Two Dozen Underdogs To Watch Heading Into Final Roster Cuts 

By
Logan Ulrich
-

Everyone loves an underdog story, and the NFL delivers this time of year with hundreds of players clawing for an opportunity to stick on the back end of the roster as the preseason wraps up and final cuts loom. Think of every late-round pick or undrafted player who’s turned into a star or notable contributor, and their journey started here. 

Olamide Zaccheaus

With a big day looming Tuesday when teams have to trim their rosters down from 90 to 53, here’s a look at a batch of unheralded players who have been standing out so far this preseason. Many of them have a great shot at making the initial 53-man roster, some will be on the practice squad and others might even carve out bigger roles as the season goes along. 

Giants DT Elijah Chatman

Chatman signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent out of SMU after an unsuccessful tryout with the Seahawks. He’s been one of New York’s pleasant surprises of camp and has worked his way up the depth chart over the past few weeks. Chatman has taken some first-team reps in recent practices which bodes extremely well for his chances of making the team and perhaps even having a rotational role as a rookie. He also had one of the highlights of the preseason with a chase-down tackle in the game against the Texans. 

Dolphins CB Ethan Bonner

After spending most of last year on the practice squad as an undrafted rookie out of Stanford, Bonner has been one of Miami’s most improved players in his second season. The 6-1, 185-pound corner got a shoutout from WR Tyreek Hill as one of the fastest players on the team — which is saying something — and has been making a push not only for a roster spot but a legitimate role on defense in the secondary. 

Panthers CBs Dicaprio Bootle, D’Shawn Jamison and OLB Eku Leota

Opportunities abound for players to make a name for themselves on rebuilding teams, and that’s the case in Carolina after the Panthers bottomed out last year and summarily cleaned house. Leota and Jamison were undrafted rookies last year who impressed the brass enough to stick around and so far look like good bets to make the roster. The staff loves Jamison who was claimed off waivers from the 49ers last year, and Leota could very well start for the Panthers who are paper thin at edge rusher. 

My favorite of the group is Bootle, though, and not just because he might be on the NFL All-Name team. After spending his first two years with the Chiefs hanging around as an undrafted free agent, he caught on with the Panthers last year and earned a promotion to the active roster. He was one of the team’s standouts early in training camp and after a lull was making plays again this past week. Carolina lost expected No. 2 CB Dane Jackson to a hamstring injury, clearing room for guys like Jamison and Bootle to get a shot, though the Panthers have the No. 1 claim on the waiver wire and will likely be active in pursuing reinforcements. 

Broncos WR Devaughn Vele

Former Oregon WR Troy Franklin had the buzz during the spring after Denver landed him in the fourth round to reunite him with college QB Bo Nix when Franklin was expected to be a Day 2 pick. The best rookie receiver in Broncos training camp, however, has been Vele, who was taken 133 picks later in the seventh round. The 6-5, 210-pounder out of Utah is already almost 26 after spending two years on a Mormon mission, but has drawn frequent praise from Broncos HC Sean Payton during camp. He could work his way into a role early. 

Browns CB Kahlef Hailassie

Cleveland claimed Hailassie off waivers from the Chiefs last year when he was a rookie free agent out of Western Kentucky, showing how much they think of his skillset. He appeared in nine games and made a start for the Browns as a rookie and is well on his way to securing a depth role in an already deep Browns cornerback room. The 6-1, 194-pound Hailassie has great size and physicality for the position, perfect for a Browns defense that loves to play press coverage. 

Packers WR Grant DuBose

An injury prevented DuBose from getting off the ground as a rookie, but the former seventh-rounder has drawn the praise of HC Matt LaFleur for his aptitude as a blocker and on special teams. LaFleur even showed a sizzle reel of DuBose’s blocks during a team meeting. That’s the best way for a wide receiver to earn a role on a deep depth chart in Green Bay. 

Chiefs WR Nikko Remigio

Remigio caught the attention of the Chiefs last year during training camp as an undrafted rookie but an injury near the end of the preseason sent him to injured reserve. He picked up where he left off this year and the 5-9, 187-pound former Fresno State Bulldog has made a lot of plays in a crowded receiving room. There’s intense competition for spots in Kansas City but Remigio has one thing in particular working in his favor — the support of ST coordinator Dave Toub who recently said he would be “pounding the table” for Remigio to make the roster. 

Chargers OLB Tre’Mon Morris-Brash

Sometimes it takes more than a good training camp to earn a roster berth, sometimes players need other things to fall into place. It’s a “next man up” league and the injury to Chargers OLB Chris Rumph opens even more of an opportunity for Morris-Brash who has been one of the team’s surprise standouts. The rookie free agent out of UCF racked up nearly 60 tackles for loss in five years of college football and is a strong fit in the scheme in Los Angeles. He’s got good speed and can set up other moves off of that, and has earned looks with the first-team defense in recent practices. 

Vikings CB Dwight McGlothern

“Snakebitten” doesn’t even do the Vikings’ situation at cornerback justice, as the team has lost Mekhi Blackmon to a torn ACL, traded away former second-rounder Andrew Booth and dealt with the tragic passing of fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson in an automobile accident. One bright spot, however, has been the play of McGlothern, an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas. He had an interception and a long return in Week 2 of the preseason and has made a compelling case for a roster spot during camp. At minimum, he’s done enough to earn a longer look on the practice squad. 

