September 1st marks one of the roughest days of the year in the NFL. Teams have to cut down their rosters to 53 players, resulting in the dreams of hundreds of men being crushed. To get a sense of how hard it can be, take a look at this tweet from Donnel Pumphrey. Though these players are being cut, their careers aren’t necessarily over; they can still be picked up by other teams or join practice squads. Still, it’s a bad sign if you’re unable to crack a 53-man roster.
Here’s a look at 10 of the most notable players who were cut on Saturday.
Coleman has been in headlines all offseason, but not for great reasons. The Cleveland Browns gave up on the 2016 first-round pick by trading him to Buffalo for a 7th-round pick. He got a late start with the Bills’ offense and only had one catch in the preseason while playing with some below-average quarterbacks. The former Baylor star’s NFL career is in no way over, but his chances of becoming an impact player do not seem to be too good. Coleman had just 23 catches for 305 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Dan Bailey, K, Cowboys
Once among one of the best kickers in the NFL, Bailey slipped to just 75 percent on his field goals last season while missing two extra points. He was owed $3.4 million per season through 2020, and the Cowboys must have felt he was no longer worth it. They decided to go with Brett Maher instead. Expect the man with the big leg to get an opportunity elsewhere pretty quickly, and the Cowboys to potentially regret the move.
Mike Gillislee, RB, Patriots
A notable acquisition by the Patriots before last season, Gillislee did not really pan out in New England. He had just 383 yards and five touchdowns last season and was a healthy scratch for much of the second half of the year. New England addressed the running back position in the offseason, bringing in several competitors by signing Jeremy Hill and drafting Sony Michel. Hill beat out Gillislee for the roster spot.
Perriman will go down as one of the Ravens’ biggest draft busts ever. A first-round pick in 2015 out of UCF, Perriman missed his entire rookie season and then put up just 33 catches for 499 yards and three TDs in 2016. Last season he barely contributed with only 10 catches for 77 yards. According to longtime Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley, this is the first time the Ravens have cut a first-round pick before his rookie deal expired.
Roberto Aguayo, K, Chargers
Roberto Aguayo’s sad story continues. Aguayo was beaten out by Caleb Sturgis for the Los Angeles Chargers’ starting kicker job. Though he reportedly kicked well in practice, Aguayo only went 1-for-3 on field goal attempts during the preseason. Aguayo’s pro career has turned out to be a disaster. He struggled in 2016 after the Bucs traded up to the second round to draft him and was cut after a year. He has failed to catch on with a team since then and did not record an NFL stat last season.
Brian Robison, DE, Vikings
Brian Robison’s lengthy career with the Vikings may be over. The 35-year-old was cut by Minnesota even after taking a pay cut during the offseason and being owed just around $1 million for 2018. Robison had been with Minnesota since 2007, peaking with 25 sacks from 2011-2013, including a career-high of nine in 2013. He was a rotational player last season and had 20 tackles with four sacks.
Michael Johnson, DL, Bengals
The Bengals cutting Johnson seemed inevitable after they extended Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins during the week. Johnson was owed around $4.5 million for the 2018 season, so the move helps cut costs. A 2009 draft pick, Johnson has spent eight of his nine NFL seasons with the Bengals. He peaked with 11.5 sacks in 2011 but was down to 49 tackles and five sacks last season. He should be able to catch on with another team without much of a problem.
Jonathan Cooper, OG, 49ers
Cooper is looking like another bust. A former No. 7 overall pick in 2013 by Arizona, Cooper was cut by the 49ers after failing to show much in the preseason. He started 13 games at left guard last year for the Cowboys but suffered a knee injury in his final game that required surgery. That gave him a late start as he missed offseason activities and the Niners’ first preseason game. He was never able to make up the ground despite playing most of the fourth preseason game at left guard. San Francisco cut Cooper despite giving him a $2 million signing bonus.
Deshawn Shead, CB, Lions
Deshawn Shead does not seem to be the same player since suffering a torn ACL during the playoffs two seasons ago. Shead emerged in 2015 and 2016 with Seattle, playing 31 games those two seasons, recording 136 tackles and two interceptions. But he only made it onto the field for two games last year after being sidelined by his torn ACL. The Lions took a gamble on him and gave him a one-year, $3.5 million deal this offseason, but it did not pay off. A strained quad limited him in the preseason and led to him getting surpassed on the depth chart.
Tony Lippett, CB, Dolphins
Lippett was a major starter for the Dolphins in 2016, but much like Shead, an injury has derailed his career. The converted wide receiver missed all of last season with a torn Achilles, which is notoriously tough to come back from. He had 67 tackles and four interceptions in 2016 and showed promise, but now he no longer appears to be the same player.
