The biggest names released during NFL cut day 2022

There are some big names looking for now homes in 2022.

Aug 30, 2022, 2:32 PM UTC

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.

It’s a grim day in the NFL for dozens of players. At 4 p.m. ET, teams must submit their 53-man rosters to the league, ending the dreams of playing pro football for a lot of people. Some players will find a second life on practice squads, or late signings before the season starts — but for most this will be the last they’ll be a part of an NFL team.

The most interesting cuts today will be veterans. Some very good football players will be released, with teams either looking for salary relief to patch other holes, or getting surprise performances from rookies, making them feel comfortable with a youth movement and letting past reliability go.

The biggest names released so far

WR Josh Gordon cut by Chiefs

By all accounts Gordon has settled in well with the Chiefs and was finally getting his career back on track, but a loaded depth chart pushed him out. The 31-year-old wide receiver didn’t get a ton of opportunities in 2021, but likely could have stuck on the roster had Kansas City needed more back-end help.

Gordon is worth a pickup for a playoff-caliber team in need of receiving depth. That’s really where he’s at in his career at this point, and someone will roll the dice on his upside again.

TE O.J. Howard cut by Bills

Signed by the Bills in free agency, Howard was planned to be a stopgap solution to round out the depth at tight end in Buffalo. In the end, the team felt comfortable enough with rookie Quintin Morris to move on and save a little cap space, rather than hold the veteran.

It’s unclear where Howard goes now. He really suffered with Tom Brady’s arrival in Tampa Bay, as it pushed him out of the rotation in favor of Rob Gronkowski. A team will look at him for potential tight end depth, but there are a lot of young players around the league at the position. Still, I believe he will find a home eventually.

RB Sony Michel cut by Dolphins

This one is a stunner. Michel is just a year removed from rushing for 845 yards and 4 touchdowns with the Super Bowl champion Rams — now he’s gone. The Dolphins are comfortable running with a 1-2 punch of Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert, with Myles Gaskin as their third. All three players have a more clearly defined style than Michel’s all-around ability.

A lot of contenders lack depth at running back right now, and just like he did for the Rams I expect a team will find a use for Michel. He’s still on the right side of 30, still has his legs, and should be a priority signing for a number of teams.

RB Duke Johnson cut by Bills

The other of Buffalo’s big veteran cuts, Johnson was a victim of the emergence of rookie James Cook. The running back position had become stacked for the Bills, and he was simply the odd man out.

There are reports the Bills want Johnson back on their practice squad, however it’s unclear if another team in need of RB help would let him. Should Michel sign quickly I expect Johnson won’t be far behind as the next best RB up.

Kellen Mond cut by Vikings

Minnesota has undergone a regime change, and when that happens players fall by the wayside. Still, it’s a little surprising that even with a new coach and GM the team would give up on Kellen Mond this quickly. It’s clear he didn’t fit the system the team was building offensively, and Mond struggled this preseason out of a promising performance against the Raiders.

Mond is a 23-year-old quarterback in his second season. Someone will take a flier on him, even as a practice squad signing.

Wyatt Davis cut by Vikings

Another 2021 draft pick released, Minnesota also parted ways with offensive guard Wyatt Davis. The former third rounder jumped from the practice squad to the main roster throughout his time in Minnesota, and looked like he finally would stick before being released.

A team who scouted Davis prior to the draft will definitely look to pick him up, and he’s likely another practice squad candidate.

Alex Leatherwood cut by Raiders

The No. 17 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the Raiders tried shopping Leatherwood for most of the day before waiving him ahead of the 4 p.m. cut deadline. There’s no denying he struggled as a rookie, giving up eight sacks and committing 45 penalties in his first season.

There is no doubt someone is going to step up and sign him based off promise and see if he can develop. Leatherwood could become the most coveted player released on cut day because of his age and position.