NFL Player News

The former No. 51 overall pick was unsurprisingly intercepted on his very first throw of the game, then outdid himself by tossing another easy duck for the Apollos to pick off and take a 9-0 lead into the half. He was replaced by former Titans sixth-rounder Zach Mettenberger, who lit up the box score with 120 yards and two downfield touchdowns in only two quarters of play. Assuming Mettenberger is handed the reigns to the Express, Hackenberg’s stint as the team’s starter will complete with a dazzling 51.6% completion rate and dangerous 4.5 YPA. Coach Mike Singletary would be wise to permanently slot the perennial bust as the team’s No. 3 moving forward.

Cook and fellow quarterback Bailey Zappe were let go as a part of the Jets’ final cuts. As a result, they will be keeping two quarterbacks on the active roster, with rookie Cade Klubnik winning the backup job. Also waived/released by the Jets were DB Mory Bamba, WR Junior Bergen, WR Cam Camper, S Dean Clark, DB Jordan Clark, EDGE Anthony Dunn Jr., LB Paschal Ekeji, OL Courtland Ford, G Liam Fornadel, DB Keenan Garber, G Marquis Hayes, DT Jack Heflin, OL Xavier Hill, LB Jaden Keller, Edge Nate Lynn, WR Malik McClain, S Jarius Monroe, DL Payton Page, WR Jamaal Pritchett, WR Quincy Skinner, DL Mazi Smith, DT Junior Tafuna, S Tanner Wall, LB Chase Wilson, OL Xavier Newman-Johnson, CB Samuel Womack III, OL Landon Young, QB Bailey Zappe, TE Chase Curtis, TE Connor Hulstein, RB Dominic Richardson, LB Tyler Baron, CB Tre Brown, RB Chip Trayanum, LB Mykal Walker, OL Anez Coper, and S VJ Payne.

Ewkonu suffered a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs. He is expected to return “at some point” this year, though that does not rule out a lengthy absence for the veteran tackle. Fellow starting tackle Taylor Moton was placed on the reserve/NFI list because of a blood clot in his lung. He will also miss at least four weeks.

Williams is still recovering from an ACL tear from last November. The 49ers will start him out on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, meaning the second-year pass rusher will miss at least the first four games of the season. Without the 2025 first-round pick in the pass-rush rotation to start the year, the 49ers will rely on Keion White to try and fill the void.

The Chargers made multiple trades, including one right at the roster cuts deadline, freeing up a roster spot for Jefferson. The team was initially expected to cut him before their second trade. Jefferson will remain a depth option for LA’s defense.

Fresh off a national championship with the Hoosiers, Hemby was a “name” UDFA but couldn’t crack the Raiders’ suddenly deep backfield even after Ashton Jeanty’s ankle injury. He will be a candidate for the practice squad. Also waived/released by the Raiders were QB Jacob Clark, DT Brandon Cleveland, OL Braeden Daniels, LS Tyler Duzansky, FB Patrick Gurd, EDGE Jahfari Harvey, OT Niklas Henning, WR Shedrick Jackson, OT Isaish Jatta, S Devin Lafayette, DT Treven Ma’ae, K Kansei Matsuzawa, T Kamar Missouri, CB Caleb Offord, CB Devyn Perkins, C Will Putnam, DE Cian Slone, LB Xavian Sorey, DT Gary Smith, CB Greedy Vance, OT Dalton Wagner, WR E.J. Williams Jr., WR Phillip Dorsett, WR Brandon Johnson, LB Buddy Johnson, LB Cameron McGrone, TE Chris Myarick, RB Dare Ogunbowale, TE Albert Okwuegbunam, LB Segun Olubi and WR Deven Thompkins.

