The NFL is filled with significant contributors who were originally cut, waived or released by another club, so cutoff day doesn’t signal the end of football playing days for everyone.
Raheem Mostert went undrafted in 2015, then was cut by six different teams before landing as a player in San Francisco with the 49ers. Isaiah McKenzie was waived midseason by the Broncos in 2018. He will enter the 2022 season as Buffalo’s starting quarterback.
Teams have until 4:00 PM ET on Tuesday to whittle down their roster numbers to 53 players, and I’m tracking the most worthy of waivers to be added by another club. I’ll continue to update this tracker as more moves trickle in on Tuesday — these 53-man rosters are far from complete.
Below you’ll see those players, with information on which team released them, the round in which they were drafted — if applicable — and a link to their Mockdraftable spider chart, which shows how they tested at the combine or their pro day when they were a prospect.
Released by: Eagles
Draft Status: Round 2 – 2015
Positional Athletics: Above average
Safeties with Tartt’s level of experience and productivity don’t come by chance every August. He played in 80 regular season games for the 49ers starting in 2015 and collected four picks with 18 pass breakups along with an average of 56 total tackles on the season.
A towering safety who best attacks the middle of the field and the line of scrimmage, Tartt’s type of safety has recently become fashionable in the NFL. He had five tackles and a sack in Super Bowl LIV. Just 30 years old, Tartt should have plenty of suitors on the open market. Because he is a vested veteran — more than four years accumulated in the NFL — he is not subject to waivers and can sign with another team immediately.
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Released by: The bears
Draft Status: Round 6 – 2021
Positional Athletics: Way below average
Newsome was my #TrustTheTape prospect in the class of 2021. He tested horribly. On the North Carolina field, Newsome was electric. Newsome produced in all four seasons for the Tar Heels and had more than 1,000 yards with 10 touchdowns as a junior in 2019.
He was a member of this article last year, in fact, when the Bears released him before landing the 53s. He was signed to Chicago’s practice squad and caught two passes for 23 yards in several appearances late in the season. Now, his 2019 season in the ACC has become largely irrelevant, and his poor combine seems more than likely to have been a strong indicator that Newsome simply isn’t athletic enough to consistently win as a slot wideout in the NFL. After a strong minicamp and flashes in training camp, Newsome had just two for 27 yards in the preseason. He’s worth ranking as an undersized, utility-type receiver.
Released by: Broncos
Draft Status: Round 5 – 2013
Positional Athletics: They are irrelevant
Check player stats from 2021 — net batting average, that is — and you’ll see Martin near the top. His 42.8 average was third best in football, and his 28 punts inside the 20 were tied for fifth most in the NFL. Year-to-year consistency is vital for players, and in each of the last three seasons, Martin finished 12th or better in net average. For a club looking to upgrade the player position, Martin should be the No. 1 priority. 1. Shooters are people too, remember.