Washington Football Team Cuts Tracker: Latest news on 53-man roster

Follow along with all of the Washington Football Team’s cuts as they shape their 53-man roster.

The Washington Football Team’s season will be kicking off in just a matter of days. But before they can start prepping in full for their game against the Philadelphia Eagles, there is still one major milestone they must pass. Cut day.

By 4 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon, Washington and the rest of the NFL teams will have to have their 53-man rosters set. Shortly thereafter, the team will look to add players to their practice squad and claim additional players off waivers to fully shape their team before the 2020 season.

This year, Washington’s cut to 53 is going to be extremely interesting. There’s a new brain trust in charge of the team with Ron Rivera and Kyle Smith, and they have emphasized competition during camp. There are a fair amount of roster locks — or at least players that appear to be — but the roster bubble this season is large.

It also doesn’t help that there wasn’t a preseason this year. All player evaluations have had to take place at practice during an abbreviated offseason, so that will make it a lot more difficult for Rivera and Co. to decide who to keep. The sample size is simply limited.

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There are plenty of key players to watch in the coming hours. Notably, Reuben Foster’s status bears watching, as he could be cut or moved to IR. Additionally, guys like Cornelius Lucas and Hale Hentges will be under the microscope as they try to lock down a role with the team.

There are plenty of other players holding their breath as they look to make the roster. For one last full 53-man roster projection, click here. We’ll soon see if that projection ends up being anything close to correct.

For the next 24 hours, we’ll be posting Washington’s roster cuts here. They may not all come in by exactly 4 p.m. ET, but stay tuned for all the latest news and notes as Washington solidifies their preferred 53-man roster to start the 2020 season.

Friday

12:01 p.m. ET: In a surprise move, Washington decided to part ways with Adrian Peterson. The veteran runner was expected to be a key part of the team’s rotation moving forward, but now, they’ll move forward with four backs on the roster: Antonio Gibson, Bryce Love, JD McKissic, and Peyton Barber.

9:01 p.m. ET: Alex Smith’s status was one of the hotly-debated topics in the lead up to Washington’s roster cuts. He was always going to be with the team, but it was a question of whether or not he’d be on IR or the 53-man roster. Signs are pointing toward Smith making the team, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

10:50 p.m. ET: Could Washington make another trade before final cuts? Apparently, Ryan Anderson’s name has come up in trade talks, so perhaps Washington would be willing to move the edge player for the right price.

Saturday

9:02 a.m. ET: We have a batch of updates for you guys. The Washington Football Team has released several players, including cornerback Ryan Lewis, linebacker Donald Payne, and free safety Sean Davis. Davis is the most surprising cut, as he was expected to start after signing in free agency. But Troy Apke’s emergence, combined with Davis’ lack of production, led to the decision.

9:04 a.m. ET: Additionally, linebacker Reuben Foster has been placed on injured reserve. For more information on that, you can click here.

9:07 a.m. ET: Washington has also released former seventh-round pick WR Trey Quinn, per The Athletic’s Ben Standig. Quinn was on the bubble throughout the offseason, but most predictions had him making the roster as a backup in the slot.

9:25 a.m. ET: Ben Standig has some more updated. QB Steven Montez, OT Timon Parris, and OT David Steinmetz have all been released. Montez should have a chance to make the practice squad, as Standig noted, and Parris/Steinmetz could also have a shot at sticking around.

9:29 a.m. ET: According to Mike Liedtke’s agent, Washington has placed the veteran offensive lineman on IR. Liedtke was battling for a depth spot with the team but suffered a shoulder injury. He may be a candidate for an injury settlement down the line.

9:36 a.m. ET: Ross Pierschbacher has been released, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Pierschbacher was a fifth-round pick of the team in 2019 and he was fighting for the backup center spot, but this year’s fifth-round pick Keith Ismael appears to have beaten him out for the spot.

9:38 a.m. ET: Washington recently added WR Tony Brown to their 80-man roster, but he has been cut, per ESPN’s John Keim. Brown could be a practice squad candidate for the team depending on what they decide to do at receiver.

9:45 a.m. ET: Hale Hentges has been cut. Hentges was a fan-favorite battling for a spot in the tight end room, but it looks like he couldn’t beat out Logan Thomas, Marcus Baugh, and Jeremy Sprinkle, unless Richard Rodgers can surprise and bump Sprinkle from the roster.

10:23 a.m. ET: Another receiver has been released and this time, it’s Cam Sims. Per Ben Standig, the third-year Washington wide-out didn’t survive roster cuts. That leaves some questions in a wide-open receiving room with Sims gone and it could, perhaps, be a good sign for undrafted free agents Isaiah Wright and Johnathon Johnson.

10:25 a.m. ET: Ryan Bee has been released by Washington. The 6-foot-7 defensive lineman was productive during his college days at Marshall, but it’s just so tough to crack Washington’s D-Line rotation. Bee should be a top option for the practice squad and the 2019 undrafted free agent could emerge as a quality player in the near future.

10:31 a.m. ET: Two more cuts to note. Jordan Brailford, a competitor at the edge rush position, was waived and so too was backup safety Jeremy Reaves, per Ben Standig. Both players stand a good chance of making the practice squad.

10:40 a.m. ET: Tight end Richard Rodgers has been cut, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Rodgers was signed to bring Washington a player with veteran experience, but he didn’t do much to distinguish himself in camp.

11:27 a.m. ET: Per Ben Standig, undrafted wide receiver Johnathan Johnson has been released. Isaiah Wright still remains on the roster. It will be interesting to see if he makes the 53-man roster as a special teams contributor. Additionally, Jordan Veasy has also been cut.

11:30 a.m. ET: Jester Weah has also been waived per a report from Nicki Jhabvala. Jhabvala noted that Weah is a practice squad candidate if he clears waivers.

11:36 a.m. ET: Former undrafted free agent offensive tackle Paul Adams has been waived, per Jhabvala and Sam Fortier of the Washington Post. Adams was buried in a cluttered offensive tackle group.

12:27 a.m. ET: Journeyman edge rusher Nate Orchard has reportedly been cut by the Washington Football Team. John Keim did note that Orchard could be a candidate to fill one of the newly-established veteran spots on the 16-man practice squad.

List of Washington Football Team’s cuts so far

23 down, 7 to go

• RB Adrian Peterson
• S Sean Davis
• CB Ryan Lewis
• LB Donald Payne
• WR Trey Quinn
• QB Steven Montez
• OT Timon Parris
• OT David Steinmetz
• LB Reuben Foster (IR)
• OL Mike Liedtke (IR)
• C Ross Pierschbacher
• WR Tony Brown
• TE Hale Hentges
• WR Cam Sims
• DL Ryan Bee
• EDGE Jordan Brailford
• S Jeremy Reaves
• TE Richard Rodgers
• WR Johnathan Johnson
• WR Jordan Veasy
• WR Jester Weah
• OT Paul Adams
• EDGE Nate Orchard