NFL cuts: Patriots waive QB Bailey Zappe, Chiefs cut WR Kadarius Toney
Wed Aug 28 8:55am ET
Field Level Media
The New England Patriots waived quarterback Bailey Zappe on Tuesday.
The deadline for teams to get down to a 53-man roster was Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Zappe played in 14 games the past two seasons, starting eight, for the Patriots and was 4-4. He completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,053 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
While Zappe, 25, relieved an ineffective Mac Jones last season, he was buried in the quarterback room this spring and summer behind veteran Jacoby Brissett and rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton III. Maye was the No. 3 overall pick of the draft, while Milton was taken in the sixth round.
Zappe was 15-of-25 passing for 137 yards in the preseason.
First-year head coach Jerod Mayo has yet to announce who will start at QB when the Patriots open the season Sept. 8 against the Bengals in Cincinnati.
Other notable cuts, per multiple reports:
--Martavis Bryant's comeback dreams ended with his release by the Washington Commanders.
Bryant, 32, was attempting to play in the NFL regular season for the first time since he was suspended indefinitely by the league in 2018 following multiple drug violations. The league did not reinstate him until last November.
He spent time late last season on the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys, who released him on Jan. 4. He caught on with the Commanders two weeks ago after a workout at training camp.
--The Tennessee Titans are cutting former first-round draft pick Caleb Farley after three seasons.
The No. 22 selection in 2021, the defensive back played in just 12 games (two starts) over three seasons because of a variety of injuries, including a torn ACL and back issues.
He had 14 tackles and one pass defended.
--Running back Frank Gore Jr. was not on the 53-man roster of the Buffalo Bills when the league deadline arrived on Tuesday.
Gore Jr. rushed for 101 yards in the preseason finale and said he was confident he put his "best foot forward" in a preseason bid to follow his father's footsteps to the NFL.
The Southern Miss product hit waivers despite gaining 212 total yards on 37 touches with Buffalo in August.
--The Houston Texans released wide receiver Noah Brown.
The 28-year-old played five seasons with the Cowboys before signing with the Texans ahead of the 2023 campaign, in which he played in 10 games (seven starts) and made 33 catches for 567 yards with two touchdowns.
In 76 career games (25 starts), he has 115 receptions for 1,547 yards and five TDs.
--The Green Bay Packers cut kicker Anders Carlson, who missed a key field goal attempt in the NFC playoffs last season.
Carlson couldn't convert a 41-yard attempt in the Packers' 24-21 divisional-round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers in January -- a field goal that could have given Green Bay a seven-point lead with just over six minutes to play.
He struggled throughout his 2023 rookie season, missing five extra point tries and converting just 81.8 percent (27 of 33) of his field goal attempts in the regular season. The sixth-round draft pick also missed an extra point in the playoffs.
The Packers also released quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt after their trade to acquire Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans was made official. Willis will serve as the QB2 behind Jordan Love.
--The two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs released wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
The oft-injured former first-round draft pick (New York Giants, 2021) publicly feuded with his team last winter when he claimed on an Instagram Live stream the Chiefs were lying about his injury status to keep him inactive.
The 25-year-old Toney has caught 82 passes for 760 yards and three touchdowns in 32 games over three seasons with the Giants (2021-22) and Chiefs (2022-23). He caught a go-ahead touchdown in Super Bowl LVII when the Chiefs beat the Eagles, but he was inactive throughout last year's playoff run.
The Chiefs reunited with former wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster earlier this week.
--The Los Angeles Chargers released veteran tight end Donald Parham, a part-time starter who was coming off a career season.
Parham set career highs with 27 catches, 285 yards and four touchdowns in 2023, his fourth season in the league. First-year head coach Jim Harbaugh appears to be going with Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst at the tight-end position.
Among the Chargers' other cuts is Alex Leatherwood, a former first-round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 who has struggled to stay with a team after starting all 17 games his rookie year.
