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...
Buccaneers May Already Regret Letting Jack Pyburn Get Away
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For a team always hunting for young pass-rush help, that kind of departure can linger. Todd Bowles had already singled out Pyburns work ethic and production, which only sharpens the question of whether Tampa Bay gave up on him a little too early, or whether the Chiefs simply got there first and saw enough to make the gamble worthwhile. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Suddenly Have A Real Path Back To The Top
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Baker Mayfields motivation in a contract year sits at the center of that optimism, but it is not the only reason Tampa Bay is drawing notice. The Buccaneers have added talent on offense and defense, and if the health picture improves, they should have a real chance to separate themselves from what is expected to be a weak division. The bigger question is whether all of those pieces come together quickly enough to make the path back to the top look as clear as it does on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Battle Just Put New Pressure On Atlanta's Roster
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Across the division, the Falcons are juggling a different kind of quarterback conversation, with general manager Ian Cunningham talking through the teams current situation and the roster moves that have come with it. The broader NFC South picture also includes Carolina, where Dan Morgan has been addressing roster commitments, injuries and practice squad decisions, a reminder that every team in the division is still sorting out the same basic question: who is ready now, and who still has more to prove before the picture settles? [Read more 🡒]