Star quarterbacks such as Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts could have new backups after a trio of notable signal-callers from the NFC became available due to roster cuts.
Forming a 53-man roster doesn’t necessarily mean keeping the best players. Instead, it’s about making the math work at every position and making sure there are enough quality special teams players.
Quarterbacks weren’t the only surprises from Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline. A reliable veteran cornerback was released in New Orleans, and a former 1,000-yard rusher is again looking for a new home.
Here are notes and analysis from the surprise cuts in the NFC.
QB PJ Walker
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Welp, the backup QB rankings took a hit. Walker, the No. 10 QB2 on our list for 2023, signed a two-year, $4.15 million deal with about $2 million in guarantees to join the Bears earlier this year. Initially, it seemed to be a good fit because Walker’s skill set as a mobile quarterback complemented Justin Fields. But Walker was outplayed by undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent, who’s now in line to take the backup job after the team released Nathan Peterman.
QB Will Grier
Grier’s being waived was an expected move in Dallas, but it’s still surprising that he’s in this position because of the out-of-nowhere trade that the Cowboys executed for Trey Lance. Grier might have had a shot to surpass Cooper Rush as Dak Prescott’s backup because of his impressive preseason—he threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns against the Raiders last week. A handful of teams with star quarterbacks need to improve their QB2 position. Grier will likely find a new home.
QB Colt McCoy
There’s an argument to be made that the Cardinals got slightly better by releasing the 36-year-old McCoy and trading for 28-year-old Joshua Dobbs, who lost the Browns’ backup job to rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. But the Cardinals had all offseason to make upgrades at quarterback, knowing that Kyler Murray likely wouldn’t be ready for the start of the season because of a torn ACL. The timing to cut McCoy a few weeks before the season seems strange—or just right for a team that might not be interested in winning in 2023. It’s going to be a long season for Dobbs and Clayton Tune, the rookie fifth-round pick.
CB Bradley Roby
The Saints will have a new slot cornerback after cutting Roby, who started 10 games last season. With the emergence of second-year player Alontae Taylor and the return of Marshon Lattimore, the Saints had flexibility to part with a reliable veteran cornerback in Roby, 31, who has started 60 career games in nine seasons and won a Super Bowl with the Broncos. Taylor, a 2022 second-round pick, was thrust into an outside cornerback role as a rookie after Lattimore went down due to injury. Taylor appears to be the top candidate to start as the slot cornerback in ’23.
RB James Robinson
Robinson has struggled since his memorable rookie season in 2020, but it appeared that he had a chance of sticking with the Giants after a few highlight plays in the preseason. New York received promising early results from rookie Eric Gray, a fifth-round pick, and now he could be the new backup for Saquon Barkley with the 53-man roster finalized. As for Robinson, who had a 1,000-yard rushing season three years ago, he’s now searching for a fourth team in a one-year span—he was also cut by New England in June.
DT Marquise Copeland
Copeland’s being cut by the Rams says a lot about the progression from rookie third-round pick Kobie Turner. Copeland was one of few Rams defensive players with starting experience; he started nine games last season after a wave of injuries to the interior defensive line. The Rams still need depth inside, but they have a star in Aaron Donald and a rookie who’s had a strong summer. Copeland has played in 25 career games since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
OL Logan Bruss
The Rams also had a surprise cut on the offensive side after waiving Bruss, a 2022 third-round pick. Bruss was viewed as a potential starter at guard last summer, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. He moved to right tackle for his second training camp but struggled in that role. It also didn’t help Bruss’s case that the Rams recently acquired Kevin Dotson in a trade with Pittsburgh.