--The Philadelphia Eagles trimmed their receivers room by cutting Parris Campbell and John Ross.
The Eagles acquired wide receiver Jahan Dotson from the Commanders last week and are expected to make him their No. 3 receiver behind A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith. That left little room for Campbell, who played four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and one with the Giants, and Ross, the former ninth overall draft pick (2017) who hasn't played in the NFL since 2021.
--The Cleveland Browns parted with veteran running back D'Onta Foreman, though head coach Kevin Stefanski hinted to reporters that the team could bring him back in some capacity before the season.
Foreman, 28, spent 2023 with the Chicago Bears and rushed for 425 yards and four touchdowns on 109 attempts. In six NFL seasons with Houston (2017-18), Tennessee (2020-21), Carolina (2022) and Chicago, he has amassed 2,326 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, along with 34 receptions for 342 yards and three scores.
--The Jacksonville Jaguars released quarterback C.J. Beathard with an injury settlement.
Beathard's chance to make the roster looked dim after the Jaguars acquired Mac Jones to back up Trevor Lawrence at quarterback. Beathard appeared in seven games, starting one for the Jags in 2023 while Lawrence dealt with injuries.
In six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers (2017-18, 2020) and Jaguars (2021-23), Beathard has completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 3,886 yards, 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 32 games (13 starts).
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The Paur Report
Dynasty | The Arizona Cardinals have cut running back Michael Carter. Dynasty Analysis: The fact Emari Demercado is on the initial 53 for Arizona is a bad sign for Carter's future for sure. It also means Trey Benson is the clear handcuff to James Conner moving into the season. Carter could land on his feet as a third down or change-of-pace back somewhere but he's way off the dynasty radar at this point.
Dynasty | The Jaguars have waived quarterback CJ Beathard. Dynasty Analysis: Beathard gets an injury settlement and Jones gets to be Trevor Lawrence's backup. This was a close battle but a late preseason injury to Beathard pretty much sealed the deal. Jones will now look to continue his development behind Lawrence and hope for a shot as a starter again elsewhere. The former first rounder is a tough hold on a dynasty roster, however.
Dynasty | The Commanders have released running back Chris Rodriguez. Dynasty Analysis: Rodriguez had some nice moments last year but was caught up in a numbers game after Washington traded for Austin Ekeler. With much of the "deep sleeper" bloom off the rose now with his release, it's going to be tough for dynasty managers to hold on to Rodriguez.
Dynasty | The 49ers have released wide receiver Robbie Chosen. Dynasty Analysis: The Chosen one will not be suiting up for the 49ers after all. With Brandon Aiyuk likely staying (at least at the moment), San Francisco didn't have a need for the speedster. After spending time with the Panthers, Jets, Cardinals, Dolphins and now the 49ers, it's fair to wonder if this may be the last we see of him. He's not worth a dynasty roster spot, unless you're in a league that rewards for multiple in-season name changes.
Dynasty | Packers running back AJ Dillon has been placed on season-ending IR. Dynasty Analysis: Wow. The Packers brought him back this year to back up Josh Jacobs and it seems he's not going to be recovered enough from last year's neck injury to do that. MarShawn Lloyd may have the inside track to back him up but Jacobs is in line for a monster workload. As for Dillon, this is going to be a tough time to justify keeping him on a dynasty roster.
Kansas City Chiefs RB Emani Bailey, LB Swayze Bozeman, TE Baylor Cupp, DT Neil Farrell, OT Chukwuebuka Godrick, CB Kamal Hadden, RB Keaontay Ingram, LB Curtis Jacobs, DE Truman Jones, DT Fabien Lovett Sr., CB D.J. Miller, OT Lucas Niang, QB Chris Oladokun, WR Cornell Powell, RB Louis Rees-Zammit, WR Nikko Remigio, WR Justyn Ross, CB Keith Taylor and WR Montrell Washington were waived on Tuesday, Aug. 27. The Chiefs also waived S Tyree Gillespie (undisclosed) with an injury designation and released S Deon Bush, LB Cole Christiansen and DT Matt Dickerson.
