be exceptions.
Below are 20 players released on Sunday (or earlier) who could thrive elsewhere and punish their former clubs for cutting bait when perhaps they should've held on for a little bit longer.
RB Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals
Waiving Trey Benson was a defensible decision from the Arizona Cardinals' perspective. Not only is their running back room stacked (Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier, James Conner and Bam Knight all made the team), but Benson has also played in just 17 games across his first two seasons, including just four in 2025. The Cards have depth at the position to spare and no reason to believe Benson will stay healthy.
With that being said, Arizona's loss could be another team's gain, as Benson has averaged 4.9 yards per carry when he's been on the field, showing that he has the talent to contribute. If he can stay healthy (and it's admittedly a rather big if), the Cardinals will regret letting him go.
RB Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys
To be clear, Jaydon Blue has not been good. He averaged just 3.4 yards per carry in his rookie season, and he has a well-documented fumbling issue that hasn't gotten any better at the NFL level. Still, he was a fifth-round pick by Dallas just last year, is extremely explosive and is only 22 years old. A change of scenery can help Blue unlock his potential and become a real contributor elsewhere.
QB Jake Browning, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jake Browning was outplayed by undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels all preseason, prompting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to keep the undrafted free agent as their QB2 behind Baker Mayfield. With that being said, not only is Browning an experienced NFL quarterback, but he showed real upside in going 4-3 and while completing over 70 percent of his passes with Joe Burrow sidelined in 2023. It hasn't been pretty since, but Browning could easily recapture some of that magic elsewhere and make Tampa Bay regret its decision, especially if the unproven Daniels struggles.
EDGE Marcus Davenport, Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears only signed Marcus Davenport a couple of weeks ago, and he didn't even practice with the team as he's trying to get into game shape, so it isn't shocking that he was ultimately cut. Still, the Bears need help in the trenches, and while Davenport has fallen short of expectations at the NFL level, he still has 25 career sacks to his name. He's missed significant time due to injuries, so it's no guarantee that he'll be healthy or productive in 2026, but he has the talent to be a contributor. That's something the Bears could use on their defensive line.
CB Trevon Diggs, Seattle Seahawks
Trevon Diggs is another veteran who was signed just a couple of weeks ago and then released on cut-down day. If he winds up on the Seahawks' practice squad as planned, this move is obviously fine. However, if another team were to sign him, Seattle might regret this move. Sure, Diggs probably won't be ready to go in Week 1, and he's dealt with his share of injuries, but he's only 27 years old and has an All-Pro ceiling.
LB Tyrel Dodson, Miami Dolphins
Tyrel Dodson had the best season of his career in 2025, recording 129 tackles and 5.0 sacks, so the Miami Dolphins' decision to cut him was puzzling. Dodson didn't do much with the Bills but really came into his own with the Dolphins, and he's still only 28 years old. Teams in need of linebacker depth are presumably pleasantly surprised that Dodson is available.
RB Tyler Goodson, Atlanta Falcons
What's most interesting about Tyler Goodson's release is that it left the Atlanta Falcons with only two running backs on their roster. Goodson isn't a game-changer, but he's averaged 4.9 yards per carry in parts of three NFL seasons and he was Atlanta's best running back in the preseason, as evidenced by his team-leading 92 rushing yards and 5.1 yards per carry. He felt like a slam-dunk RB3, and instead, another team might get him now.
K Blake Grupe, Indianapolis Colts
I'm not here to say Blake Grupe deserved to win the Indianapolis Colts' kicker competition over Spencer Shrader, the latter of whom excelled in the preseason. But I will say the Colts could regret letting Grupe go. He excelled after being brought in by Indy last year, making all 11 of his field goals and all 10 of his extra points. Grupe has also done fairly well from 50+ yards in his NFL career, going 19-for-27 (and 4-for-4 in his time with the Colts). It's hard to find a reliable kicker, and the Colts might've just let one land right in the Jets' lap, as New York quickly claimed him off waivers.
TE Justin Joly, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos felt so strongly about selecting Justin Joly in the 2026 NFL Draft that they traded up to draft him in the fifth round. But despite their efforts, and his 88-yard touchdown reception in Week 3 of the preseason, Joly was released, opening the door for the Dolphins to claim him off waivers. It's incredibly rare for a recent fifth-round pick, let alone one a team felt strongly enough about to trade up for, to be released before playing a single regular-season snap, and that controversial decision could be one the Broncos regret — particularly given that they don't have any semblance of a long-term solution at the tight end position.
WR Charlie Jones, Cincinnati Bengals
Charlie Jones has not done much as a receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, so it makes sense that they cut him, but he does have three touchdowns in three years on special teams. Jones has been an excellent return man for the Bengals, and while that's often overlooked in roster construction, he can be a valuable contributor in that area elsewhere. Cincy will have a tough time replacing him in that role.
