Before the NFL's Final Roster Cuts: 12 Players Who Made Their Case

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Before the NFL's Final Roster Cuts: 12 Players Who Made Their Case

Luke Easterling

Wed, Aug 26, 2026 ·

18 min read

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The 2026 NFL preseason concludes this Saturday, and once the games are over and teams begin their final preparations for the regular season, they need to define their rosters. The NFL has given teams the deadline of Sunday, August 30, at 6:00 p.m. ET. At that point, hundreds of players will be in limbo, hoping that they'll be picked up on waivers, and sign to either be part of someone else's final 53, or on a practice squad somewhere.

Cutting that far down so fast means that a lot of players who belong in the NFL will be cast aside when teams would really prefer to hang on to the talent, but the numbers game gets in the way.

Here, Athlon's Luke Easterling and Doug Farrar illustrate why 12 players (six for both Luke and Doug) should ultimately win those numbers games, based on what they've done this preseason.

Luke's Guys

Jalon Daniels, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield has barely played so far this preseason, but that hasn't kept the Bucs from getting plenty of juice at the quarterback position thanks to Daniels, whose impressive play over his first two preseason games has been no surprise to those who saw him operate at Kansas. Daniels has shown the same efficiency as a passer, dynamic mobility both within and outside the pocket, and the intangible traits as a field general and instinctive playmaker that made him a star for the Jayhawks.

Tampa Bay signed an experienced veteran in Jake Browning to back up Mayfield this season after he did the same for Joe Burrow in Cincinnati, but after missing the first preseason game due to injury and not moving the needle much in last week's win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Browning's "experience" took a back seat to the impact and energy Daniels brought to the Bucs' offense as he led them to a comeback victory after replacing Browning. Tampa Bay would be better off betting on Daniels' upside and superior skill set over Browning's experience as their QB2, or at least keeping him as a QB3 instead of trying (and likely failing) to pass him through waivers onto their practice squad.

J. Michael Sturdivant, WR, Green Bay Packers

The Packers paid big money to keep Christian Watson on a long-term contract extension this offseason, but he's not the only pass-catcher with size and athleticism who's making waves in Green Bay heading into the regular season. During a puzzling college career that spanned three schools (Cal, UCLA, Florida) over four years, Sturdivant was never able to translate his strong physical tools into consistent volume production. That said, he did haul in 16 touchdown catches and averaged nearly 14 yards per reception over that stretch, showing the potential of his skill set.

That's been evident throughout training camp in Green Bay, where Sturdivant has continued to impress. Though his production in preseason action hasn't matched his practice performance, the Packers would be wise to keep him on the roster in part because of Watson's injury history. If Watson misses any time this season, Sturdivant has the kind of frame and skill set to be a valuable replacement in the starting lineup, and if called upon, it won't be surprising if he finally delivers in the box score the kind of impact we've seen from him on the practice field.

Ayden Garnes, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs have more questions than answers at cornerback heading into the 2026 season, and that's just the starting lineup. Jamel Dean is gone, Zyon McCollum regressed last season after getting a big contract extension, and 2025 second-round pick Benjamin Morrison still can't stay healthy. Enter Garnes, an undrafted free agent who finished out his collegiate career at Arizona last season, and has made an immediate splash for Todd Bowles' defense throughout training camp and the preseason. This pick-six in his preseason debut was immediate proof that the game isn't too big for Garnes:

Garnes has shown both the mental and physical tools to stick in the NFL, from quick read/react and click/close ability, to a knack for getting his hands on the ball and making big things happen when he does. Tampa Bay is in desperate need of quality depth at his position, and if injuries continue to be a problem, Garnes could easily go from valuable reserve to critical starter at some point this year. So far, it looks like he's got the goods to deliver when called upon, and the Bucs can't afford to have him making big plays for another team this fall.

James Thompson Jr., DL, San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers haven't drafted terribly well in recent years, but when you can land impact players after the draft is over, I guess that helps? That's exactly what they might have in Thompson, an undrafted free agent who was limited by injury during five seasons at Wisconsin before finishing his college career at Illinois last season. In San Francisco, Thompson has made an immediate impact in preseason action with his power, effort, and ability to quickly diagnose what's coming at him.

Injuries have tested the 49ers' depth along the defensive front, and having quality depth in the trenches will always be extremely valuable on both sides of the ball. Thompson clearly has an NFL-caliber skill set from both a mental and physical standpoint, as long as he's able to avoid the injuries that plagued him in college. He certainly merits a roster spot in San Francisco, where he could easily become a valued member of their rotation up front.

