The NFL roster cutdown deadline is on Aug. 30, with all 32 teams across the National Football League needing to have a 53-man roster entering September. This time of year typically brings a few trades, but also a few notable names being told they’ve been released. As training camp and the preseason draw to a close, we’re taking a swing at predicting NFL roster cuts for a few marquee players and former top picks.
Let’s dive into our predictions for some well-known NFL players who could be cut by the Aug. 30 deadline.
Odell Beckham Jr, Wide Receiver, New York Giants
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Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images
Odell Beckham Jr. has played pretty well during the preseason and had some impressive moments this summer in New York Giants training camp. Unfortunately for the veteran wideout and fans hoping to see him suit up for Big Blue during the regular season, the odds aren’t in his favor. The 33-year-old is fighting to be the sixth wideout on the Giants depth chart and since he can’t help on special teams, while Braxton Berrios and Dalen Cambre can, that can easily be the deciding factor.
Related: NY Giants Reporter Casts Doubt on Tyrone Traacy Jr’s Future with Team
Trey Lance, Quarternack, Los Angeles Chargers
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The Los Angeles Chargers kept Trey Lance as Justin Herbert’s backup last season and in the one game he received extended playing time, he threw an interception and completed just 45.5 percent of his 44 pass attempts. This summer, the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has been outshined by DJ Uiagalelei. We’re not suggesting the UDFA quarterback overtakes Lance for a spot on the Chargers’ 53-man roster, but we do think Jim Harbaugh finds someone on waivers or via trade to replace Lance.
Related: Trey Lance in Jeopardy of Becoming Even Bigger Draft Bust
Elijah Moore, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles
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Selected with the 34th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, wide receiver Elijah Moore averaged 50 receptions and 540.5 receiving yards per season through his first four years in the league. He appeared in just nine games last year with two teams and might now find himself behind DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Darius Cooper on the Philadelphia Eagles depth chart. There’s a very real possibility that Moore is cut on Aug. 30.
Will Levis, Quarterback, Tennessee Titans
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Will Levis might think he is one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the NFL, but the rest of the league doesn’t share that opinion. Mitchell Trubisky will be the Tennessee Titans backup quarterback this season, and if the team truly wants a project to develop behind the scenes, they can put Hendon Hooker on the practice squad. We’d guarantee that Tennessee cuts ties with the 33rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Kaleb Johnson, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 83rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it at one point seemed like Kaleb Johnson could be the team’s running back of the future. In Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season, Johnson allowed a kickoff to bounce between his hands when he was standing in the landing zone, then walked away as the Seattle Seahawks recovered it for a game-sealing touchdown. He almost never saw the field again as a rookie. This summer, he’s behind Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle and might lose his roster spot to Travis Homer. He’s just never stood out in Pittsburgh and needs a change of scenery.
Roschon Johnson, Running Back, Chicago Bears
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Roschon Johnson once shared the field with Bijan Robinson for the Texas Longhorns and was viewed as a talented running back who could do even more in the NFL because he avoided the toll of being a workhorse in college. Selected with the 115th overall pick in 2023, Johnson has played sparingly in the last two seasons (57 carries in 21 games), and he is now buried on the Chicago Bears depth chart behind D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai and Salvon Ahmed.
Nate Hobbs, Cornerback, San Francisco 49ers
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Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
After starting in 38 games for the Las Vegas Raiders from 2021-24, cornerback Nate Hobbs landed a four-year, $48 million contract from the Green Bay Packers last offseason. Between injuries and being a poor fit for the defense, he was released less than a year after he signed the deal. Hobbs got a fresh start this summer with the San Francisco 49ers on a one-year, prove-it deal. Unfortunately for the veteran, he’s missed a significant portion of training camp with a groin injury. That’s probably going to result in his release, with the team exploring a reunion once he’s healthy.