NFL teams are in the thick of roster trimming, and that always creates a few surprises. Not every cut is about a young player who never got a real chance. Sometimes it’s a familiar name, a guy fans assumed was safe, suddenly staring at the wrong side of the 53-man bubble.
That could be the case for a few players this weekend, including some recognizable quarterbacks and a running back whose mistakes have started to outweigh his flashes.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. is one name that stands out in New York. Giants fans haven’t exactly been pleased with his play, and two moments in particular have stuck with the coaching staff: a missed block in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings and, the following week, a fumble in the red zone against the Miami Dolphins.
Tracy has had some nice preseason moments, but those have been buried by the missed block and the turnover. With a new coaching staff and Najee Harris in the room, every spot is up for grabs, and the Giants may not keep many running backs on the 53-man roster.
At quarterback, J.J. McCarthy could be in danger in Minnesota.
He’s also mentioned as a trade candidate, but a cut still isn’t off the table. McCarthy hasn’t been able to help himself, and with Kyler Murray in place as the starter, the question becomes whether McCarthy can still win the QB2 job.
Teams could come calling for him as a backup, and the Falcons were specifically mentioned as a possible fit if Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix don’t play well. A trade could still happen, but a release is part of the conversation too.
Will Levis is another quarterback whose future looks shaky. The Titans once saw him as a possible answer for the future, but that picture has changed with Cam Ward now leading the way.
Tennessee has a new coaching staff, a new general manager, and a roster that’s being pared down. With Ward as the starter, the Titans may decide they’ve seen enough from Levis and choose Mitch Trubisky instead.
Andy Dalton could also be on the move, this time in Philadelphia. The Eagles’ backup quarterback situation is interesting, but Tanner McKee appears to have the edge after looking better in the preseason and in practices.
Dalton is the veteran in the room, and he remains a serviceable quarterback, but the Eagles may decide to cut him and avoid carrying three passers on the roster. Jalen Hurts is still the starter, though even he has drawn criticism from the fanbase for needing to play better.
If Philadelphia does move on from Dalton, there should be teams interested in bringing him in.
In Other News...
Vikings May Be Ready To Cut Ties With Familiar Kwesi Picks
With roster cuts looming, the Vikings are facing a familiar kind of evaluation: sorting through players tied to former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and deciding which ones still fit the plan. The list is not long, but it is notable, with J.J. McCarthy and Walter Rouse among the names being weighed as Minnesota trims down and tries to sharpen the edges of the roster.
For the current regime, the question is less about where those players were drafted than whether they can justify a spot now. The team has not gotten much return from Adofo-Mensahs draft classes, and these final decisions are another sign that the Vikings are willing to move on if performance and roster math point in that direction. One more familiar name could be caught in the same squeeze before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings End Preseason With One Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Vikings closed the preseason with a 34-6 loss to the Broncos, and the game only deepened the sense that the roster still has a sore spot to address before the real games begin. Denvers quarterbacks Sam Ehlinger and Jarrett Stidham moved the offense with too much ease, while Minnesota settled for field goals and never found the end zone for the second straight game.
Jacob Thomas injury added another uneasy note to a night that already felt more like a warning than a tuneup. With the preseason now in the books, the Vikings head toward Week 1 carrying a defense that was too easy to move and an offense that still has to find a sharper finish. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Cousins Landed In The Same QB Problem He Left Minnesota For
Kirk Cousins appears to be in familiar territory again as he settles into his first offseason with the Raiders. He is viewed as the favorite to open the season as Las Vegas starting quarterback, but head coach Klint Kubiak has stopped short of officially naming him the guy, leaving the door open in a situation Cousins knows well from his time in Minnesota.
Cousins left the Vikings after it became clear the team wanted a path to a younger successor, then found a similar setup with the Falcons, where he also had to contend with a younger quarterback pushing for the job. Now on a two-year deal with the Raiders, he is once again being linked to a competition, this time with rookie Fernando Mendoza in the mix as the team sorts out its future under center. [Read more 🡒]