NFL Roster Cuts: 49ers Cut QB Nate Davis To Make Room For Troy Smith

The 49ers on Monday released Ball State quarterback and last year’s third-string on the depth chart, Nate Davis, to make room for former Ravens quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith.

Davis was a 5th round pick in 2009, but never played a snap last season with the 49ers. He was a fan favorite among San Francisco fans discontent with the play of starter Alex Smith, but was never able to produce the same infatuation with his coaches. 49ers head coach Mike Singletary, in particular, was vocal in his criticism of Davis.

Sunday’s announcement that the New York Jets cut veteran fullback Tony Richardson came with the caveat that the team was reported to be likely to bring Richardson back after Week 1, when his salary would not have to be guaranteed for the remainder of the season.

Turns out, it didn’t take even that long for the Jets to welcome back the three-time Pro Bowler. The Jets on Monday re-signed Richardson, a day after cutting him. While the veteran was outshined in preseason by rookie John Conner, Richardson remains a valuable and popular locker room presence.

Pat White wasn’t the only undersized mobile quarterback to be shown a pink slip on Saturday. The Ravens cut Heisman Trophy-winner Troy Smith loose, too.

Smith had his chances to catch on in Baltimore, but he couldn’t break through before Joe Flacco arrived in town, and fell far behind Flacco as the Delaware product settled in, but our Baltimore Beatdown still calls the move “relatively surprising.”

The Miami Dolphins picked Pat White in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. One year, five incomplete passes, and 81 career rushing yards later, the Dolphins have released him.

Our Dolphins blog, The Phinsider, isn’t surprised. But it doesn’t seem like a good sign for White’s NFL future that a team that had question marks at quarterback and a robust wildcat attack couldn’t find a reason to keep him.