The Jacksonville Jaguars have finalized their initial 53-man active roster after the cutdown deadline, with 38 players let go on Sunday. Some may still make the practice squad, and the roster can still change, but still, for many players, their time in Jacksonville is over.
There were a number of surprises on the cut list, but a few the Jaguars may come to regret.
LB Amari Burney
Linebacker Amari Burney was reportedly the first player waived, which on the surface, may not be entirely surprising, considering he was only signed on August 11. Yet with just three weeks in Jacksonville, Burney made his mark. He appeared in all three preseason games and played 81 defensive snaps; during that time, he racked up three quarterback pressures, a sack, a pass breakup, and 10
total tackles.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), he was the highest-graded player on the entire Jaguars roster, with a 90.5 grade and the best preseason of his career. On all three facets of defense — pass rush, run defense, and in coverage — he scored above 75.0, and it's notable that he performed this well with only three weeks in the system.
WR Trebor Pena
Wide receiver Trebor Pena has consistently performed well in training camp and the preseason, and likely only got cut because the Jaguars' wide receiver room is so stacked. Still, Pena was the most productive receiver during the preseason, totaling 10 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown, including 58 yards against New Orleans and 72 (plus the touchdown) against Carolina.
Pena would be a great addition to the Jacksonville practice squad, and as an undrafted free agent (UDFA), he could easily develop into a legitimate threat who is ready for the team next season. But he performed so well that another team may snap him up before he can get signed.
LB Jack Kiser
It's not entirely surprising that Kiser was cut after he was out most of the summer with an injury, and therefore couldn't really fight for a place on the roster. However, he was a strong contributor on special teams in 2025 as a rookie, and seemed to be primed to serve as Foyesade Oluokun's backup during training camp, until his knee injury on the first day of camp.
Kiser's cut is surprising because he could have been placed on injured reserve; instead, the Jaguars opted to use their two return designations on Patrick Mekari and Zach Durfee. That Jacksonville kept only five linebackers makes this even more of a risky decision.
WR Michael Wortham
Like Pena, Wortham had a strong preseason, but fell victim to the strength of the Jaguars' wide receiver room. He especially flashed on special teams, most notably in Jacksonville's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he had a 35-yard punt return, followed by a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown.
Wortham would seemingly be a lock for the practice squad, but like with Pena, it wouldn't be surprising if another team came calling first.
Jabbar Muhammad
This may have been one of the biggest surprises from the Jaguars on cutdown day. Muhammad was signed as a UDFA in 2025, and spent the rookie season on the practice squad, but performed incredibly well over the summer. Liam Coen had described him as the most improved player on the roster several times, but ultimately, he wasn't able to carry that momentum through to the preseason. That left an opening for Christian Braswell, who was not as consistent this summer. Yet while Muhammad didn't perform poorly in the preseason, it wasn't enough to cement his place on the roster.
Of all the players who may get claimed by another team on the waiver wire, Muhammad would seem to have the greatest chance, which could leave Jacksonville with a lot of regrets for letting him go.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 5 Jaguars roster cuts Jacksonville may come to regret
