HOUSE Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 (edited) Cut day. By Charley Casserly The term evokes nerves, anxiety, stress. As NFL teams get ready to reduce their rosters to 53 men by 4 p.m. ET this Saturday, players wait to see who will get to keep their jobs and who will be knocking on doors looking for work elsewhere. Coaches and general managers, meanwhile, have to decide which potentially helpful asset to say goodbye to. But cut day is about more than just one deadline. It's about months of preparation, capped off with a frenzy of activity. If you paid any mind to my last article, you already know GMs are constantly evaluating their respective teams and grading players after each practice and game throughout the preseason. This process can be long and tedious, but it's necessary in order to build the best team. When I was GM (I worked in that capacity for the Washington Redskins from 1989 to '99 and for the Houston Texans from 2000 to '06), I would also have weekly meetings with the head coach, assistants and scouts to review the roster, assess team needs and construct a "mock cut" to prepare for the final cut day. The weekly mock cuts allowed us to focus on players at each position who were on the bubble. Simultaneously, our pro scouts and I would divide up the other NFL teams, excluding those in our own division, to reach out and get updates about available players and team needs. I never talked with GMs in our division, nor did I make any trades with those teams -- that is, after I got burned in my first year as the Redskins GM. It was terrible! We traded defensive tackle Dean Hamel, a player we were already planning to cut, to the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. This was our reasoning: Dallas had the first pick in the waiver order, so Hamel would likely have ended up there anyway, and it made sense for us to make the trade instead of getting nothing for Hamel. But when we faced Dallas that season, he gave a pre-game speech to the Cowboys, which we were told got the team fired up. Our longtime rival beat us for its only win of the season; even worse, we finished 10-6 and just missed the playoffs. I never made that mistake again. Getting to the final cut-down day is quite the process, one that involves months of preparation. Before I became the Redskins' GM in 1989, there was no limit on the number of players we would bring into camp (we'd bring in about 120). That year, though, a 100-man limit on the training camp rosters was instituted. During my front office career, we were required to cut our rosters down multiple times before the season started. This is no longer the case, as NFL owners voted in 2017 to eliminate the first cut-down period. Another major change is the speed in which you receive game film. In my final year as a GM, in 2006, we made CDs to send to scouts, and as you can imagine, we lost a lot of time doing this. Now teams can get digital game film almost immediately. One thing that helped keep us organized was our "second draft board," a concept that was given to me by former New York Giants GM George Young. Kept in the pro scouting room, the second draft board listed every player we added to our team after the draft. This running list indicated how many of these players made the final roster. The purpose was to illustrate how we could continue to improve, and to motivate our pro scouts, showing them their work was as important as the work of the college scouts. The final preseason games are played on a Thursday, and the work really jumps to the next level on Friday. Every team operates in its own way, but I'll give you a glimpse of the Joe Gibbs method for two reasons. The main reason? I lived it, having worked with Gibbs in Washington from 1989 to 1992. And No. 2? It would work in any era. The itinerary would go like this: Coaches graded Thursday's game tape in the morning, while players with injuries reported to the team trainer, who then gave reports to the head coach and GM. The staff would meet to discuss and ultimately decide which players to recommend keeping or cutting to the head coach and GM, either later on Friday or on Saturday. The staff would also go over which players were on one of the lists of players who did not count against the 53-man roster. Today, those lists include the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, the non-football injury list (NFI) and the injury settlement list (players who have not recovered from a football injury suffered during the current season cannot be cut). Players on the PUP list to start the season cannot be activated to the roster for six weeks. When it comes to injured reserve (IR), two players per season can be designated to return from IR after eight weeks. Those two players MUST be on the final 53-man roster, then the team moves them to IR and signs two other players to replace them. You still with me?! OK, good. Let's move on ... At this point in the process, there were never more than a few cut decisions to make, but there could be some heated discussions. I would lead the discussions as GM and indicate which players we considered cutting but who had the best chance to clear waivers and come back on our roster, though Gibbs ultimately had the final say about which players stayed. He was a good listener and took everything into consideration, but he would voice his opinion if he felt strongly. And why shouldn't he? We were all fighting for our jobs, after all! Saturday is the busiest and BIGGEST day of the final-cut weekend. Teams generally get a practice in and are joined by players who are on the roster bubble or are being considered for the practice squad. Players who didn't make the final 53-man roster are cut, which involves being contacted by a team representative (like a scout, coaching assistant or assistant GM) and asked to meet with his position coach. After learning the news, the player meets with the trainer/doctor, followed by meetings with the head coach and GM. Players are also told whether or not they'll be back on the practice squad or targeted to be claimed and placed on the opening-day roster. All of these decisions MUST be made by 4 p.m. ET Saturday. