The NFL’s roster deadline came and went Sunday at 4:00 PM EST, but for former Iowa players, the story kept moving after that. The 53-man cuts were only the first wave. In the 48 hours that followed, some Hawks were claimed, some landed on practice squads, and a few were left without a home - at least for now.
The clearest hits so far came on the defensive side. Nick Jackson, who was with Tampa Bay, was cut and has not been picked up.
Aaron Graves, listed as a rookie defensive lineman with Baltimore, was also cut and remains unsigned. Ethan Hurkett, another rookie defensive lineman, was released by Kansas City and has not landed on a practice squad.
A bigger batch of former Hawkeyes cleared waivers and found practice-squad spots. Brandon Smith and Sebastian Castro both ended up with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
TJ Hall Jr. signed with the New Orleans Saints practice squad. Geno Stone landed with the Buffalo Bills, while Kristian Welch joined the Green Bay Packers.
Tyler Goodson is with the Atlanta Falcons, Ihmir Smith-Marsette with the Arizona Cardinals, and Jack Heflin with the New York Jets.
Charlie Jones took a different path. He was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals and chose not to return to their practice squad, instead signing with the New York Giants.
Kaevon Merriweather was cut from the Houston Texans and signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. Mark Gronowski, listed as a rookie quarterback, and Max Llewellyn, a rookie defensive lineman, both signed with the Miami Dolphins practice squad.
Llewellyn’s path was a little more complicated. He survived Sunday’s initial 53-man cut, then was waived Monday after Miami claimed a league-high seven players off waivers. He ended up back with the Dolphins on the practice squad.
Then came the biggest move of the bunch: Kaleb Johnson was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Green Bay Packers for a 2028 sixth-round draft pick. Because it was a formal player-for-pick trade completed before the roster deadline, Johnson skipped the waiver process and went straight onto Green Bay’s active 53-man roster. His rookie contract now carries over to the Packers’ salary cap.
Last month, the Hawkeyes had a record seven players drafted and five more sign as undrafted free agents. So far, only Aaron Graves and Ethan Hurkett have been cut and not picked up.
Two rookies, Mark Gronowski and Max Llewellyn, are on practice squads, and the rest have made active rosters. For Iowa, it’s been a strong showing - and there will be plenty of former Hawkeyes to keep an eye on once the season gets rolling.
In Other News...
Former Hawkeyes Cut On NFL Roster Day Already Face A New Race
The NFLs roster cutdown day brought a familiar mix of relief and disappointment for former Iowa players, with nearly 40 Hawkeyes still hanging on with pro teams as the league trimmed to 53-man rosters. Thirteen ex-Iowa standouts were waived, but nine of them quickly found a landing spot on practice squads, while four were left unsigned for the moment.
Geno Stone stands out as one of the more encouraging names in the group after landing on the Buffalo Bills practice squad, where he still appears to have a strong path toward an opening-day roster spot. For Iowa fans, the snapshot is a reminder of just how much NFL footprint the program continues to have, even as a few familiar names now face another race to turn a temporary stay into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Gronowski Just Reached A Crucial Moment In Miami
Mark Gronowskis first NFL stop has already hit a familiar roster squeeze, with the Dolphins waiving the former Iowa quarterback after bringing him in as an undrafted free agent in April. Gronowski got into two preseason games for Miami, enough to give the staff a look at him in game action, but not enough to keep him on the initial 53-man roster as teams trim down for the regular season.
Miami still plans to bring him back on the practice squad if he clears waivers, which puts the next step in the hands of the rest of the league. NFL teams have until noon CT Monday to make a claim, and for a player like Gronowski, that window can determine whether his path stays in Miami or opens somewhere else entirely. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Quarterback Battle Just Got More Tense Before Northern Illinois
The quarterback competition at Iowa has entered another revealing stretch as the Hawkeyes prepare for Northern Illinois, with Jeremy Hecklinski meeting the media and offering a clearer look at how the battle is playing out behind the scenes. Hecklinski described the challenge of splitting reps with Hank Brown while both quarterbacks wait to learn who will get the nod, and he framed the situation as part of a process that has forced him to stay locked in on preparation and study.
Hecklinski also said he has leaned on conversations with former quarterbacks as he works through the job battle and continues trying to grow his understanding of defenses. For Iowa, the timing matters, because every practice rep and every bit of information carries extra weight with game day approaching, and the uncertainty at the position has only added another layer to a week already centered on finding the right answer under center. [Read more 🡒]