Notable NFL cuts 2026: Will Levis, Jaydon Blue and the biggest surprises around the league

NFL teams had to make their final cuts to reduce their active roster to 53 players for the 2025 season by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30. It's a tough but necessary league-wide process less than two weeks from the first game of Week 1.

Although there were a limited number of surprise cuts, it is still important to know the most notable, including former top backups and one-time high draft picks. Even the bottom-of-the-depth-chart decisions are important for the bottom line of each team's upcoming performance over 18 weeks.

Sporting News is tracking every players released by every team. Below are many of the recognizable names who are now free agents looking for jobs to extend their careers.

MORE: How much money do NFL practice squad players make?

Notable NFL cuts 2026

Quarterbacks

Josh Johnson

Johnson already has played for a record 15 teams that included the Bengals, but now he's cut from them at 40, which might really mean the end.

Jake Browning

The former Bengals backup got burned by the Buccaneers, who preferred to go with undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels behind Baker Mayfield.

Will Levis

The Titans won't be needing to have mayonnaise available at the players' coffee canteen as they move on with Cam Ward, Mitchell Trubisky and Hendon Hooker on the depth chart.

Bailey Zappe

The Jets were bound to zap the former Patriots and Browns backup with rookie Cade Klubnik and second-year man Brady Cook ahead of him.

Brett Rypien

Rypien knows the feeling of the Texans cutting him because the Vikings did the same thing this time last year.

Shane Buechele

The former starter at Texas didn't fit the Bills behind Josh Allen and Kyle Allen.

Kyle Trask

The Panthers were the latest to give up on the Bucs' one-time second-round draft pick.

Nick Mullens

Running backs

Trey Benson

The Cardinals couldn't afford to keep a fifth back behind Tyler Allgeier, rookie first-round pick Jeremiyah Love and venerable James Conner. That No. 4 nod went to Bam Knight, the third-leading rusher on the team last season.

Jaydon Blue

He had some promise in Dallas, but that was squashed with injury issues and the play of Javonte Williams.

D'Ernest Johnson

The former Browns supersub couldn't make the Titans' roster behind Tony Pollard and others.

MORE: Packers trade for RB as Josh Jacobs is placed on Commissioner's Exempt List

Wide receivers

Scotty Miller

The Bears didn't have room for the former Buccaneers, Falcons and Steelers slot.

Cedric Tillman

The Browns entertained keeping or trading him, but in the end, they had surprising depth behind Jerry Jeudy and rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.

Mecole Hardman

The former Chiefs wideout and return man is only 28 but got caught in a numbers game with the Bills.

Dante Pettis

It's hard to believe the 49ers' 2018 second-round draft pick was bouncing, released at age 30, also by the Bills.

Hakeem Butler

Butler, also 30, didn't do it with the Broncos after bouncing around from the NFL, XFL, CFL and UFL.

K.J. Osborn

The former Vikings' No. 3 didn't make the Titans' new-look wide receiver corps.

Van Jefferson

The Commanders didn't need the 2020 Rams second-round draft pick.

Marques Valdez-Scantling

The Cowboys didn't need the former Packer and Chiefs' big-play threat.

Offensive tackles

Jedrick Wills Jr.

Defensive tackles

Mazi Smith

It's amazing how Smith is only three-plus years removed from being a first-round pick the Cowboys and now has gone bust for the Jets, too.

Edge rushers

Emmanuel Ogbah

Linebackers

Elandon Roberts

The Steelers dumped the 32-year-old journeyman, who started for Pittsburgh from 2023 to '24.

Deion Jones

The 49ers had just traded for the former Falcons, Browns, Panthers and Buccaneers defender,  but maybe were just trying to get rid of running back Zamir White.

Cornerbacks

Sean Murphy-Bunting

The Cardinals moved on from the former Buccaneers starting cornerback.

Safeties

Taylor Rapp

Rapp couldn't keep the beat for the Broncos after his time with the Rams and Bills.

Tony Jefferson

The Chargers didn't need to keep the 34-year-old veteran.

Punters

Mitch Wishnowsky

The former long-time Aussie 49er couldn't beat out Bills seventh-round rookie Tommy Doman Jr.

Kickers

Cade York

The Jets gave York the boot after going with Jason Sanders.