The 5 most interesting players released on NFL cut down day, from Chris Rodriguez to Caleb Jones

The NFL’s 53-man roster deadline has come and gone, leading to the release of more than 1,000 NFL hopefuls over the last week. But that doesn’t mean depth charts are set in stone.

That rapid influx of waived players and potential free agents sets up a secondary market for needy teams. Some will be claimed at the first possible moment, preventing other teams from finding them a spot on their practice squad. Others may linger, either trying to find the right fit to fulfill their NFL dreams or waiting for another team to come along. And a significant amount will slide through, untouched, to their team’s 17-man practice squad.

Let’s talk about that first group — the opening wave of signings that have, per Texans Cap, ranged between 16 and 37 waiver claimants over the last five seasons.

Rather than rehash all the high(ish) profile veterans who’ve been cut, let’s look at some young players who could be priority pickups for teams in search of help in 2024 and beyond. These are the five guys cut Tuesday who could be sneaky good additions for new teams.