Training camp for the 2026-27 NFL season is upon us, and fans of every team are eager with anticipation for what the upcoming year will bring. Before the action can kick off, though, there are plenty of roster battles that still need to be won.
Training camp and the preseason can serve not only as a chance for the starters to hone their craft in preparation for the new year, but also as a chance for backups to secure their spot on the 53-man roster. It’s always fun to see unheralded players get their chance to shine, but there’s an unfortunate side to this time of year that not many people focus on.
As all 32 teams cut down their rosters from 90 players to just 53, that means 1,184 players will be released before the start of the season. Given the names on this list, they’re sure to either stick around on the practice squad or be claimed by another team. However, these are 10 notable names around the NFL who could end up cut after training camp.
Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, New England Patriots
A fifth-round pick out of LSU in the 2025 NFL Draft, Bradyn Swinson joined the New England Patriots last offseason with plenty of surrounding intrigue. His rookie year was pretty quiet, though, as he only finished with one tackle and appeared in just three games last season in their AFC Championship-winning campaign. They’ve since added some names to their edge rusher group.
Dre’Mont Jones factors into the Patriots’ starting lineup to replace K’Lavon Chaisson alongside Harold Landry, but they drafted Gabe Jacas in the second round and Quintayvion Hutchins in the seventh round. Swinson was also outperformed last year by undrafted free agent Elijah Ponder, who joined the rotation with four sacks as a rookie. With those five edge rushers in the mix, Swinson could be the odd man out.
McKinnley Jackson, DT, Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have finished with a bottom-10 defense in the NFL by PFN Defense Impact Scoring over each of the last two seasons. As part of their efforts to rebuild the unit, they traded for Dexter Lawrence and signed Jonathan Allen as a free agent. This, in turn, eats into the playing time of the defensive tackles already on the roster, McKinnley Jackson chief among them.
By taking Jackson in the third round and Kris Jenkins Jr. in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bengals tried to shore up their interior defensive line. Neither has fully lived up to expectations, but Jenkins feels like a safer bet to contribute in 2026. In addition to Jenkins, Jackson will have to edge out B.J. Hill, T.J. Slaton, and seventh-round rookie Landon Robinson for a roster spot. That could be an uphill battle for the third-year defender.
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Dillon Gabriel, QB, Cleveland Browns
Despite being a third-round pick last year, Dillon Gabriel might already find his way on the chopping block. The Cleveland Browns will have Deshaun Watson coming back into what might be the saddest quarterback battle of all time, joining in with Shedeur Sanders, Gabriel’s draft classmate, who appears to have surpassed him on the depth chart.
Though Gabriel accomplished a lot at the collegiate level, he’ll be competing for a roster spot with Taylen Green, whom the Browns drafted in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Gabriel is a more polished passer, but given Green’s elite physical attributes, Cleveland might be more willing to let Gabriel hit the practice squad if it comes down to it.
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
It feels wild to consider Kaleb Johnson as a cut candidate, given how highly touted he was as a prospect coming out of Iowa last year. That said, the 2025 third-round pick finds himself in a crowded Pittsburgh Steelers running back room that might edge him out after rushing for just 69 yards with 2.5 yards per carry as a rookie.
Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren will take the lion’s share of the Steelers’ carries in 2026. From there, it becomes a matter of “which running back can provide the most special teams value” in the conversation. Travis Homer is an experienced contributor in the third phase, and rookie Eli Heidenreich brings more special teams upside and versatility than Johnson, which could make the latter the odd one out.
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Kyle Kennard, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
A fourth-round pick out of South Carolina last year, Kyle Kennard was a toolsy edge rusher who predictably took on a limited role as a rookie, playing in just five games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025. Though his college tape indicates he has more potential to tap into, the presence of 2026 first-round pick Akheem Mesidor could get in the way of his development path.
