Cut-Down Day is the toughest day of the year for NFL players, coaches and front office members. On Tuesday, August 27, all 32 NFL teams had to cut their rosters from 90 players to the regular season limit of 53. That means 37 players from each team lost their jobs and failed to achieve their goal of making an NFL roster.
However, with the cut-down tag comes new opportunities. Some of the players who didn’t make the 53-man roster will never get another chance in the NFL, but many of them will come back and get a chance with a new team. Cut-down players are either released or waived. Cut-down players are NFL rookies (less than four accumulated seasons) who go through the waiver system after being released. Every NFL team has the opportunity to file a waiver request for these players, with the worst teams in the league going first.
Players with more than four accumulated seasons in the NFL are considered veterans and are released onto the open market if they leave on cut-down day. These free agents can sign with any team they want. NFL players who go unclaimed on the waiver list also become free agents.
Regardless of whether players were released or waived, they have a chance to revive their careers on new teams. In this article, we will look at both released and waived players to determine the top 30 NFL free agents after the 2024 cut-down day.
These players can still make a big impact on teams across the NFL, they just need to find the right fit. Top free agents like Tim Patrick, Mike White and Boston Scott were on this list but have already found new owners as of the time of writing this article.
1. Xavien Howard, CB
Xavien Howard was not released on cut-down day. Instead, the Miami Dolphins released him in March after June 1, and the cornerback has yet to get a job.
It wasn’t long ago that the four-time Pro Bowler was considered one of the best players at his position in the league, so it would make a lot of sense for a competitive team to give the veteran a chance if they get hurt at the cornerback position. Although he didn’t play in training camp/preseason, we still think Howard is the most talented free agent in the NFL.
2. Zach Cunningham, LB
Zach Cunningham led the NFL in tackles in 2020 and totaled another 85 tackles last season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
3. Desmond Ridder, quarterback
Desmond Ridder was once considered the next franchise quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. But this year, he couldn’t even secure a backup job with a new team (Arizona Cardinals). Still, Ridder’s status as a 2022 third-round pick means he still has potential, and a team should give him another chance and give him the opportunity to develop.
4. Micah Hyde, S
The incredible safety duo of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were released by the Buffalo Bills in the offseason. While Poyer ended up with the Miami Dolphins, Hyde is still looking for a job.
5. Samaje Perine, RB
Samaje Perine was surprisingly cut from the roster by the Denver Broncos, considering he had a solid season last year. He excelled as a pass catcher out of the Denver backfield and was a key player for the team in late-game situations.
6. Hunter Renfrow, WR
After catching over 100 passes in 2021, Hunter Renfrow has been ineffective over the past two seasons. However, he is only 29 years old, so it would not be a surprise if he could still be successful out of the slot for an NFL team.
7. Noah Brown, WR
Noah Brown was a victim of the numbers game for the Houston Texans. We thought he would make the Texans’ 53-man roster, but John Metchie, Xavier Hutchinson, Robert Woods and Steven Sims secured the spots as backup receivers on the team behind Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell and Nico Collins.
Brown was a solid player on one of the NFL’s best receiver teams and will be highly coveted as a free agent. His release was especially surprising considering the Texans retained seven receivers, an unusually high number of players for the position.
8. Lewis Cinema, S
Lewis Cine was selected in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2022. The team was fed up with the safeties’ inability to stay healthy, which resulted in him not making the 53-man roster.
9. Caleb Farley, CB
Caleb Farley is another extremely talented defensive back with injury concerns. The Tennessee Titans drafted him in the first round in 2021, but he has only played in 12 games since then. Injuries derail his career and will be a problem for any team looking to sign him. But if Farley stays healthy, he can bring a lot to a team due to his immense talent defending receivers.
10. PJ Walker, quarterback
PJ Walker has experience playing the most important position in football for two different teams in the NFL. He’s not a star, but he can step in and win a game at quarterback if he needs to.
11. Connor McGovern, C
Oddly enough, there are two NFL offensive linemen named Connor McGovern. The other is a guard with the Buffalo Bills. The 11th best remaining free agent after NFL Cut-Down Day is a center who has started every game he has played since his rookie year, most recently with the New York Jets.
12. Adoree’ Jackson, CB
Former first-round cornerback Adoree’ Jackson is a playmaker. Not only is he a defensive back who loves to chase balls, but he’s also a great kick return specialist.
