The NFL’s cut-down weekend shook out the way it usually does: a lot of familiar names got squeezed out, but a couple of former Florida players found a way to hang on.
For the 10 ex-Gators on the bubble last week, the end of preseason brought a split result. Two players made their teams, while the rest were released, waived, or moved to injured reserve or a reserve list as clubs finalized their initial 53-man rosters.
Kyle Trask’s latest shot at locking down a backup job came up short in Carolina. Since being drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round, he still hasn’t been able to claim a full-time backup role in the NFL. He signed late with the Panthers and didn’t play poorly in the preseason, but he was never in line to crack the rotation, and Carolina released him.
Stone Forsythe, meanwhile, did enough to survive. He had entered the weekend viewed as a long shot and struggled in Carolina’s first two preseason games, but he finished better. His ability to handle both left and right tackle helped him secure a place on the 53-man roster.
Kaiir Elam also saw his run end, with Kansas City releasing the former first-round pick from Buffalo. He didn’t have a bad preseason by the numbers - Pro Football Focus credited him with being targeted only twice and allowing just one reception - but breaking into the Chiefs’ secondary rotation was always going to be a steep climb.
Zachary Carter’s situation is different. The Arizona Cardinals are placing him on the Injured Reserve/Designated to Return list after he got hurt in the preseason opener and hasn’t played since.
Dameon Pierce was released by the Philadelphia Eagles after injuries undercut his chances this summer. He did turn in a strong performance in the finale, but it wasn’t enough to keep him on the roster.
Amari Burney put together a respectable preseason in Jacksonville and finished with a strong outing against Tampa Bay, where he was credited with three QB pressures and a sack. Even so, the Jaguars waived him.
Graham Mertz is headed to injured reserve with the Houston Texans as he continues to recover from a torn ACL. He won’t play this season, and his status with the team after rehab is something to watch.
Trikweze Bridges was waived by Dallas after struggling whenever he got on the field. Across three games, he never put together the kind of showing that would make the Cowboys keep him around.
Tyreak Sapp also got waived, this time by Cleveland. He didn’t record a sack in the preseason, though he did manage some pressure on opposing quarterbacks. As an undrafted free agent, though, he was always facing a steep climb, and he didn’t do enough to stick.
That left J. Michael Sturdivant as the other success story.
ESPN had him on the outside looking in entering the weekend, but he delivered a huge finale that clearly caught Green Bay’s attention. The Packers kept him on the 53-man roster to open the season.
In Other News...
Miami Is In A Recruiting Fight Fans Will Want To Watch
Miamis staff is already making an early push in the 2028 class, and one of the more intriguing names on the board is Lee, the versatile four-star from Loudoun Sports Academy in Virginia. He has been used all over the field as a receiver, rusher, defender and returner, which helps explain why Mario Cristobals group is treating him like a priority and not just another early offer.
The Hurricanes have only two verbal commits for 2028 so far, so every traction point matters as they try to keep building on the momentum of their recent recruiting success. Lee is drawing interest from multiple major programs, which means Miami will have to keep leaning on its pitch and its player development reputation if it wants to stay in the fight for a prospect whose versatility makes him especially appealing this early in the cycle. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobal Still Has One Big Miami Line Decision To Make
Mario Cristobal still has one final piece to sort out on the offensive line before Miami lines up against Stanford, and its a notable one because the Hurricanes already have most of the unit settled. Center and both tackle spots appear spoken for, with Ryan Rodriguez, Samson Okunlola and Matthew McCoy expected to anchor those positions, giving the staff a clearer picture of the lines spine heading into the matchup.
The real competition is at guard, where true freshmen Jackson Cantwell and Ben Congdon are pushing for roles and Seuseu Alofaituli is expected to be part of the mix as well. Cantwell appears likely to start, while Alofaituli is also slated to cross-train at center, leaving Cristobal with one more decision to make as Miami tries to balance talent, versatility and early-season stability up front. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Fletcher Knows Miamis Run Game Faces A Real Week 1 Test
Mark Fletcher sounded like a back who has spent enough time around Miamis offense to understand what this opener asks of him. Ahead of the Week 1 matchup with Stanford, he talked about being ready to play, the kind of challenge the Cardinal present and the way the Hurricanes have prepared up front. He also pointed to teammate Javian Mallory and the offensive line as part of the foundation for a running game that wants to lean into Miamis usual physical identity.
For Fletcher, the discussion was as much about growth as it was about the first snap. He described how he has developed in the system and how the group is approaching the logistics of traveling for the game, details that matter when a team is trying to start clean on the road. Miami does not have the luxury of treating this as a tune-up, and Fletchers comments made clear the run game expects a real early test rather than a gentle warmup. [Read more 🡒]