From TheHuddle
Free-agent QB Mike White (Dolphins) is expected to sign with the Buffalo Bills' practice squad, according to sources.
From TheHuddle
Dynasty | The Denver Broncos have released running back Samaje Perine. Dynasty Analysis: This comes as no surprise as reports circulated yesterday indicating Perine was on the trade block. It's also notable the Broncos kept four running backs - Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and Blake Watson. Perine himself should have little problem landing a backup job but he's a hard sell as a dynasty asset.
Dynasty | The Broncos have released Tim Patrick and he's subsequently signing with the Detroit. Dynasty Analysis: Patrick expects to be on the practice squad in the short term but the expectation is he's signed to the active roster shortly. It's a decent landing spot for him, though it's tough to see him carving out real value in the short term. His injury history is troublesome and he's looking like more of a roster clogger than anything else at the moment.
Dynasty | The Minnesota Vikings have released tight end Robert Tonyan. Dynasty Analysis: This is a bad sign for Tonyan's career considering TJ Hockenson is still out with an injury. Tonyan had a great stretch with the Packers early in his career but he just hasn't been able to rekindle that magic over the past few years. He looks like dynasty waiver wire fodder at the moment.
Dynasty | The 49ers have placed running back Elijah Mitchell on season-ending IR. Dynasty Analysis: This is significant for a couple of reasons. First, Mitchell is clearly not worth a dynasty roster spot at this point. Second, Jordan Mason clearly is. While Christian McCaffrey is going to get virtually every touch for the 49ers, Mason would be a huge difference maker should he miss time. Hmm. Interesting.
Dynasty | The Tennessee Titans have released wide receiver Kyle Phillips. Dynasty Analysis: Philips has just not panned out for the Titans, despite having multiple opportunities. He battled a hamstring injury and could wind up on another team but his dynasty shine is clearly dimming and it's hard to make a case for keeping him on a dynasty roster.
Dynasty | The Dallas Cowboys have cut running back Royce Freeman. Dynasty Analysis: Freeman looked to have an inside track at a job but ended up being cut along with Malik Davis in favor of both Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn. With Dalvin Cook also a possibility of being signed after his visit this week, this depth chart looks like a bit of a mess. Freeman is starting to run out of chances, despite performing relatively well when he's had chances.
Free-agent quarterback Mike White is signing with the Buffalo Bills' practice squad, per Adam Schefter. White has also been a member of the Jets and most recently, the Dolphins, where he's played 14 regular season games, throwing for 2,219 yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. This will be White's third AFC East team in as many seasons, but as far as a fantasy asset in 2024, White shouldn't be drafted in any format. As a member of the practice squad, White would have to be activated ahead of time if he were to get any action on the field in the event of a Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky injury. If White does get the opportunity to start, he has looked the part in his limited time on the field.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens OT Corey Bullock, RB Chris Collier, CB Bump Cooper Jr., WR Malik Cunningham, OG Darrian Dalcourt, LB Joe Evans, TE Qadir Ismail, QB Devin Leary, OG Tashawn Manning, OT Julian Pearl, DE C.J. Ravenell, LB Yvandy Rigby, LB Joshua Ross, WR Dayton Wade, CB Damarion Williams, NT Deadrin Senat and DT Josh Tupou were waived Tuesday, Aug. 27. The team also placed RB Keaton Mitchell (knee) on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list and released CB Ka'dar Hollman, RB John Kelly, WR Keith Kirkwood, WR Anthony Miller and CB Daryl Worley. LB Deion Jennings (undisclosed), CB Christian Matthew (undisclosed), CB Arthur Maulet (knee), CB Trayvon Mullen (undisclosed), WR Isaiah Washington (undisclosed) and RB Owen Wright (foot) were placed on the Reserve/Injured list but only Maulet was designated to return later in the season.
