The NFL’s deadline for teams to cut their rosters from 90 players down to 53 has come and gone. By 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30, all 32 NFL teams were required to make the necessary releases to have their rosters ready for the new year.
Though injured reserve designations continue to open up a few roster spots around the league, the bulk of cutdowns have already taken place. Which NFL players were the most surprising recipients of a pink slip? Let’s break down the five most shocking cuts of the 2026 NFL preseason.
Will Levis, QB, Tennessee Titans
As soon as the Tennessee Titans ended up with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it became clear that Will Levis’ days with the team would be numbered. After starting in 21 games in his first two seasons with the team, notching a record of just 5-16 with a 2.9% interception percentage, Levis was replaced by Cam Ward and didn’t play a snap in 2025 after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.
That said, Levis is still just 27 years old and had one more year left on his rookie deal when the Titans placed him on waivers. His 63.9 PFN QB Impact Score from 2024 certainly indicates he’s not a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL, but he’s still a young passer with a rocket arm who’s relatively young. It’s not impossible that he continues to develop if he lands in the right system after Tennessee.
Jake Browning, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jake Browning started in 10 games across his five years with the Cincinnati Bengals, going 4-6 in that time with 18 passing touchdowns to 15 interceptions. He looked quite good in 2023, finishing the year with an NFL-best 70.4% completion percentage. However, he went 0-3 for the Bengals last year and threw more interceptions than touchdowns, prompting the team to trade for Joe Flacco and bench him.
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Even coming off that down year, Browning still entered this offseason as the favorite for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ second-string quarterback job. Instead, undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels ended up winning the QB2 job, and Browning got released as a result. Once regarded as an emerging performer amidst his strong 2023 campaign, the veteran backup will now likely need to hang onto a spot on a practice squad to remain in the NFL.
Jaydon Blue, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Originally anticipated to be the second-string running back for the Dallas Cowboys, Jaydon Blue ended up being placed on waivers when the team made its cuts after the preseason. A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Blue ran for 64 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys’ Week 18 matchup against the New York Giants to close out last season.
Now having gone unclaimed on waivers, Blue is free to sign anywhere he chooses. He’s still just 22 years old, and he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine last year. There will surely be plenty of teams interested in his services as a developmental project if he doesn’t return to the Cowboys’ practice squad.
Justin Joly, TE, Denver Broncos
As the No. 152 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Justin Joly was the highest-picked rookie to end up waived this preseason. The Denver Broncos chose to keep four tight ends on the roster over Joly, including fellow rookie Dallen Bentley, who was a seventh-round pick, compared to Joly’s fifth-round status. Denver’s choice to waive him was certainly surprising, to say the least.
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Luckily, Joly got claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins, so his goal of making a 53-man roster in the NFL will still be achieved, albeit in a different way. A first-team All-ACC tight end for NC State last year, Joly has intriguing upside as a pass-catching tight end and should see playing time on a rebuilding Dolphins squad.
Evan Neal, OL, New York Giants
It’s safe to say that the New York Giants’ decision to draft Evan Neal with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft did not work out. After three seasons of shaky play and injuries at tackle, Neal was moved over to guard in 2025, though he didn’t appear in a single game for the Giants last year. Now, he’s out of the organization entirely.
Neal, who turns 26 in September, went unclaimed on waivers. His guard-tackle versatility gave him a decent argument to stay on the 53-man roster, theoretically. However, the Giants have used a Day 3 draft pick on an offensive tackle in consecutive years in Marcus Mbow and J.C. Davis.
Mbow has tackle-guard flexibility, Aaron Stinnie is a reliable journeyman backup at guard, and Bryan Hudson can play both center and guard. The writing was on the wall for Neal, even if his name value made his release a notable one.
