NFL rosters are looking bloated with teams carrying as many as 90 players ahead of training camp.
While this number won’t get reduced until later this summer, it’s not too early to start thinking about who is on the roster bubble and in danger of being released when teams submit their 53-man rosters on August 27.
There are several well-established talents who stick out for their chances of being released due to external factors such as finances, positional logjams and a push to get younger during a rebuilding effort.
While these names may not enter the 2024 campaign with their current employer, they have too much to offer not to catch on somewhere else.
With that in mind, here’s a look at five cut candidates who will garner plenty of interest if they reach the open market before the upcoming season kicks off.
The New England Patriots brought in JuJu Smith-Schuster in attempt to bolster their receiving corps last season, a move that largely failed to pan out for the slumping franchise.
The 27-year-old is now a realistic cut candidate for a team that cleaned house this offseason and is ready to begin a new era under head coach Jerod Mayo and quarterback Drake Maye.
Former New England star Chris Hogan told The Patriots Report that Smith-Schuster could be released and that he “doesn’t believe [Smith-Schuster] makes the team” as the receiver lacked a defined role in the team’s offense last year.
The 2018 Pro Bowler struggled through the worst campaign of his professional career in 2023, totaling just 260 yards and one touchdown on a meager 29 receptions. He was dealing with injuries that held him to just 11 appearances and hindered his ability to contribute when he was on the field.
According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Smith-Schuster said he was only at 60 percent effectiveness in training camp last year. The wideout was coming off a knee injury he suffered while assisting the Kansas City Chiefs during their Super Bowl run the prior season and never appeared to get back to full strength during his first year in Foxborough.
That may end up being the seven-year veteran’s only campaign with the club despite having two seasons left on a three-year, $25.5 million contract.
While the Pats would be on the hook for a $9.6 million dead money charge in 2024 and another $2.6 million in 2025, they have a league-most $43.3 million in cap space available and may value the roster spot more than the player during a pivotal rebuilding campaign.
Teams should be willing to kick the tires on Smith-Schuster if he does get cut. The wideout is still young and told Kyed he’s feeling far healthier than he did this time last year.
He’s only a season removed from being a critical piece of a championship-winning offense too, having put up 933 yards (the second-most of his career) and three scores on 78 catches in 2022.
While it’s unlikely he’ll return to the Pro Bowl form he displayed for the Pittsburgh Steelers in his sophomore season, a healthy Smith-Schuster could still be a major asset for plenty of teams as a high-end No. 3 wideout.
Payton Turner has had an abysmal NFL career by nearly any metric.
The New Orleans Saints edge-rusher has struggled with injury—participating in just 15 total games since entering the league in 2021—and hasn’t been effective when he is available, recording a meager three sacks in total.
There’s a good chance Turner has played his last down in the Big Easy. He’s entering the final year of his rookie deal after the Saints declined his fifth-year option.
While there won’t be big cap savings from cutting a player who has a cap hit of just under $4 million, that roster spot could be better allocated to a player with a better chance to contribute.
With New Orleans boasting a deep crop of pass-rushers that includes Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, Chase Young and Isaiah Foskey, it will be tough for anyone to crack this rotation, let alone a player who has already had his opportunity and failed.
Despite those shortcomings, though, there may still be interest around the league in Turner.
While things haven’t panned out for him with the Saints, a fresh start could be exactly what the 25-year-old needs to turn a corner and get his career back on track.
Turner was the No. 28 overall pick three years ago after impressing at Houston, having racked up five sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss in just five games during a shortened 2020 campaign.
He has the length and athleticism required to succeed on the edge at the professional level at 6’6″, 270 pounds while possessing plenty of explosiveness and power within that frame.
Although he hasn’t managed to translate those skills to the pro level yet, he has occasionally flashed when he hasn’t been sidelined by significant shoulder and foot injuries. He had a two-sack game against the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, a contest that showcased his ability to disrupt.
Given his pedigree, unteachable qualities and upside, the edge defender should get at least one more chance to catch on in the NFL. If Turner can stay healthy and find a scheme that better utilizes his abilities, he may flip the script on his career.
Khalil Herbert may be the odd man out when the Chicago Bears clear the logjam in their backfield.