From TheHuddle
Free agent edge rusher Tyus Bowser is scheduled to visit with the Dallas Cowboys, Todd Archer reports on Tuesday. Bowser, who spent seven seasons with the Baltimore Ravens as a second-round pick in 2017, was released by the Ravens this past March after not playing in 2023 following his placement on the reserve/non-football injury list and subsequent knee issues. Bowser only played nine games in 2022 as well after a 59-tackle, seven-sack season while playing all 17 games in 2021. Much has been said about the Cowboys bringing in Dalvin Cook, but the 29-year-old Bowser would be a talented defensive addition to any defense if he can get his health issues straightened out.
From RotoBaller
The Dallas Cowboys were granted a two-game roster exemption for All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb on Tuesday, the same day where he returned to practice for the first time since signing his long-term extension. Per Tom Pelissero, Lamb remains on the commissioner's exempt list and doesn't count against the 53-man roster limit until he's activated, which can happen anytime. Fantasy managers let out a collective sigh of relief on Monday when Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million extension which includes $100 million guaranteed and a record $38 million signing bonus for receivers. A Pro Bowler in each of the last three seasons, Lamb put up his best season to date with 135 receptions, 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023. Lamb is a locked-in top-two receiver in fantasy and with his financial security in place, should be a comfortable selection in the top-five picks in fantasy football this season.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos P Trenton Gill, WR Michael Bandy, WR Brandon Johnson, WR Jalen Virgil, RB Tyler Badie, TE Hunter Kampmoyer, TE Thomas Yassmin, OG Nick Gargiulo, OG Will Sherman, OT Demontrey Jacobs, DE Elijah Garcia, DT Jordan Miller, LB Thomas Incoom, LB Dondrea Tillman, CB Quinton Newsome, CB Reese Taylor and S Tanner McCalister were waived Tuesday, Aug. 27. The team also waived/injured LB Durell Nchami (undisclosed) and released WR Tim Patrick, WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR David Sills, RB Samaje Perine, FB Michael Burton, C Sam Mustipher and OG Calvin Throckmorton. LB Drew Sanders (Achilles) and S Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee) were placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, while CB Damarri Mathis (ankle) was placed on the Reserve/Injured list but has been designated to return later this season.
From TheHuddle
New York Giants WR Isaiah Hodgins, WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, TE Jack Stoll, FB Jakob Johnson, C Jimmy Morrissey, OG Joshua Miles, OL Marcellus Johnson, DT Casey Rogers, LB Darrian Beavers, LB KJ Cloyd, LB Tomon Fox, CB Darnay Holmes, CB Tre Herndon, CB David Long, CB Alex Johnson, S Raheem Layne and PK Jude McAtamney were released Tuesday, Aug. 27. The team also waived/injured CB Mario Goodrich (hamstring), OG Jalen Mayfield (leg,ankle) and LB Ovie Oghoufo (hamstring). WR Isaiah McKenzie (foot) and LB Matthew Adams (quadriceps) were placed on the Reserve/Injured list, but Adams has been designated to return later in the season.
From TheHuddle
The Tennessee Titans have released cornerback Caleb Farley, their first-round pick from 2021, among Tuesday's roster cuts. Farley. Farley missed some time this training camp with a hamstring injury but was able to play in Tennessee's final preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Injuries have wreaked havoc on Farley's career as he missed most of 2022 with a torn ACL and then missed the entirety of the 2023 NFL season with back injuries that caused him to undergo a microdiskectomy, putting his playing career in jeopardy. Farley has only played 12 games in three seasons, putting up just 14 tackles and one pass defended in his career thus far. It remains to be seen if Farley will pursue other NFL opportunities, but if he's on any IDP rosters, he can be dropped into free agency.
From RotoBaller
