NFL Roster Bubble Watch: Players Fighting for 53-Man Spots Ahead of Tuesday’s Deadline

The most nerve-wracking time of the NFL calendar has arrived. All teams must reduce their roster to an initial 53 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, meaning 37 players are being cut from each team — meaning 1,182 players around the league are going to be waived over the next several days.

While most attention focuses on undrafted rookies and long shots fighting for their NFL dreams, some of the most intriguing storylines involve established veterans whose careers hang in the balance. Here’s a team-by-team breakdown of notable players on the roster bubble heading into Tuesday’s crucial deadline.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills

Elijah Moore, WR – Moore hasn’t impressed in camp, didn’t do much in the preseason games, and is stuck on the Bills depth chart behind Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, and Curtis Samuel. The Bills would have to eat $1.75 million on Moore’s deal, but that’s manageable for a player unlikely to contribute.

Miami Dolphins

Cam Smith, CB – The 2023 second-round pick has played just 153 defensive snaps in two years, and when he has been on the field, he has struggled—his career passer rating against is north of 100. Even with Miami’s thin cornerback depth, Smith hasn’t been able to move up the depth chart.

New England Patriots

Cole Strange, OG – The former first-round pick has fallen out of favor and lost the starting left guard job to Jared Wilson. With his fifth-year option already declined, Strange represents one of the last remnants of the Bill Belichick era fighting for survival.

Anfernee Jennings, EDGE – Just one year after inking a three-year, $24 million contract extension, he played well into the fourth quarter of New England’s preseason opener, indicating he’s fallen behind Harold Landry III and K’Lavon Chaisson on the depth chart.

New York Jets

Malachi Corley, WR – Essentially invisible as a rookie with three catches for 16 yards in 83 snaps. He also missed a chunk of OTAs and didn’t do much in the preseason games.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

David Ojabo, EDGE – The 25-year-old has managed just 16 tackles and four sacks over 379 snaps in three seasons. While he’s declared himself healthy, he’s buried on the depth chart behind established pass rushers and 2025 draft addition Mike Green.

Cincinnati Bengals

Cordell Volson, OG – The 27-year-old allowed six sacks and committed eight penalties in just under 1,000 snaps last season and was benched for two games. Rookie third-rounder Dylan Fairchild could make Volson expendable.

Cleveland Browns

Gage Lavardain and Kaden Davis are fighting for a final spot on the wide receiver corps.

Nathaniel Wilson, LB – is also considered a bubble candidate.

Pittsburgh Steelers

DeMarvin Leal, EDGE – The former third-round pick has been mostly invisible over three seasons, starting just six games and logging just one sack. A neck injury limited him to five games last year, and Pittsburgh’s addition of Jack Sawyer makes his roster spot precarious.

AFC South

Houston Texans

Denico Autry, DT – Just one year after signing a two-year, $20 million contract, Autry was invisible with just 13 tackles and three sacks while serving a six-game suspension. He’s currently on the PUP list with a knee injury.

Indianapolis Colts

Khalil Herbert, RB – Herbert has averaged 4.8 yards per carry on 400 career totes, but he’s been unable to pass D.J. Giddens or Tyler Goodson on the depth chart behind Jonathan Taylor.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Dennis Gardeck, OLB – The veteran only recently returned from a torn ACL and is something of a tweener who is an odd fit as an off-ball strong-side linebacker. Yasir Abdullah appears to have the inside track to start at Sam linebacker.

Tennessee Titans

Amani Oruwariye, CB – The 29-year-old’s 40 career starts provide experience, but his passer rating against in 2022 and 2024 topped 100, and he hasn’t made a dent in practice or the preseason.

AFC West

Denver Broncos

Jaleel McLaughlin, RB – McLaughlin averaged 4.4 yards per carry on 113 carries in 2024 and is a capable receiver, but with J.K. Dobbins and rookie R.J. Harvey as locks, and Audric Estime likely making it, McLaughlin faces a numbers game.

Kansas City Chiefs

Carson Steele, RB – Despite being a fan favorite who made three starts as a rookie, Steele averaged just 3.3 yards per carry and put the ball on the ground three times. He’s now fifth on the depth chart behind Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Elijah Mitchell, and Brashard Smith.

Las Vegas Raiders

Jaylon Smith, LB – The 30-year-old never had much of a chance to make the team. The gruesome knee injury at Notre Dame altered his career trajectory, and he just isn’t an NFL-caliber linebacker anymore.

Los Angeles Chargers

Jalen Reagor, WR – Five years into his NFL career, Reagor had just seven catches for 100 yards in 2024 and has just one touchdown catch over the last three years on three different teams. Keenan Allen’s return makes Reagor expendable.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

Damone Clark, LB – Clark is a liability against the run and finds himself well down the depth chart with Jack Sanborn expected to be the signal-caller and Kenneth Murray Jr. likely starting alongside him. His $3.5 million salary is steep for a special teams contributor.

New York Giants

Tommy DeVito, QB – DeVito was always a long shot to make the 53-man roster with Russell Wilson starting, Jameis Winston backing up, and first-round pick Jaxson Dart in the mix. The Giants won’t carry four quarterbacks.

