The end of the NFL preseason marks one of the most stressful and unfortunate periods of time that some players have to face.
With Saturday, Sept. 5 being the deadline for all 32 NFL teams to finalize their 53-man rosters, several hundreds of players found themselves cut from their teams.
The following players represent the biggest names out there who couldn’t quite make their team’s final roster.
Reggie Wayne, wide receiver
This potential Hall of Famer was given one last chance to revive his NFL career by signing on with the New England Patriots after being released by the Indianapolis Colts earlier last March.
Unfortunately, after just a couple of weeks and only two catches, the Patriots decided to release Wayne, apparently at his request because it wasn’t fun enough.
Whether the 36 year old decides it’s time to hang up his cleats, or whether he actively makes himself available to another team in need, remains to be seen.
Tim Tebow, quarterback
Fan-favorite Tebow was abruptly released after a promising four-month trial with the Philadelphia Eagles. The news is somewhat surprising considering many had speculated that the team traded away former quarterback Matt Barkley on Friday in order to make roster space to keep Tebow.
Indeed, that was not the case, and perhaps it was the reason Tebow was reportedly spotted at a local airport toting his luggage on Friday.
All Tebow can hope for now is that another NFL team in need of depth at the quarterback position gives him a call.
Devon Still, defensive tackle
Still tugged at the heartstrings of millions as we followed his courageous young daughter Leah, who battled with cancer, now in remission.
Unfortunately for Still, he didn’t do enough in the eyes of the Cincinnati Bengals to advance past Brandon Thompson for the opportunity to backup starter Geno Atkins. Still should be able draw attention from a team in need of enhancement at the defensive line.
Matt Cassel, quarterback
Cassel, who just said on Friday that the Buffalo Bills planned to keep three quarterbacks, was released from the team on Saturday. The move reportedly saves the Bills approximately $5 million in cap space. News of Cassel’s release isn’t exactly shocking as reports surfaced earlier this week that the team would likely cut Cassel in favor of keeping E.J. Manuel with the team.
Cassel’s cut leaves only Manuel and starter Tyrod Taylor as current quarterbacks on the Bills’ roster.
Darnell Dockett, defensive lineman
The cutting of Dockett by the San Francisco 49ers came as quite a surprise considering he was just signed to the team in April for for two years. Expected to take the place of Justin Smith, Dockett performed poorly and struggled to stay healthy after coming off of a torn ACL sustained last season while playing with the Arizona Cardinals.
The 34 year old might be hard-pressed to find work unless the Cardinals are interested in luring him back.
James Jones, wide receiver
Jones was signed to the New York Giants as veteran depth. However, he couldn’t beat out Corey Washington and rookie Geremy Davis during the preseason. Jones spent seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers before spending one year with the Oakland Raiders.
If the 31-year old attracts any attention upon his release, it would purely be from a team in need of boosting its roster depth.
Steve Weatherford, punter
Weatherford was one of the NFL’s most popular punters before he was released as a budgetary move by the New York Giants. Cutting the nine-year veteran will save the team $2.2 million in salary cap.
Weatherford’s stats had been declining, which landed him near the bottom of the heap compared to other punters after posting an average of 38.6 net yards last season.
Hakeem Nicks, wide receiver
The former New York Giants 2009 first-round draft pick has not been able to establish himself after being released by his original team. After spending one year with the Indianapolis Colts, Nicks landed with the Tennessee Titans before being released on Saturday.
Nicks only tallied three catches for 59 yards on two preseason games with the Titans. His release opens the door wide for rookie Dorial Green-Beckham to evolve into a major playmaker for the Titans this year.
At only 27 years old, it would be a pity to see Nick’s career come to an end.
Nick Novak, place kicker
Finances came into effect when the San Diego Chargers cut Novak, due to his $1.5 million salary. However, the cut is still somewhat of a surprise. Over his four-year tenure with the Chargers, Novak converted an average of 86.3 percent of his field goals. Additionally, he holds a 99.5 percent accuracy record on his attempted PAT’s.
It would be shocking if Novak didn’t find a new job before the start of the regular season.
Pittsburgh seems like a great place to start looking.
Fred Jackson, running back
Jackson, who was a cherished leader and team captain for the Buffalo Bills, was cut after eight years with the team. However, the veteran didn’t stay unemployed for more than a few days.
The Seattle Seahawks reached out to Jackson and he was signed to a one-year deal with the team on Friday. He will now join his former Bills teammate, running back Marshawn Lynch, and should make an immediate impact in the Seahawks’ offense as the team’s No. 2 back.
Jackson will get the last laugh should the Seahawks make it to a third consecutive Super Bowl appearance next February.