Moore didn’t see much playing time in 2025 after posting 352 yards and three touchdowns for Carolina in 2024. The eight-year NFL veteran will likely wind up on another roster in the coming days. Carolina’s final roster cuts included defensive tackle Elijah Garcia, offensive lineman Jake Curhan, cornerback Robert Rochell, safety Isaiah Simmons, outside linebacker Cam Gill, offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter, quarterback Kyle Trask, tight end James Mitchell, and outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon, cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson, cornerback Cam Miller, safety Demani Richardson, outside linebacker Isaiah Smith, linebacker Maz Mwansa, defensive tackle Parker Petersen, offensive lineman Isaia Glass, cornerback Devonta Smith, linebacker Maema Njongmeta, center Nick Samac, running back Tre Tyus, cornerback Corey Thornton, wide receiver Casey Washington, wide receiver Ja’seem Reed, linebacker Trevin Wallace, and defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte.

McLaughlin could return to the Broncos as a practice squad player. The Broncos also waived DT Israel Antwine, CB Brent Austin, wide receiver Michael Bandy, LS Luke Basso, CB Sean Fresch, DB Ricardo Hallman, OT Reid Holskey, TE Justin Joly, WR Kolbe Katsis, WR Dane Key, WR Joseph Manjack, OLB Dasan McCullough, DT Jordan Miller, OT Tyler Miller, LB Red Murdock, OL Gavin Ortega, S Parker Robertson, WR Cameron Ross, WR Kyrese Rowan, RB Cody Schrader, S Miles Scott, OLB Ron Stone Jr., CB Reese Taylor, OLB Johnny Walker Jr., DT Kristian Williams and LB Taurean York. The Broncos waived LB Drew Sanders with an injury designation. The Broncos released LS Mitchell Fraboni, TE Lucas Krull, FB Adam Prentice, OT Foster Sarell, C Lecitus Smith and OG Calvin Throckmorton. The Broncos placed DT Frank Crum and TE Caleb Lohner on injured reserve with a designation to return, and OG Nick Gargiulo on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Those three players must miss at least four games.

Etienne will be eligible to come off IR at some point during the 2026 regular season. He got some buzz during offseason workouts and training camp but has exceedingly little chance of seeing significant regular season snaps for Carolina. Etienne as a rookie in 2025 had 20 carries for 94 scoreless yards, functioning mostly as a kick returner.

Herbert was a camp body for the 49ers when several of their running backs were banged up, but the room is fairly healthy now. He could wind up on San Francisco’s practice squad. Also waived/released were OL Isaac Alarcon, DL Evan Anderson, TE Khalil Dinkins, DL Bryson Eason, DL Viliami Fehoko Jr., LB Jalen Graham, WR Wesley Grimes, DL Jah Joyner, CB Darrell Luter Jr., QB Adrian Martinez, RB Sincere McCormick, S Patrick McMorris, OL Drake Nugent, WR Will Pauling, CB Jakob Robinson, CB Eli Apple, DL Quinton Bell, S Ashtyn Davis, WR KhaDarel Hodge, WR Trenton Irwin, LB Deion Jones, OL Robert Jones, OL Doug Kramer Jr., DL Ogbo Okoronkwo, OL Brandon Parker, WR Malik Turner, P Corliss Waitman, and LS Jon Weeks.

Brightwell, who played in two games for the Bengals in 2025, won’t make the 53-man roster, though he should catch on with another team ahead of the regular season. The rest of the Bengals’ final roster cuts Sunday included LB Joe Giles-Harris, QB Josh Johnson, S Russ Yeast, LB Liam Anderson, S Daijahn Anthony, G Liam Brown, HB Kentrel Bullock, QB Sean Clifford, OT Andrew Coker, DT Howard Cross III, LB Jack Dingle, DE Isaiah Foskey, LB Eric Gentry, TE Cam Grandy, HB Jamal Haynes, LB Shaka Heyward, DT McKinnley Jackson, DT Jordan Jefferson, WR Xavier Johnson, WR Charlie Jones, OT Christian Jones, TE Josh Kattus, CB Jalen Kimber, CB Bralyn Lux, CB Matthew McDoom, HB Kendall Milton, WR Jordan Moore, DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, WR Kendric Pryor, G Corey Robinson II, WR Noah Thomas. WR Mitch Tinsley, and CB Ceyair Wright