Jacob Spomer, OL, Los Angeles Chargers

The highest-graded center in the NFL so far this preseason, according to Pro Football Focus? That would be Spomer, an undrafted free agent out of Fresno State, who has made his presence felt in a big way for a Chargers team that needs as much help as it can get in the offensive trenches. Spomer has consistently jumped off the tape through his first two games of preseason action, showing the ability to handle both quickness and power from opposing interior defenders, and climbing to the second level with ease when asked to get out on the move.

The Chargers have already lost Tyler Biadasz to a season-ending injury, but they also bolstered their depth by spending a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Florida's Jake Slaughter. That said, Slaughter can play either center or guard, and while Spomer should obviously provide valuable depth behind Slaughter at center with Biadasz out, there's a world in which he works his way into the starting lineup if there's another injury at either spot.

Cian Slone, DE, Las Vegas Raiders

Slone's college career started at American River College in Sacramento, continued with two seasons at Utah State, and finished with one year at North Carolina State before he went undrafted back in April. A lighter edge player at 6-3, 239 pounds, Slone makes up for his lack of ideal size with a nonstop motor, competitiveness, some polished pass-rushing moves, and a clear understanding of how to set up and execute rush games with his teammates.

Even if he's not able to make an immediate impact on defense as a situational rusher (and he could, if there's an injury at any point in the season), the intangible traits that have allowed Slone to make an impact in the preseason are the same ones that should make him a valuable core special-teamer in the regular season. Those are the types of players every team hopes to find in their undrafted rookie classes every year, and the Raiders have at least one in Slone.

Doug's Guys

Garrett Nussmeier, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

The son of former NFL quarterback and longtime coach Doug Nussmeier, Garrett Nussmeier looked like a fringe first-round pick after his outstanding 2024 season at LSU. Then, injuries got in the way, and Nussmeier started to fall down the charts through 2025 . The skills were still there, but the results were not quite the same.

The Chiefs stole Nussmeier with the 249th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, which is certainly far below where the rookie thought he'd go, but all he can do now is prove the doubters wrong. Against the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the preseason, he completed 22 of 36 passes for 172 yards, and he's shown an innate ability to create both within and outside of structure. These improvisational moments can lead to unfortunate plays at times, but so far, Nussmeier has appeared to be on the right side of things in Andy Reid's offense more often than not.

"Yeah, again, another one of the young guys," Reid said after the Rams game. "I thought he did some nice things. There are a couple things he has to work on, but I would've expected that coming out. But I thought for his first time out there rolling, I thought he handled it well, made some nice throws. Had some long-yardage situations that he had to get himself out of, and he did a good job there."

The Chiefs currently have Justin Fields as Patrick Mahomes' backup right now, but we kind of know what we're getting (and not getting) with Fields. Nussmeier would be an intriguing project, and his play style absolutely fits what the team has preferred its quarterbacks to be throughout the Mahomes era.

Jack Strand, QB, Atlanta Falcons

Perhaps the worst thing about playing for a very small school is that your game tape is harder to find in the underground, which means that your on-field exploits are harder to see. NFL teams obviously get whatever tape they need, but if you're a Falcons fan, and you're wondering just who the heck Jack Strand is, we wouldn't blame you.

Strand played for the Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons, and turned down offers to transfer up to other, bigger, schools. Against the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Strand showed that he stayed put out of loyalty, and not because he was wary of tougher competition. Strand completed 18 of 29 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown, and he also scored rushing touchdowns in both games. With the ability to make accurate throws into tight windows downfield, Strand looked like he belonged at this level.

"Always room for improvement," Stefanski said of Strand after he'd watched the Broncos tape. "Proud of him in the first time out there. And really, it's a testament to him from what he's able to do early in camp when he was really the one guy standing there, and took a bunch of reps. Then to be able to go out there and operate and move the offense, score a touchdown, all those things, I thought, was really good. Having said that, like any rookie, so much to work on. That's the fun part of working with our rookies and Jack, in this case. Jack's got a great attitude. Love how he is in the meeting room. Love how he is on the grass. So, he wants to get better."

Obviously, the Michael Penix Jr./Tua Tagovailoa competition is the big story in Atlanta, but the undrafted Strand has announced his presence with authority. Who's to say that he couldn't muddy the waters a bit this season?

Camden Brown, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Camden Brown was another smaller-school guy who got a bit lost in the draft rush. Productive as he was at Georgia Southern, he was an undrafted free agent signed by the Dallas Cowboys, who already have George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb, and Ryan Flournoy as their top three receivers.

