The NFL roster cuts are over. For many players, the dream of a big career has been dashed for now, while others are writing their own fairy-tale stories.

The NFL season is about to kick off; on Sunday, the 32 teams had to trim their rosters down to the final size of 53 players.

Hundreds of players were told they didn’t make the final cut and are now out of a job—at least for now. Their dream of a major NFL career has thus been dashed (for now).

After Roster Cuts: An Overview of All 32 Rosters

While some players will find spots on their teams’ practice squads in the days ahead, the chance of actually getting playing time in the NFL is extremely slim.

Winner: Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr. hadn’t played in an NFL game for nearly two years; his career seemed all but over. But then the wide receiver wrote an emotional feel-good story: Beckham returned to the New York Giants, the very franchise where he once began his career.

And sure enough, after an impressive preseason, the 33-year-old made the final 53-man roster as one of five receivers. So he’s definitely going to get his snaps and targets—something he hasn’t experienced in a long time.

Winner: Taylen Green

Taylen Green was a standout quarterback prospect leading up to this year’s draft. An athletic beast, but extremely raw in the passing game. The Cleveland Browns selected Green in the sixth round of the draft, though reports had recently been mounting that the 23-year-old might not make the 53-man roster.

In the end, he had reason to celebrate after all.

Green will start the season alongside starter Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders. However, it remains to be seen how the situation will look in a few weeks. That’s because Dillon Gabriel is starting the season on injured reserve but could return after four weeks. For now, though, Green gets the chance to be part of a regular NFL roster.

Winner: Montorie Foster Jr.

Even in the cutthroat world of the NFL, there’s still room for heartwarming stories. Montorie Foster Jr. knows this now, having made the cut for the Seattle Seahawks’ 53-man roster. The wide receiver made a name for himself during the preseason as a star of the documentary series “Hard Knocks” and became an absolute fan favorite.

The 25-year-old had joined Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2025 but failed to make the roster last year.

But Foster didn’t give up; back in his hometown of Cleveland, he initially worked as a substitute teacher and real estate agent before getting another chance with the Seahawks. There, he impressed during training camp—and was named to the roster.

Winner: Jalon Daniels

From rags to riches? In the NFL, this image applies above all to undrafted free agents who earn a spot on the roster during preseason. This is particularly impressive for quarterbacks, as teams are reluctant to take risks in that position—and certainly not with the direct backups to their starters.

In that regard, what Jalon Daniels has accomplished is particularly impressive. The 23-year-old played six years in college for Kansas, though not with great success.

He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent—and impressed the team’s management so much that he was named the sole backup to Baker Mayfield on the roster.

Winner: Marlin Klein

The fact that a second-round rookie made the final roster shouldn’t really come as a big surprise. But it’s still a huge story for tight end Marlin Klein and German football as a whole. During the preseason, the 23-year-old immediately delivered several highlights and big plays.

Behind Dalton Schultz, Klein stands to get plenty of playing time as he competes with Foster Moreau and Cade Stover for a spot on the Houston Texans’ roster. He might even provide a special moment or two during the regular season.

Loser: Will Levis

“There aren’t 32 quarterbacks in this league who are better than me. I know that for sure.” That’s what Will Levis said in early August. Four weeks later, the 2023 second-round pick is out on the street.

The Tennessee Titans cut Levis; behind Cam Ward, Mitch Trubisky and Hendon Hooker were added to the 53-man roster.

Whether Levis will ever find a spot in the NFL again is anyone’s guess. If not, however, he’ll always be remembered for his quirky connection to mayonnaise. Thanks to an endorsement deal with “Hellmann’s,” he’ll be able to enjoy a lifetime supply of the white sauce. And maybe he’ll start putting mayo in his coffee again.

Loser: Julius Welschof

Marlin Klein didn’t really have to worry about his spot; Amon-Ra St. Brown and Brandon Coleman are locked in anyway. But there was definitely a chance that a fourth German could also make his team’s 53-man roster.

Julius Welschof made some positive headlines with the Pittsburgh Steelers and delivered in the preseason against the Green Bay Packers.

The pass rusher must therefore be all the more disappointed that he didn’t make the final roster. It remains to be seen whether the 29-year-old will once again secure a spot on the practice squad, as he did last year.

Loser: Jake Browning

Jalon Daniels’ meteoric rise with the Bucs naturally has a downside as well; specifically, Jake Browning is the loser in this decision.

Although the 30-year-old had been Joe Burrow’s backup for years with the Cincinnati Bengals and even started a total of ten games—winning four of them—he was ultimately bested by the undrafted rookie.

Loser: Wanya Morris

After three years with the Kansas City Chiefs—including a Super Bowl victory, though he played only a minor role in it—Wanya Morris presumably wanted to start fresh with the Atlanta Falcons. After all, the Georgia-based franchise actively traded for the offensive tackle. And there was certainly plenty of need at that crucial position on the offensive line.

But Morris apparently didn’t deliver at all, because just two and a half months after the trade, the Falcons had seen enough and parted ways with the 25-year-old. A spot on the 53-man roster? Morris was denied. Which doesn’t exactly cast the player in a favorable light.