What players could be surprise cuts ahead of the 2020 NFL season?
The 2020 NFL season is nearly here which means all 32 teams have to start chipping away at their 80-man roster. They have to get their depth charts down to 53 players and then they will be able to start signing their practice squad.
As for the deadline to make their moves, the NFL is giving teams until 4:00 p.m. ET to get their rosters down to the limit. When those transactions are finally reported, we are sure to see some surprising moves.
With that being said, we look at all 32 teams and predict one potential surprise cut from each franchise.
Arizona Cardinals: Haason Reddick, LB
The Arizona Cardinals are in the middle of a rebuild with head coach Kliff Kingsbury putting his stamp on the team. He’s added a lot of talent including quarterback Kyler Murray who they added despite spending a first-round pick on Josh Rosen the year prior.
That means the Cardinals have had no problem making tough decisions regardless of draft status. With that being the case, they could easily decide to move on from Haason Reddick despite the fact that he’s a former first-round pick.
Reddick hasn’t exactly been a bust with 196 tackles in three seasons but he doesn’t feel like a great fit with the current defensive scheme, which could lead to his release.
Atlanta Falcons: Alex Mack, C
For years, the Atlanta Falcons have been trying to rebuild their offensive line so why would they decide to get rid of their starting center? Simple, age and money.
As pointed out by Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report, Alex Mack is set to make more than $10 million this season and is going to turn 35.
"“Mack, who turns 35 during the 2020 campaign, carries a $10.6 million salary-cap hit into the final year of his deal. The Atlanta Falcons can save $8 million with his release, which is significant since they are barely under this year’s salary cap.” — Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report"
Atlanta understands the end is near for Mack as they even drafted Matt Hennessey in the third round out of Temple to replace him one day. That could be now if they decide they want to save $8 million by moving on from the vet.