Arguably the cruelest day on the NFL calendar awaits next Tuesday. The league's annual cutdown day will force all 32 teams to shear their rosters down to 53 players in advance on the regular season. While those configurations are hardly final – franchises will scour the waiver wires in an attempt to keep adding talent – the moves will certainly mark either a significant setback or the full end of the road for many of those who receive that unwanted call.
And while the majority of those who will be sent packing will be undrafted free agents and other unproven hopefuls, several players who once figured prominently into their respective teams' plans could also be headed out. With that in mind, here are nine notable players who could be on the chopping block in advance of next Tuesday's roster cutdown deadline: . at least appears to have the edge for the backup job.
Where does that leave Wilson? Denver acquired him in March for merely a late-round pick swap, so there's little buy-in regarding the No. 2 overall selection in 2021. But Sean Payton has talked up Wilson's play, lauding not only his strong arm but decision-making and timing – two elements that proved plenty problematic throughout his time with the New York Jets.
Keeping a third quarterback seems like a luxury for one of the league's most lackluster collections of talent, so Wilson might need to leapfrog Stidham for the second-string role to ensure he sticks around. Zappe has been the lone holdover in what likely .