13. Akello Witherspoon, CB
Akhello Witherspoon has played for three different teams since his heyday with the San Francisco 49ers. Nevertheless, he started all 17 games with the Los Angeles Rams last year and even intercepted three passes.
14. CJ Beathard, QB
CJ Beathard is one of the better backup quarterbacks in the NFL. He probably won’t win you many games, but he won’t lose you many games either.
15. Terrace Marshall, WR
The Carolina Panthers struggled last year, so they revamped their roster in the offseason. One casualty of this roster cleanup was Terrace Marshall, but the young receiver still has a lot of potential.
16. Kadarius Toney, WR
Kadarius Toney has become known for more bad than good in recent years. For example, he has had major problems with drops recently. Still, he is dynamic with the football in his hands and fans should remember that he had the longest punt return in Super Bowl history and caught a touchdown pass in the same 2023 championship game.
17. Jody Fortson, TE
Free agents leaving Super Bowl-winning teams are highly coveted in the NFL, which is why the Miami Dolphins acquired Jody Fortson. However, he did not make the 53-man roster and the three-time champion is now looking for a new home.
18. Riley Reiff, T
At 35, Riley Reiff’s best days are behind him, but it wasn’t long ago that he was considered one of the best offensive tackles in football. His experience and veteran leadership could be a great asset to a team in need of reinforcements on the offensive line.
19. Caden Sterns, S
Caden Sterns went from being a potential starter for the Broncos in a matter of weeks to a player who failed the fitness test with the Panthers and was released by the Eagles on the day of the waivers. His talent is not the problem with Sterns. His inability to find a home is more related to his inability to stay healthy.
20. Adrian Amos, S
Adrian Amos is getting older, but he hasn’t forgotten anything. The safety was productive last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
21. Donald Parham, TE
The Los Angeles Chargers always seem to have talented players at the tight end position, but this season they will be thinner than usual there, which is why the release of Donald Parham was a surprise.
22. Mike Purcell, DT
Mike Purcell is a defensive tackle who can control the game, fill gaps and take on double coverage.
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23. Michael Thomas, WR
Michael Thomas holds a number of receiving records that he set in his early days with the New Orleans Saints. Injuries have derailed his once-promising career, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if another team took a chance on his talent.
24. Dalvin Cook, RB
Dalvin Cook was underwhelming in his first season away from Minnesota, which led to him playing for two teams in the 2023 season. However, Cook has four Pro Bowl appearances to his name, the most recent in 2022.
Cook has signed with the Dallas Cowboys.
25. Keanu Neal, S
Keanu Neal is a hard-hitting safety who is more adept at keeping his head down and making tackles than in coverage.
26. Chad Ryland, K
It would be a big risk for a team to sign Chad Ryland, as the kicker struggled as a rookie with the New England Patriots and lost the kicker competition this offseason. Still, the Patriots selected him in the fourth round in 2023 (a rarity for a kicker) for a reason, even though most viewed him as a draft pick.
27. Yannick Ngakoue, DE
Yannick Ngaokoue seems to change teams every season, but that’s not due to a lack of talent. Rather, he’s a sought-after player because he can stand up to the quarterback wherever he goes.
28. Corey Davis, WR
Corey Davis has had a career with ups and downs. He retired last year and missed the entire 2023 season. However, his talent is undeniable, and now that the receiver has been reinstated, a team might want to add him to the team.
29. Lawrence Guy, DT
Lawrence Guy has made 122 career starts, mostly with the New England Patriots, but would like to end his career elsewhere.
30. Chase Claypool, WR
Chase Claypool is dealing with a toe injury that forced the Bills to release him. His recent release was another step backwards in a career that started out promisingly. Claypool had 62 catches for 873 yards as a rookie, but he hasn’t reached that mark since. The condition of Claypool’s injury is unknown, as it was initially thought to be an everyday injury, but it eventually landed him on the injured list and then in the loss of his job.
31. Logan Thomas, TE
Logan Thomas signed with the San Francisco 49ers and was released weeks before cut-down day. The team then re-signed him, only to release him again on cut-down day. Thomas was a solid tight end during his time with the Washington Commanders and it will be interesting to see if he ends up back with the 49ers after cut-down day considering they only had two tight ends on their 53-man roster.