Lions WR Isaiah Williams

The Lions could really use more help at receiver aside from Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, and the team has been open in acknowledging its weakness there. One candidate to help, however, is Williams, a rookie free agent out of Illinois. Lions HC Dan Campbell said recently Williams is doing everything he can by making plays when he has his chances. The catch is the 5-10 and 185-pound Williams is best suited for the slot and the Lions are loaded there with St. Brown and veteran Kalif Raymond. 

“That’s what’s hard a little bit is, man, he is a football player, he is making plays, but we’ve got Saint, we’ve got Lif, and so where does that fit?” Campbell said. 

49ers RB Jordan Mason

Mason is going on his third year as a former undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech who’s already beaten the odds to stick on the 49ers’ roster and get more than 40 carries in each of the past two seasons. So his roster spot was not necessarily in doubt even though the 49ers made multiple additions to their backfield this offseason. Still, Mason removed any consideration of being on the bubble with his play so far this summer, making a legitimate case to be the top backup behind Christian McCaffrey and ahead of Elijah Mitchell. Mason has been a key special teamer in his first two years and so far seems to have dramatically improved as a pass-catcher. He’s doing everything he can to force his way onto the field. 

Buccaneers CB Tyrek Funderburk

Funderburk was one of the rookie free agents I highlighted after the draft in a team-by-team article about which UDFAs had the best chance to stick around — and he’s not the only player from that list in this article. The former Appalachian State Mountaineer was making a strong impression in training camp before a foot injury shut him down a week or so ago. That likely hurts Funderburk’s chances for the active roster but he’s almost certainly going to be offered a practice squad spot. It’s a long season, so even if he’s not on the roster Week 1, an opportunity will come his way at some point. 

Titans CB Gabe Jeudy-Lally

Jeudy-Lally stuck in Tennessee as a rookie free agent, going from the Volunteers to the Titans. He turned heads right away during rookie minicamp by exceeding expectations and kept up some momentum going into camp. Jeudy-Lally is battling more than half a dozen other former undrafted free agents for the last spot or two in Tennessee’s cornerback room, and he’s made a strong case for at least a practice squad berth. 

Commanders WR Olamide Zaccheaus

Zaccheaus has already beaten the odds over and over as a former undrafted free agent going on his sixth season. He has a tendency to outperform expectations wherever he lands, working his way into a starting role with Atlanta and a complementary role last year with the Eagles. Commanders HC Dan Quinn said recently the speedy Zaccheaus is in the mix as Washington tries to sort out who its other starting receivers will be alongside Terry McLaurin. 

Rams WR Jordan Whittington

A year after stealing WR Puka Nacua in the fifth round, the Rams may have swung another coup in Whittington, a sixth-rounder in this past draft. People with the team haven’t been able to stop raving about Whittington, who developed into a starter over the course of five years at Texas but never put up gaudy numbers. He has 11 catches for 126 yards in two preseason games. The Rams have a deep receiving corps still and Whittington almost certainly won’t have the impact Nacua did as a rookie. But he’s a physical player who is another great fit for what the team wants to do on offense. 

Steelers CB Beanie Bishop

Back in May, I highlighted Bishop as someone to watch as an undrafted free agent who not only could make the team but push to start at nickel for the Steelers. One of the factors was a thin depth chart ahead of him and it’s only become thinner with injuries over the course of camp. Bishop remains in an excellent position to have a role. That said, he’s dealing with an injury of his own that’s kept him out in recent days, and he’s also not just competing against other corners on the roster. The Steelers will almost certainly scour the waiver wire for options to bring in competition for Bishop. Still, he has a chance to seize the job if he can take advantage of it. 

Jets DT Leonard Taylor and DE Eric Watts

The Jets are big believers in a deep rotation on the defensive line and are always looking for talent. Taylor and Watts are two promising developmental options who have flashed during training camp. Watts is a phenomenal athlete, running a sub-4.7-second 40-yard dash at 6-6 and over 270 pounds. Taylor was once thought of as a potential first-round prospect and has flashed that skill this summer. At minimum, both have done enough to stick around on the practice squad. 

Jaguars WR Joshua Cephus

Jacksonville has a lot of depth at receiver, so it’s notable that Cephus was one of the standouts at the position through training camp. Preseason has been tougher sledding, as Cephus has a drop and a fumble on tape. He’s very much on the bubble when it comes to the roster, though the chances of him landing on the practice squad and continuing to develop from there are strong.  

Saints TE Dallin Holker and WR Mason Tipton

Both rookie free agents have been turning heads during camp. The Saints’ depth chart at tight end and slot receiver is far from established, and both players have made compelling cases that they should factor into the mix. Tipton is a far better athlete than you’d expect from a former Yale receiver and has worked his way up the depth chart over the course of camp. Holker was expected to be drafted and landed in New Orleans instead on a contract after the draft with notable guarantees for an UDFA. He’s validated that investment so far, though a recent sprained ankle is a setback. 

Ravens OL Andrew Vorhees

Vorhees has worked with the first string at left guard for the entire summer, so he’s in a unique spot compared to nearly every other player on this list. But considering his starting point as a 2023 seventh-rounder who didn’t play at all his rookie season, it’s still an impressive trajectory. Vorhees tore his ACL during the Combine last spring but still participated in the bench press and led all prospects with 38 reps. The Ravens turned over both starting guard spots this offseason and are clearly high on Vorhees’ ability to step in. 

Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?

Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Leave a Reply