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001044552/article/2019-nfl-season-how-teams-reach-their-53man-rosters Edited August 28, 2019 by HOUSE 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cripple Creek Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Damn, that’s a lot of c/p! My question is, do the Bills cut down to 52 or 51 knowing that they’ll be picking up someone else’s castoff(s)? Why bother to keep the last Cory if you know you’re going to grab a punter? That seems like a more humane way of dealing with cuts vs letting a guy think he’s made the 53 only to cop him after you get someone prettier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSE Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Cripple Creek said: Damn, that’s a lot of c/p! My question is, do the Bills cut down to 52 or 51 knowing that they’ll be picking up someone else’s castoff(s)? Why bother to keep the last Cory if you know you’re going to grab a punter? That seems like a more humane way of dealing with cuts vs letting a guy think he’s made the 53 only to cop him after you get someone prettier. Most teams drop to 53 then waive one more should they claim another waived player. Usually happens late Sat night or Sunday... .. Edited August 28, 2019 by HOUSE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cripple Creek Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 1 minute ago, HOUSE said: Most teams drop to 53 then waive one more should they claim another waived player. .. That wasn’t the question though, was it Doc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSE Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Cripple Creek said: That wasn’t the question though, was it Doc? There may not be a punter waived better then Borq. I know of no team that would waive two extra players hoping someone better MIGHT be available. Buffalo may not win a claim.... there are many teams ahead of the Bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewaycynic2013 Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Did Whaley send Beane a memo on dressing nattily, and looking like a ‘tough guy’? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frankish Reich Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Thanks for the link. Interesting. Just my opinion: I think teams like the Bills are too reluctant to part with their own guys in favor of players waived by other teams. There are more talented teams out there (that's why they win more games) that are cutting better players than the 51st, 52nd, etc. in our camp. I understand there are continuity concerns, but there's also significant talent upgrades out there for the picking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnCoke11 Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 19 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said: Damn, that’s a lot of c/p! My question is, do the Bills cut down to 52 or 51 knowing that they’ll be picking up someone else’s castoff(s)? Why bother to keep the last Cory if you know you’re going to grab a punter? That seems like a more humane way of dealing with cuts vs letting a guy think he’s made the 53 only to cop him after you get someone prettier. It’s been done before here recently i think. They cut to 52 one year and claimed another player. Most times they cut to 53 and if someone they really like is there they can put a claim in then cut someone if they are awarded that claimed player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cripple Creek Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 12 minutes ago, HOUSE said: There may not be a punter waived better then Borq. I know of no team that would waive two extra players hoping someone better MIGHT be available. Buffalo may not win a claim.... there are many teams ahead of the Bills Are not those players FAs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPS Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 I would think that all teams consider "which player is likely to clear waivers" in order to get them back on the roster (PS). It's why I would keep D. Johnson over Love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollars 2 donuts Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 (edited) On 8/28/2019 at 8:22 AM, HOUSE said: Most teams drop to 53 then waive one more should they claim another waived player. Usually happens late Sat night or Sunday... .. We've seen it so many times and you do feel so bad for the last guys to make the team. Saturday, 5 PM: "Yeah, I made an NFL team! My dreams are coming true." Sunday, 3 PM: "I'm cut at WR because you found a LB you really like?" Edited August 29, 2019 by dollars 2 donuts 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyBatty is alive Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 1 hour ago, The Frankish Reich said: Thanks for the link. Interesting. Just my opinion: I think teams like the Bills are too reluctant to part with their own guys in favor of players waived by other teams. There are more talented teams out there (that's why they win more games) that are cutting better players than the 51st, 52nd, etc. in our camp. I understand there are continuity concerns, but there's also significant talent upgrades out there for the picking. Well that was certainly true in years past, this year I think our depth , for once in a very long time, is quite extraordinary, I think this is one year when other team pick up as many cut Blls as the Bills pick up from other teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 IF Charley knew about all this sh*t, he'd still be a GM. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royale with Cheese Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 7 minutes ago, Marv's Neighbor said: IF Charley knew about all this sh*t, he'd still be a GM. He did the job for years. How would he not know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 (edited) The biggest takeaway anyone should get from "cutdown day" is that the 53 who "make it" are not necessarily the 53 the team suits up on opening day. Cuts from one roster may be better fits on another team, necessitating additional moves. So, the "last few in" on any given team still have to sweat it out for a couple of days. Edited August 28, 2019 by eball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royale with Cheese Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Just now, eball said: The biggest takeaway anyone should get from "cutdown day" is that the 53 who "make it" are not necessarily the 53 the team suits up on opening day. Cuts from one roster may be better fits on another team, necessitating additional moves. So, the "last few in" on any given team still have to sweat it out for a couple of days. If you're a bubble player, you can't ever have a secure feeling. It's always a "You made the team! Maybe...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSE Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 3 hours ago, Cripple Creek said: Are not those players FAs? If they go un claimed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoBills Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 It's going to be interesting to see how many cut/waived Bills players get picked up by other teams. I don't think it will be as high as some think. I also want to see how many cleared waiver players come back to the Bills for PS compared to signing with another team. I checked on Spotrac about last years number of players who got signed by other teams after the cut and it definitely was lower than I would of expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HereComesTheReignAgain Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 (edited) I can't stand Charley Casserly. This interview clip is great! Edited August 28, 2019 by chknwing334 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Flanders Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Interesting article, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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