Notable Names Fall in Roster Cutdown; Will Levis Among Surprises

When the dust settled on the 2026 roster cutdown, some recognizable names hit the waiver wire, defying expectations that they'd secure a spot on opening-day rosters. Will Levis, who entered camp with reasonable hopes of sticking with a team, was among the notable releases, alongside running back Jaydon Blue and others who had shown enough in preseason to seem like they might make the final cut.

Quarterbacks are expendable: Levis's release was particularly noteworthy because quarterback depth is typically valued premium during the preseason period. That he didn't latch onto a team as a third or fourth option suggests his preseason performance, or teams' confidence in their existing backup situations, left no room for him. The QB market can shift quickly, though, and waived quarterbacks often find spots on practice squads or as emergency depth.

Running back depth: Jaydon Blue's release reflects the oversaturation at running back around the league. Even capable backs face long odds when 32 teams have limited depth-chart spots available. Backs cut now may catch on elsewhere if injuries strike early in the season, which happens frequently at the position.

Market implications: These cuts matter for injury contingencies and waiver-wire depth. If a starter at any of these positions gets hurt in Week 1 or 2, teams may quickly re-sign these released players or seek them on waivers, affecting both team rosters and backup player prop markets. Early-season backup snap counts could shift based on availability.

Source: original report ↗