Mesidor will likely surpass Kennard on the Chargers’ depth chart, which already features Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack in the starting lineup. Bud Dupree also figures to be a 53-man roster member, and undrafted rookie Nadame Tucker is coming off an extremely productive year at Western Michigan, so he can’t be ruled out, either. Kennard likely projects as a third-string edge rusher for the Chargers, but even if they do hold onto five players at that position, there’s no guarantee he’ll be that fifth, either.
Sam Williams, EDGE, Dallas Cowboys
Within the last two offseasons, the Dallas Cowboys have invested significant capital in Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and Malachi Lawrence to rebuild their edge rusher group in their post-Micah Parsons era. The personnel turnover makes sense given their defensive struggles in recent years, and the influx of talent could make it tougher for mainstay Sam Williams to make the team in 2026.
In addition to the aforementioned three players, Williams will be battling for playing time with the likes of James Houston IV and Marist Liufau on the bench. A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Williams was a solid rotational player his first two years, combining for 8.5 sacks in that time. However, he’s since missed the entire 2024 and only had one sack in 2025, ranking No. 86 among 120 qualified edge rushers in PFN EDGE Impact Scoring last year. A lack of further development could see him get the axe in favor of newer additions.
Jalin Hyatt, WR, New York Giants
When the New York Giants used a third-round pick on Jalin Hyatt in the 2023 NFL Draft, the selection was widely seen as a steal. He was an elite athlete and a dynamic deep threat during his final collegiate season at Tennessee, making him a highly-touted prospect coming out. However, the NFL production hasn’t been much to write home about, especially once his rookie year concluded.
After tallying 373 receiving yards as a rookie in 2023, Hyatt has combined for only 97 yards over the last two seasons. In addition to Darius Slayton and a returning Malik Nabers, the Giants brought in such wide receivers as Malachi Fields, Calvin Austin III, Darnell Mooney, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and, of course, Odell Beckham Jr. With so many new receivers in the mix, Hyatt feels like the odd one out.
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Bralen Trice, EDGE, Atlanta Falcons
It’s been an unfortunate start to Bralen Trice’s NFL career, as he’s yet to take a snap in the league due to injuries. He tore his ACL leading up to the 2024 season and aggravated it in 2025. The Atlanta Falcons’ third-round pick from two years ago now heads into a critical Year 3 without much to go off of evaluation-wise.
The Falcons seem set in their young duo of James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker off the edge, and they invested in multiple veterans to enter the rotation. Azeez Ojulari, Samson Ebukam, and Cameron Thomas figure to battle for playing time with Trice, along with incumbent veteran DeAngelo Malone. If Trice doesn’t pop off in training camp, he could find himself on waivers in favor of more proven commodities.
Kendre Miller, RB, New Orleans Saints
After a long tenure as the New Orleans Saints’ starting running back, Alvin Kamara will be taking a backseat in favor of new free agent addition Travis Etienne Jr. The latter’s presence knocks each of the incumbents back down a rung on the depth chart, which could prove to be tough for Kendre Miller in particular.
Miller’s best chance to make the Saints’ 53-man roster will likely come down to the team keeping four running backs, as 2025 sixth-round pick Devin Neal feels like a safe bet to make the team. He’ll also have to beat out Ty Chandler for a spot on the roster, which could make things even more difficult.
Chris Braswell, EDGE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Though he hasn’t developed as a long-term starter yet as a 2024 second-round pick, Chris Braswell has played in all 34 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to kick off his NFL career thus far. Though availability hasn’t been an issue, production has; he’s only combined for 2.5 sacks in that time.
As his production would indicate, the Buccaneers’ investments in their defensive line haven’t entirely panned out to translate into a strong pass rush. They drafted Rueben Bain Jr. in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and they signed Al-Quadin Muhammad, coming off a career year with Detroit in 2025. Anthony Nelson has been with Tampa Bay since 2019, so he feels like a mainstay at this stage, while 2025 fourth-round pick David Walker might present more upside than Braswell given his lack of pass-rushing production.
