NFL players that were recently released and should be monitored by rival teams
The 2024 NFL season’s cutdown day has officially passed, with all 32 clubs having reduced their rosters to 53 players as of Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Despite the fact that the players removed were unable to produce results for the clubs that cut them, a number of players are now available who may be valuable additions for a playoff-contending squad. In light of this, the following seven players—along with other possible fits—were recently released and should be on the rosters of any club hoping to make it to the postseason.
Kenneth Nwangwu, a running back
Nwangwu, one of the more unexpected cuts from Tuesday’s round of trades, isn’t the solution for teams in need of depth at running back because of his meager 88 yards of career rushing total on only 27 rushes. But now that the NFL has new kickoff regulations in place, he may make a big impact on his next club. The former fourth-round selection is now leading the NFL in kick return touchdowns (three) and second in kick return yards (1,879) since being chosen in 2021.
Eagles and Lions are possible fits for a team.
Football player Deion Jones
Jones’ injury history has kept him a rotational defensive player, far from the Pro Bowl-caliber player he was when he played for the Atlanta Falcons. The fact that Jones was cut by the Bills on Monday because they didn’t think he was enough depth—they recently placed great linebacker Matt Milano on injured reserve—makes this even more troubling.
However, the 2016 second-round pick may make a good backup if utilized properly. Jones is still a capable pass defender even though he isn’t as good as he once was as an NFL coverage linebacker. Not only did Jones intercept one pass last season—the 13th of his eight-year career—but Pro Football Focus ranked him 14th among linebackers in terms of coverage (76.7).
Possible matchups for the Rams and Packers
Noah Brown, a wide receiver
With the arrival of four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs in the summer and the impressive preseason play of John Metchie III, Houston had little incentive to hold onto Brown. Nevertheless, Brown shown in 2023 that he is a highly effective wide receiver when given a significant number of targets by a skilled quarterback, as seen by his career-high 56.7 receiving yards per game average. In the ninth and tenth weeks of the previous campaign, Brown caught 13 out of 14 passes for 325 yards and one score.
Possible matchups for the Ravens and Chargers
Cornerback Farley, Caleb
Although Farley’s long history of injuries is certainly a big worry, he is still young and skilled enough for a contender to take a chance on him. He was selected in the first round of the 2021 draft. Due to a ruptured ACL, the Virginia Tech product’s debut season ended after three games. He also missed the whole previous season due to a back issue, which restricted him to only nine games in 2022.
Farley only managed 14 tackles and one pass breakup in his brief time on the field, but a change of environment could help him restart his career.
Possible matchups for the Chiefs and Cowboys
Desmond King II, a cornerback
King, a previous All-Pro choice, might not be the best fit for a club trying to bolster its return game, especially after his missed field goal in the Houston preseason finale lost him a spot on the roster. The 29-year-old can, nevertheless, be a useful rotational slot cornerback. King finished 10 games for the Steelers and Texans in 2023 with 47 total tackles, five for loss, and two pass breakups, ranking him as the 27th-highest graded cornerback in the NFL by PFF.
Teams that may fit in: Bucs and Ravens
Isaiah Hodgins is a wide receiver
With the selection of Malik Nabers as the No. 6 pick this past April, the Giants completed their recent emphasis on going younger at wideout, making Hodgins the odd man out in the receiving group.
Hodgins, who stands six feet three inches and weighs 200 pounds, only caught 21 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns in the previous season, but his performance in 2022 gives clubs looking for wide receiver depth hope that he may be a good addition. Hodgins recorded eight receptions for 105 yards and one score in New York’s wild-card playoff victory against Minnesota that season. He also caught 33 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns in eight regular-season games.
Possible matchups for the Dolphins and Cowboys
Football player C.J. Beathard
Beathard has little chance of making Jacksonville’s 53-man roster given the team’s offseason transaction for former Pro Bowl quarterback Mac Jones. Beathard may be the safest backup signal-caller on the market, even if there are younger quarterback choices like Desmond Ridder and Mike White that have some promise.
Beathard is 2-1 in his last three starts despite having a 3-10 career record as a starter. In those three games, he has thrown for 633 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions with a 105.1 passer rating.