Devin Singletary, RB – Singletary posted the lowest rushing total of his career and eventually ceded his RB1 status to Tyrone Tracy Jr. With Tracy entering his second season as the lead back and rookie Cam Skattebo impressing, the 28-year-old’s role has diminished significantly.

Evan Neal, OL – The seventh overall pick in 2022 has struggled through his first three seasons, but a move inside to guard has had early positive returns. His roster spot depends on whether the position change works out.

Philadelphia Eagles

Azeez Ojulari, EDGE – Despite showing high-end per-snap production with the Giants, including six sacks in less than 400 snaps last year, he’s been passed by Josh Uche on the depth chart in Philadelphia. He’s looked nothing like the explosive pass-rusher he was in New York.

Washington Commanders

Chris Rodriguez Jr., RB – Rodriguez has answered when called upon over the last two years with 86 career carries for 420 yards and four scores, but he’s not on the depth chart with Brian Robinson Jr*., Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt ahead of him.

*update – Brian Robinson traded to 49er’s.

NFC North

Chicago Bears

Tyler Scott, WR – After making four starts as a rookie and catching 17 passes, Scott had just one catch for five yards while playing 20 offensive snaps in 2024. He’s buried even deeper in 2025 and contributes little on special teams.

Detroit Lions

Josh Paschal, EDGE – The second-round pick from 2022 has managed just five sacks over his first three seasons. He’s currently on the Active/NFI list with an undisclosed injury, and Lions head coach Dan Campbell indicated it may be September before he can return to practice.

Green Bay Packers

Mecole Hardman, WR – After a performance in Green Bay’s preseason opener that included a key drop and a muffed punt, the 27-year-old has never come close to living up to his second-round draft slot. On a team loaded with young receiver talent, he has no margin for error.

Minnesota Vikings

Ty Chandler, RB – A fifth-round pick who started four games in 2022, Chandler’s playing time and effectiveness were down in 2024 with just 62 touches and 3.3 yards per carry. Youngster Zavier Scott is turning heads and pushing hard for the No. 3 running back job.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

Kirk Cousins, QB – The Falcons desperately want Cousins and his $27.5 million guaranteed salary off the books. The veteran wants a chance to play, but barring injury to Michael Penix Jr., that isn’t happening in Atlanta.

Carolina Panthers

A’Shawn Robinson, DT – Despite signing a three-year, $22.5 million contract in 2024, Robinson played a significant role in Carolina’s league-worst run defense and graded 100th or worse among defensive tackles. The Panthers made major investments in Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton.

New Orleans Saints

Taysom Hill, Utility – Hill continues to recuperate from a torn ACL and may not be ready for the start of the regular season. The Saints can save $10 million toward the 2025 salary cap by cutting the soon-to-be 35-year-old as they begin a rebuild.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB – The former first-round pick carried the ball just 13 times for 3.5 yards per carry last season. With Alvin Kamara leading and Kendre Miller as RB2, both Edwards-Helaire and Cam Akers could be searching for new homes.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Trey Palmer, WR – Palmer’s role decreased significantly in his second season despite injuries to Tampa’s receivers, with his snap count falling over 50 percent and managing just 12 catches for 172 yards. The Buccaneers are six deep at wideout with more secure options.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

Zaven Collins, LB – The Cardinals aren’t likely to cut Collins due to his first-round pedigree and contract, but after four mostly disappointing seasons, his best chance of salvaging his career likely lies in a change of scenery.

Los Angeles Rams

David Quessenberry, OT – A great story of perseverance after battling lymphoma, Quessenberry played just 110 snaps for the Vikings last year. There are too many younger players ahead of him on the depth chart.

San Francisco 49ers

Tre Brown, CB – Brown has gone from vying to start to potentially not making the team at all. Rookie Upton Stout has been outstanding in camp and is now the favorite to start opposite Deommodore Lenoir.

Seattle Seahawks

Quinton Bohanna, DT – The 26-year-old, 355-pound road-grader has 39 tackles and zero sacks in four NFL seasons. He’s an OK depth piece but isn’t a potential difference-maker with untapped potential.

The Waiver Wire Factor

Big-name players who remain at odds over contracts with their current teams — Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, and Terry McLaurin add another layer of complexity to roster decisions. Some teams may create roster space anticipating trades or acquisitions.

The Patriots will have no problem pulling the trigger on a big trade for a player like Trey Hendrickson or Micah Parsons, if it makes sense, exemplifying how teams might look to acquire talent from other clubs’ bubble candidates rather than outright cutting quality players.

What to Watch Tuesday

As 4 p.m. ET approaches on Tuesday, expect a flurry of activity across the league. Veterans who seemed secure could find themselves looking for new teams, while some bubble players will earn spots through late preseason performances or special teams value.

The next 48 hours will reshape rosters across the NFL, with 1,182 players learning their immediate fate. For the veterans highlighted above, Tuesday represents not just a roster decision, but potentially the difference between continuing their NFL careers or facing an uncertain future in professional football.

Keep an eye on the waiver wire Wednesday morning – some of these bubble candidates could find new homes quickly, while others may have to prove themselves on practice squads before getting another shot at the 53-man roster.