As the NFL preseason comes to an end, and the regular season sits less than a week away, all teams are asked to cut their rosters to 53 men by Saturday. In the process of doing that, there are always a couple big names that get the short end of the stick. As the 4 p.m. EST. deadline passed, there were a few key players who found themselves without a team heading into the 2015 campaign.
The first big name to go down was a player battling for the position of third-string quarterback. Tim Tebow has not played in the NFL since 2012, and despite the Philadelphia Eagles trading away Matt Barkley, he was released from the team on Saturday.
Tebow was one of 22 players cut by the Eagles by Saturday's deadline, and head coach Chip Kelly offered an explanation in an interview. Kelly stated that, although Tebow has progressed, the 28-year old was not good enough for the position at the moment.
The move leaves Philadelphia with Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez as their top two quarterbacks, both of whom have dealt with numerous injuries. Tebow went to Twitter to thank the organization for giving him the opportunity to play the game he loves.
Another big name that was cut came from the other side of the ball, as defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was let go by the San Francisco 49ers on Friday. Dockett had just signed a two-year deal in the offseason, and was expected to take over for the retired Justin Smith.
Dockett was also planning on mentoring first-round draft pick Arik Armstead. The 10th-year player has 40.5 career sacks, with his biggest season coming in 2007 when he recorded 9.0 sacks. The rest of the Niners' defensive linemen have 12 sacks in a combined 17 seasons among them.
As the New England Patriots celebrate Tom Brady's eligibility, the team made a notable move on Saturday when they released wide receiver Reggie Wayne. This was a move that was "mutually agreed upon" between the organization and the six-time Pro Bowler. Wayne reportedly asked for his release, despite signing a one-year deal on August 25th.
Wayne says he is still willing to sign with another team in the right situation. His contract had a maximum value of $2.8 million and included a $450,000 bonus. The move came as a surprise to everyone, especially knowing the 36-year old was upbeat and satisfied following the preseason finale.
When asked why he chose the Patriots in the first place, Wayne said "I just want to win." The reasoning for Wayne asking for his release his unknown. One thing that is known is the Patriots', as well as 31 other teams' rosters, are ready for the 2015 regular season.
The first big name to go down was a player battling for the position of third-string quarterback. Tim Tebow has not played in the NFL since 2012, and despite the Philadelphia Eagles trading away Matt Barkley, he was released from the team on Saturday.
Tebow was one of 22 players cut by the Eagles by Saturday's deadline, and head coach Chip Kelly offered an explanation in an interview. Kelly stated that, although Tebow has progressed, the 28-year old was not good enough for the position at the moment.
The move leaves Philadelphia with Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez as their top two quarterbacks, both of whom have dealt with numerous injuries. Tebow went to Twitter to thank the organization for giving him the opportunity to play the game he loves.
Another big name that was cut came from the other side of the ball, as defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was let go by the San Francisco 49ers on Friday. Dockett had just signed a two-year deal in the offseason, and was expected to take over for the retired Justin Smith.
Dockett was also planning on mentoring first-round draft pick Arik Armstead. The 10th-year player has 40.5 career sacks, with his biggest season coming in 2007 when he recorded 9.0 sacks. The rest of the Niners' defensive linemen have 12 sacks in a combined 17 seasons among them.
As the New England Patriots celebrate Tom Brady's eligibility, the team made a notable move on Saturday when they released wide receiver Reggie Wayne. This was a move that was "mutually agreed upon" between the organization and the six-time Pro Bowler. Wayne reportedly asked for his release, despite signing a one-year deal on August 25th.
Wayne says he is still willing to sign with another team in the right situation. His contract had a maximum value of $2.8 million and included a $450,000 bonus. The move came as a surprise to everyone, especially knowing the 36-year old was upbeat and satisfied following the preseason finale.
When asked why he chose the Patriots in the first place, Wayne said "I just want to win." The reasoning for Wayne asking for his release his unknown. One thing that is known is the Patriots', as well as 31 other teams' rosters, are ready for the 2015 regular season.