After coming to terms on a three-year, $24.5 million deal with D’Andre Swift—who projects to lead a platoon that also includes 2023 fourth-round pick Roschon Johnson—the Bears will find themselves hard-pressed to keep Herbert as a little-utilized depth option.
The 26-year-old is playing out the final year of his rookie deal and set to hit the open market next spring. While he only has a lowly $1.1 million cap hit, the team could better utilize the roster spot to pad out a lineup hoping to finally exit a rebuild in 2024.
Adam Jahns of The Athletic noted that it “wouldn’t be surprising if Herbert is considered on the bubble at Halas Hall.” With Swift the clear starter, Johnson only scratching the surface of his potential entering Year 2, camp invite Ian Wheeler offering upside, and special teamers like Travis Homer and Khari Blasingame potentially able to handle a couple totes if called upon, Herbert doesn’t have a notable role this season.
The Virginia Tech product may have to impress with his return work to stick around past training camp. With the new kickoff rules going into effect this season, the dynamic back could carve out a role on special teams.
While Herbert has tallied over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and accounted for 10 touchdowns since entering the league as a sixth-rounder in 2021, he hasn’t worked regularly as a returner since his rookie campaign.
If the Bears decide to move on without Herbert, plenty of other teams should be willing to roll the dice on a back who has averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry on his career.
He would be an affordable backup option in case of an injury and could even work as a starting kick returner given his respectable career numbers of 796 yards gained across 32 returns.
Matt Milano has been a fixture for the Buffalo Bills’ defense for the better part of the last seven years, but the franchise could be ready to cut the cord with the linebacker as early as this offseason.
The 29-year-old is only a season removed from a career-best 2022 campaign—one in which he amassed 99 tackles (including 12 for a loss), 11 pass defenses, three interceptions (including one returned for a score), two fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks while earning All-Pro honors—but he went down for the final 12 games of last season with a fractured leg, marking the second time in the last four seasons that he missed a large chunk of action.
The injury could hinder Milano’s ability to play at a high level and may spell the end of his tenure in western New York.
While the Boston College product was cleared to practice a few weeks ago, he’s still far from fully healthy and it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to return to form in an age-29 season. If he can’t, the Bills have contingency options in place.
Buffalo has invested a hefty amount of capital in each of the last three drafts into the linebacking corps—including using a pair of third-round picks on Dorian Williams and Terrel Bernard—and could turn Milano’s starting spot over to one of those promising youngsters.
Milano’s release would save Buffalo nearly $10 million this year, an appealing amount for a team that ranks in the bottom quarter of the league in cap space with just a shade over $8 million available at this juncture.
If Milano is released, plenty of teams in need of an elite linebacker should come calling. He’s consistently rated among the NFL’s best at his position in recent years—especially in coverage—and could bounce back to full strength after a serious injury.
The Houston Texans may have to make the tough decision to cut a talented young receiver this offseason.
While John Metchie III is still oozing potential after being drafted No. 44 overall two years ago, he hasn’t yet produced in a meaningful way for a team that has emerged as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The 23-year-old is only a couple years removed from posting some sterling numbers for Alabama. During his final two seasons there, he amassed 2,081 yards and 14 touchdowns on 155 receptions while playing a major role on a team that reached two CFP National Championship Games and won one.
He hasn’t had nearly the same impact in the NFL, though, and Houston may not be able to afford to wait around for his breakout.
Metchie missed his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. He returned in time for training camp last year, but he only saw sporadic action during the regular season. He finished 2023 having caught just 16 balls for 158 yards with zero touchdowns over 16 contests.
That lack of production could cost him a roster spot, especially after Houston brought over Stefon Diggs in a blockbuster trade. With a crowded receivers room that also includes a pair of 2023 breakout stars in Nico Collins and Tank Dell in addition to Noah Brown and Robert Woods, it’s hard to see Metchie carving out a meaningful role without a stellar training camp.
He should still find his footing in the NFL, though, even if it isn’t with the franchise that drafted him. The playmaking 5’11”, 187-pound pass-catcher would be best served landing with a rebuilding organization, one that has the luxury to give him time and reps without the pressure Houston faces due to a wide-open championship window.