The NFL's 53-man roster deadline for 2026 has come and gone, leaving more than 1,000 players out of work, at least temporarily.
Per usual, there were a handful of releases that will raise some eyebrows. Not necessarily because they were surprising, but because they involve players with more recognizable names or draft statuses.
Notably, a couple of recent first-round busts will be looking to try to spark their careers elsewhere. A young quarterback will also be looking for a fresh start, and so too will a four-time All-Pro.
Here's a look at the most notable cuts from the NFL's 53-man roster deadline for 2026.
QB Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
The Titans spent a second-round pick on Levis in 2023, but he never quite lived up to the billing. The Kentucky product posted a 5-16 record
across 21 starts with the Titans while completing 61% of his passes for 3,899 yards, 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Levis didn't play in 2025 because of a shoulder injury and the Titans signed veteran Mitchell Trubisky to back up Cam Ward during the offseason. So, while Levis is one of the more recognizable players to be released, the Titans parting with him is hardly a surprise.
P Johnny Hekker, Minnesota Vikings
Hekker is a four-time first-team All-Pro who has put together a strong, 14-season NFL career. Even so, the 36-year-old couldn't beat undrafted rookie Brett Thorson for the Vikings' punter job.
Hekker has averaged 46.8 yards per punt, and 42.7 net yards, across his career, so he should draw interest from punter-needy teams in free agency.
RB Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys
Many anticipated Blue had won the Cowboys' backup running back job after he posted 23 carries and 94 rushing yards across two preseason games and was held out of Dallas' finale. Instead, he was surprisingly waived along with fellow 2025 draft pick Phil Mafah, clearing the way for veteran Malik Davis to serve as the backup running back.
Blue only totaled 129 yards on 38 carries during his lone season with the Cowboys, but the Texas product should draw interest from teams looking for youth and upside at the running back position.
RB Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos
McLaughlin is another running back who may draw interest on waivers. The soon-to-be 26-year-old has good speed and burst as he showed frequently across his three seasons with Denver, during which he logged 1,093 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 226 carries (4.8 yards per carry).
McLaughlin was ultimately squeeze out in a loaded Broncos backfield that already features J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman, but it shouldn't take him long to find work for the 2026 NFL season.
DT Mazi Smith, New York Jets
Smith] was a first-round pick by the Cowboys in 2023 and was part of the trade that landed Quinnen Williams in Dallas. Smith failed to log a tackle across his three games with the Jets and was unable to make the roster ahead of the 2026 season.
The 25-year-old will now look for his third different NFL home across his first four seasons.
OL Evan Neal, New York Giants
The Giants selected Neal with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The 6-7, 340-pound offensive lineman never found his footing in New York, struggling across 29 games (27 starts) and missing the entire 2025 campaign due to injury.
Nonetheless, the Giants re-signed Neal to a one-year deal in free agency to allow him to compete for a roster spot. He wasn't able to win one, ending his disappointing tenure with the Giants. The soon-to-be 26-year-old could land a spot with another team thanks to his combination of youth, size and the general lack of quality offensive line depth across the NFL.
WR Mecole Hardman, Buffalo Bills
Hardman caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl 58, when he was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. He was hoping to return for a second season in Buffalo after playing two games for the team last season but failed to win a roster spot.
Perhaps the Bills will try to sign the 28-year-old veteran, who has good speed and solid skills as a returner, to provide depth on their practice squad.
TE Justin Joly, Denver Broncos
The Broncos selected Joly in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he showed off his speed on an 88-yard touchdown reception during the team's final preseason game. However, Denver evidently didn't see enough from the rookie to justify keeping him, as the team waived him as part of its final roster cuts while keeping seventh-round rookie Dallen Bentley.
Tight ends were a hot commodity during the 2026 NFL Draft, so Joly could draw some attention on waivers. If not, one would presume the Broncos would like to get the young tight end back to develop on their practice squad.
DE Emmanuel Ogbah, Kansas City Chiefs
Ogbah is a 10-year veteran with 48 career sacks who was recently a full-time starter with the Miami Dolphins in 2024.
The 32-year-old couldn't make the Chiefs' 53-man roster in his second-stint in Kansas City. That could be read as a vote of confidence in the young pass rushers currently under contract for Kansas City.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 9 most notable players released as part of NFL's 2026 roster cuts
