Tommy DeVito is among the quarterbacks looking for a new team.
The New York Giants waived the local fan favorite on Tuesday as NFL teams released more than 1,100 players before the deadline to trim rosters to 53.
Elsewhere, Trey Lance beat out Taylor Heinicke for the backup job with the Los Angeles Chargers. Heinicke, who nearly beat Tom Brady in his second career start in the 2020 playoffs, was waived. Lance was the No. 3 overall pick by San Francisco in the 2021 draft.
Kyle Trask lost his job as Baker Mayfield's backup in Tampa Bay after the team chose veteran Teddy Bridgewater to hold the No. 2 position. Tyler Huntley didn't make the cut in Cleveland. The veteran QB joined the Browns earlier this month as the fifth QB behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett was traded to Las Vegas on Monday.
Desmond Ridder, who is 8-10 in his career as a starter, was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dallas Cowboys waived Will Grier.
The Atlanta Falcons released quarterback Easton Stick, the team’s starter through the preseason as coach Raheem Morris protected starter Michael Penix Jr. and veteran backup Kirk Cousins. The release of Stick and Ben DiNucci temporarily leaves the team with only Penix and Cousins at the position.
Trevor Siemian, who is 15-18 in seven seasons, was cut by the Tennessee Titans, leaving Brandon Allen to back up No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
Rookie sixth-round pick Kyle McCord didn't make Philadelphia's initial roster. The quarterback out of Syracuse is a candidate for the practice squad if another team doesn't sign him. The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles acquired Sam Howell to back up Jalen Hurts and Tanner McKee.
Quarterback Max Brosmer was among seven undrafted free agents to make the initial roster for the Vikings, who signed veteran Carson Wentz earlier in the week to help back up J.J. McCarthy.
DeVito, an undrafted free agent and a northern New Jersey native who picked up the nickname “Tommy Cutlets,” was not expected to make the team after the signings of veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and the selection of Jaxson Dart in the first round.
Other notable cuts
Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, a 2021 Pro Bowl selection who was attempting to make a comeback after sitting out all of last season with a severe case of ulcerative colitis that caused him to lose 35 pounds, was released by the Carolina Panthers. The team also cut former starting nose tackle Shy Tuttle after rebuilding its defensive line earlier this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers released wideout Robert Woods, who has 863 receptions. Diontae Johnson (Browns), KJ Hamler (Bills) and Mecole Hardman (Packers) are among the wide receivers who were let go.
Veteran defensive back Jalen Mills was cut by the Houston Texans. Mills has started 91 games at cornerback and safety.
Guard Kenyon Green, a first-round pick by Houston in 2022 who was acquired in a trade by the Eagles a few months ago, was released.
Wide receiver Jalen Reagor, selected by the Eagles ahead of Justin Jefferson in the 2020 draft, was released by the Chargers, who also cut veteran safety Tony Jefferson and running back Nyheim Miller-Hines.
The San Francisco 49ers cut veteran wide receivers Russell Gage and Robbie Chosen after impressive camps but could try to bring at least one of them back to the practice squad or a roster spot before the opener.
The team has major questions at receiver with just two healthy wideouts — Ricky Pearsall and recently acquired Skyy Moore — after Demarcus Robinson was suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and Brandon Aiyuk will miss at least the first four weeks on the physically unable to perform list recovering from knee surgery. Jauan Jennings has missed almost all of camp with a calf injury and is also seeking a new contract. Jacob Cowing is expected to miss the first month with a hamstring injury and rookie Jordan Watkins has been out with an ankle injury but could return soon.
The Falcons placed right tackle Kaleb McGary on injured reserve with a lower left leg injury, leaving a big void at a position that protects Penix's blind side. The team also placed backup tackle Storm Norton on injured reserve with a designation to return with an ankle injury.
Defensive tackle Kentavius Street and safety Jordan Fuller were among Atlanta's cuts. Linebacker Troy Andersen will miss at least four games after being placed on the physically unable to perform list
The Washington Commanders placed starting right guard Sam Cosmi on the physically unable to perform list.
The Arizona Cardinals' first-round pick, Walter Nolen III, is among three players who will begin the season on the team's physically unable to perform list. The defensive lineman suffered a calf injury during summer workouts and hasn’t practiced during the preseason. Linebacker BJ Ojulari (knee) and defensive lineman Bilal Nichols (neck) are also on the PUP list.
The Buffalo Bills placed rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston on injured reserve with a designation to return after he missed the past month with a sprained right knee.
The first-round draft pick out of Kentucky has been sidelined since getting hurt during an individual drill a week into training camp in July. Hairston was projected to compete for the starting spot opposite Christian Benford, but will now miss at least the first four weeks of the season.
The Houston Texans placed several players on injured lists with running back Joe Mixon starting the season on the non-football injury list and receiver Tank Dell and defensive linemen Denico Autry and Kurt Hinish on the PUP list.
Seattle released veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Trades
The Chargers acquired tackle Austin Deculus from the Houston Texans for a 2027 conditional seventh-round pick.
The Seahawks traded tackle Michael Jerrell to the Atlanta Falcons.
Familiar names
Frank Gore Jr., Terique Owens, Isaiah Hodgins, Qadir Ismail, Brenden Rice and Shilo Sanders were among the players cut whose dads played in the NFL. Reagor and Woods, too.
Worst part of the job
Ask any NFL coach about the worst part of the job and the overwhelming response will be cutting players.
“It rips at my heart. It does because if they were my son, I see them through that lens because my kids are getting older now and you see how hard they work and what they put into it and they’ve done everything that we’ve asked,” Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “These guys are so grateful, they’re so appreciative and full of class. Again, it’s hard from a football standpoint but even harder from a, ‘Hey, these guys are good guys and they’re winners’ (standpoint). Sometimes it doesn’t last in football, right? But that’s where you get a reminder that football isn’t everything and life is what’s most important. I told these guys they’re going to be winners in life and that’s ultimately what is most important.”
Teams can bring players back on the practice squad if another team doesn't claim them off waivers. Each team can have up to 16 players, including a maximum of six eligible veterans with unlimited experience, on the practice squad. The remainder have to be players with two or fewer accrued seasons. Teams can also have one additional player from the International Player Pathway program.
Players can be signed off a practice squad to another team’s active roster at any time.
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AP Sports Writers Charles Odum, David Brandt, Howard Fendrich, Steve Reed, Beth Harris, Andrew Destin and John Wawrow, and AP Pro Football Writers Dave Campbell, Josh Dubow, Teresa M. Walker and Schuyler Dixon contributed to this report.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press