QB Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
It wasn't pretty for Will Levis, who went just 5-16 as a starter with the Tennessee Titans and had nearly as many interceptions (12) as passing touchdowns (13) when last seen in 2024, but this is a guy who was selected with the first pick of the second round just three years ago. Levis is far from flawless, but he has tools worth betting on; I mean, in his NFL debut, he had 238 passing yards and four touchdowns. I don't know whether Levis will get another chance in the NFL, but if he does, he has the upside to make the Titans pay, especially with Cam Ward having his own share of question marks,
RB Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos chose to roster Tyler Badie over Jaleel McLaughlin as their RB4 mainly because they believe Badie can help more in pass protection and on special teams. They might be right in that regard, but cutting bait with McLaughlin, who has averaged 4.8 yards per carry in three seasons with the Broncos, could come back to bite them. McLaughlin has a ton of speed and is capable of making a big play whenever he's in the game. Badie might've been a better fit for now, but if a running back higher on the depth chart were to suffer an injury, the Broncos will come to miss McLaughlin, who'd been a capable fill-in.
OL Wayna Morris, Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons believed in Wayna Morris enough to trade for him this offseason, only to cut him after the preseason. It's fair to argue whether he's a starting-caliber offensive lineman, but what isn't debatable is that he has 16 starts and 43 appearances in three NFL seasons, including 11 starts and 17 appearances for Kansas City in 2024 — a year in which the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Morris is only 25 years old and was a third-round pick three years ago. Atlanta's choice to leave him off the roster rather than making him a swing tackle is a decision they could regret if Morris latches on elsewhere.
OL Evan Neal, New York Giants
Evan Neal got yet another chance to prove he belongs with the New York Giants, and once again, he came up short. As bad as that looks for him, Neal is 25 years old and is four years removed from being the No. 7 overall selection in the NFL Draft. It hasn't worked at the NFL level yet, but Neal, who did play well in the Giants' preseason finale, could haunt the team if he can carve out literally any role with another team.
EDGE Azeez Ojulari, Atlanta Falcons
Speaking of high Giants draft selections, Azeez Ojulari, a former second-round pick, was just released by the Falcons. Ojulari has been productive throughout his NFL career, recording 6.0 sacks as recently as 2024, but injuries have held him back. Atlanta hoped he'd provide a spark, especially given their need for pass rush help, but he didn't impress in the preseason. If he were to latch on elsewhere and produce, as he has at times in his career, the Falcons will have some explaining to do.
LB Elandon Roberts, Pittsburgh Steelers
Elandon Roberts has 121 starts and nearly 700 tackles in 10 NFL seasons. He had a 100-tackle season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023 and had 90 tackles with the Raiders in 2025, yet he was unable to make a second stint in the Steel City a reality. Roberts spent all of 2025 with current Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in Las Vegas, so it's pretty shocking that he didn't make the cut. He can still produce even at 32 years of age, raising the possibility of Pittsburgh regretting cutting bait.
DT Mazi Smith, New York Jets
The Jets releasing Mazi Smith didn't come as a major surprise. He didn't see the field much after being acquired as part of the Quinnen Williams trade with the Cowboys last season, and didn't have much luck in Dallas prior to the deal. However, Smith is just 25 years old and was a first-round pick in 2023. He hasn't put it all together at the NFL level, but it's entirely possible he can do so elsewhere. If that happens, the Jets will end up kicking themselves for not giving him much of an opportunity.
WR Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns
All things considered, Cedric Tillman has been a decent depth receiver for a Cleveland Browns team that's had a tumultuous quarterback situation and hasn't put much talent around him, recording 833 yards and five touchdowns across three seasons. Not to mention he was a third-round pick, and at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he has the ability to be a ball-winner on the outside. He can be a viable contributor in the right situation, and while the Browns are hoping other young receivers can step up, they might end up really missing Tillman.
OL Cameron Williams, Philadelphia Eagles
Cameron Williams was a sixth-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, a team known for developing offensive linemen, just one year ago. He only made one appearance in his rookie year and wasn't going to play much, if at all, this year given the team's depth. But he's still just 22 years old, and again, he was in an organization known for its development of offensive linemen. It's worth a shot for a team in search of depth to give Williams a look, and he could well make the Eagles regret cutting him.
EDGE Sam Williams, Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys gave Sam Williams another chance and even guaranteed him $2 million, but Williams, a former second-round pick, was unable to make the roster. As bad a look as that is, Williams has been a strong contributor at the NFL level (8.5 combined sacks in his first two NFL seasons). He hasn't been the same since tearing his ACL, but he's only 27 years old and might shine elsewhere.
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