Nov 9, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Denarius Moore (17) returns a punt next to Denver Broncos strong safety Omar Bolden (31) in the fourth quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Broncos defeated the Raiders 41-17. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Unfortunately for many NFL players, the time for teams to make their cuts has arrived. Just a few days ago, I wrote a piece predicting the Bengals’ 53-man roster. But so far, two players who I had hoped would make the Bengals’ roster are with Cincinnati no longer. Despite this, my prediction for the final roster is still intact; my practice squad prediction, however, already has its first mistake. There has been speculation over which players Cincinnati would decide to release in its first wave of cuts, but the list has finally arrived. The Bengals’ cuts are as follows:
Denarius Moore, wide receiver
Kwame Geathers, defensive tackle
Nico Johnson, middle linebacker
Sam Montgomery, defensive end
Chris Jasperse, center
Desmond Lawrence, wide receiver
John Peters, tight end
Denarius Moore, Nico Johnson, Sam Montgomery and Chris Jasperse are Cincinnati’s first four surprising cuts. With players like kicker Tom Obarski still on the roster, it’s surprising that the Bengals let these players go. With Moore gone, Cincinnati will likely keep Greg Little and Brandon Tate on the roster, with Jake Kumerow on the practice squad. Cutting Nico Johnson means that Chris Carter will likely suit up on the 53-man roster, while Sam Montgomery’s surprise cut opens up another spot on the practice squad for the Bengals to fill.
It’s unfortunate that NFL teams are forced to make cuts at all, let alone cut down to 53-man rosters with 10 practice squad players. We certainly hope the best for these men and hope that they can latch onto another roster and find a role that suits them.
And some of these players could have bright futures; a few of the NFL’s greatest players in history have been cut. First off, all-time great quarterbacks Johnny Unitas, Kurt Warner and Jim Plunkett were all cut by former teams–Unitas by the Steelers, Warner by the Packers and Plunkett by the 49ers.
Arian Foster, though currently dealing with a groin injury, is one of the NFL’s best running backs. Foster’s story is an intriguing one; he was cut by the Texans, kept on the practice squad and eventually promoted. It could happen to anyone; getting cut can sometimes help players turn their careers around.
The list of notable NFL greats who were cut includes Peyton Manning‘s longtime center and six-time Pro Bowler, Jeff Saturday stud wide receivers Cris Carter, Wes Welker and Rod Smith, as well as defensive standouts Willie Brown and James Harrison. Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter has long stood by his proclamation that being cut by Buddy Ryan was one of the best things that ever happened to him. For more, read Carter’s incredible story here.
Cincinnati had to make some tough decisions today, and it will surely have to make some even tougher decisions in the near future. It will be interesting to see how the Bengals’ roster turns out.