Five Players Surprisingly Cut From Their Teams
On the 30th of August we saw 32 NFL team frantically cutting players to meet the deadline to trim the roster to 53 players.
In the midst of all this there were some players who were unexpectedly cut. Here we will pick out some of the more surprising names.
Tyler Johnson, WR
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived second year receiver Tyler Johnson, which came as a surprise to fans.
Johnson racked up 529 yards and caught two touchdowns in his rookie season – Not bad stats for a 5th round pick. These stats also provided some insight of Johnson’s potential for the future.
Unfortunately for him there was no space in a crowded WR receiver room. The addition of Julio Jones and Russell Gage in the off-season may have squeezed the young WR out.
However, Johnson already has a new home with the Texans who picked him up off the waiver wire. He should receive a larger role in that offense and could make the Bucs regret waiving him.
Marlon Mack, RB
The Texans released Marlon Mack to pave way for rookie RB, Dameon Pierce, to be the starter.
Mack is a former 1000-yard rusher and has shown he can perform at a high level in the NFL.
The RB has not had the same production since 2019 due to injuries and being stuck behind a certain Jonathan Taylor. A change of scenery and being able to get more reps again would have helped Mack return to his former self.
It seems that the Texans did not see flashes of his 2019 season and have opted for the younger player.
Mack is currently a free agent but should receive plenty of interest. Teams in the NFL are always looking out for serviceable running backs.
Armon Watts, DT
Watts was waived by the Vikings which came as a surprise to Vikings fans everywhere. The young player had become a starter on the defence and even recorded 5 sacks in 2021.
The Vikings may have done this move to simply save money. But Watts was quickly replaced as Ross Blacklock was traded to Minnesota.
Many Vikings fans were upset at the move and found it unnecessary. There will be even more bitterness now as Watts has found himself on the Bears’ roster, a fierce rival of the Vikings.
Watts will be able to show the Vikings twice a year why they should not have cut him.
Alex Leatherwood, RT
It is not everyday that a team gives up on a first rounder after just one season. But this is what has happened with the Raiders.
After being selected in the first round of the 2021 draft, Leatherwood now finds himself off the team that drafted him.
This is worrisome for Raiders fans as it speaks volumes about how much of a poor selection it was. The regime change in the front office clearly was not a fan of this pick either.
Leatherwood already finds himself on a new team with the Bears picking him up (The Bears are making the most of the waiver wire). A fresh start could help the young offensive tackle develop into a regular starter.
OJ Howard, TE
A former first round pick in 2017, OJ Howard never found his feet in Tampa Bay. After not receiving many targets in 2021 Howard went looking for a bigger role on a different team.
He was competing for a job at TE1 or TE2 on the Bills but has been released before even playing an official game.
This move came as a surprise to NFL fans as Howard has always had high expectations due to the talent he possesses.
His next move could be signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. He has already had a workout with them since being released and it looks like he could sign there.
Joe Burrow could be the QB who develops a strong connection with Howard and helps him contribute to winning games.