In his NFL debut against the Seattle Seahawks, Brown made as much of a statement as he possibly could . He caught all three of his targets for 63 yards and two acrobatic touchdowns, and looked like a Pro Bowler out there — albeit a preseason Pro Bowler.

Dallas' backup quarterbacks were quite impressed.

"I love throwing to him. Joe [Milton] loves throwing to him," Sam Howell said after the Seahawks game. "Cam's been a great player. He gets open and when you throw it to him; he catches it.  He's worked so hard. He puts a lot of extra time in into the playbook, and it's cool to see all his hard work come to fruition out here tonight."

Brown followed that up with a two-catch, 77-yard game against the Arizona Cardinals, and though the top of Dallas' receiver depth chart is loaded, there's just no way Brown would ever clear waivers. He would be a WR2 on some teams… right now.

Willie Lampkin, C/OG, Philadelphia Eagles

One of the most fun things about evaluating prospects pre-draft is when you find one of your "draft binkies" — the guys for whom you would pound the table if you had table-pounding power in any NFL building.

For me in the 2025 pre-draft process, nobody was more of a draft binky than North Carolina guard Willie Lampkin. At 5-foot-11 and 290 pounds, Lampkin does meet the height and weight standards for any offensive line position at the NFL level, but you go tell him that, and see what happens to your face. Of all the offensive lineman prospects I watched in 2025, nobody put more opponents on their butts than Lampkin did.

The Los Angeles Rams originally signed Lampkin as an undrafted free agent, but the Philadelphia Eagles picked him up after Lampkin was released… and let's just say that the Rams could live to regret that one. Through games against the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens, Lampkin allowed no pressures of any kind playing both center and guard, and his run blocking was a thing of beauty.

People who understand the whole "low man wins" concept in football would not be surprised to see Lampkin taking out defensive linemen who outweigh him by 30-40 pounds, but it's still a delight to see… because it happens over and over. And linebackers had better keep their heads on swivels against Lampkin, because this young man is out for blood.

"I call him a bowling ball of knives," defensive tackle Jordan Davis recently said of Lampkin . "He's so short, so small, so stubby, but he's so quick and powerful… for a taller guy like me, it gives me a lot of trouble. He's a tremendous player — especially at center; he commands that line."

The Eagles' offensive line is already established with Cam Jurgens at center (which I believe will be Lampkin's ideal NFL position). But things happen from week to week in the NFL, and if No. 61 winds up on the field in the regular season, that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. We're pretty sure that the Eagles won't repeat the Rams' mistake.

Ty Robinson, DI, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles have another "undersized" guy with an extremely active playing personality on the other side of the ball in the person of Nebraska's Ty Robinson, who they selected with the 111th pick in the fourth round of the 2025 draft.

Robinson didn't get a lot of defensive snaps in his rookie season (120) because of the aforementioned Jordan Davis, and also that Jalen Carter guy, but in this preseason, he's been all kinds of animal out there. In 65 pass-rushing snaps, he has three sacks and seven total pressures, and the 6-foot-5, 288-pound Robinson looks like a surprise weapon in multiple gaps.

"I haven't hit a quarterback in over a year, and in practice, there's a halo around all the QBs, so you kind of have to get used to it again a little bit," Robinson said after the Ravens game. "So being able to show that I was able to get there really helps boost my confidence and that I can become a really good pass-rusher."

Vic Fangio does like to rotate his defensive linemen, so don't be surprised if Robinson gets more reps this season. He has certainly made sure he'll be part of the Eagles' final 53 once again.

Mory Bamba, CB, New York Jets

In 2025, the Jets made "history" by becoming the first pro football team since at least 1930 to record no interceptions in a season. Not great, Bob. The hope is that things will get better in 2026 with cornerbacks Nahshon Wright and Brandon Stephens, but there's certainly openings for the right kind of competition.

The right kind of competition could come from Mory Bamba, the BYU alum who went undrafted, but showed immediately that he belongs in an NFL defense once he got the opportunity . Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 of the preseason, he was targeted 10 times, allowing four catches for 54 yards, 23 yards after the catch, and four pass breakups.

"Bombed out," Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, a former three-time Pro Bowl NFL cornerback, said postgame with a laugh about the rookie's efforts. "I said that early, I think some of the younger DBs actually showed up, and he's the one that really stands out. And it's not just what he did on defense, I mean he did some good plays on special teams, too. There were a couple of mistakes that he had, too. And I've got to make sure that I say that. But for the most part, I thought he showed off tonight."

Unfortunately, Bamba suffered a knee injury that will cause him to miss the rest of the preseason, but I doubt that will prevent him from making the roster. Because Mory Bamba on waivers will get picked up (or in this case, picked off) pretty quickly.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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