Titans cut quarterback Will Levis, Giants keep Odell Beckham Jr. as NFL teams trim their rosters
Quarterback Will Levis was waived by the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, while Odell Beckham Jr. made the New York Giants.
More than 1,100 players were cut as NFL teams trimmed their rosters.
A second-round pick in 2023 who started 21 games for the Titans, Levis was stuck behind Cam Ward and Mitch Trubisky. He was 5-16 for Tennessee in two seasons and didn't play in 2025 following shoulder surgery.
“I think he’s been awesome,” Titans coach Robert Saleh said of Levis following Saturday's game. “I thought he did a really nice job today. I thought he had a really good two-minute drive at the end of the half. Very good awareness with the time.”
Levis said he believes he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
“I feel like you’ve got to have that confidence in yourself regardless of your position,” Levis said after going 14 for 22 for 143 yards against the Bears in a 24-15 loss to close out the preseason. “I saw a quote, I forget who it was, but it’s, ‘Everyone in the league here is a starter.’ You’ve got to have that mentality. You could be in at the press of a button and just be ready to play. That’s one thing that I feel like I gained a lot in my time away, is gaining back some of the confidence that I lost throughout the last year that I played and I’m going to maintain that mindset the rest of my career.”
Teams had to be down to 53 players from 90 before 6 p.m. EDT.
Beckham, a three-time Pro Bowl receiver, is back with the Giants after missing the 2025 season. He started his career in New York and last played for the Giants in 2018.
The Vikings kept J.J. McCarthy, a first-round pick in 2024. Anthony Richardson, a first-round pick in 2023, remains with the Colts. Both quarterbacks were on the bubble.
The Browns kept four QBs after placing Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve with a back injury. Shedeur Sanders will back up Deshaun Watson and rookie Taylen Green is No. 3 on the depth chart. Gabriel, who started six games as a rookie last season, can return in Week 5.
The Atlanta Falcons also went with four QBs, keeping Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., Cooper Rush and Jack Strand.
Several teams made trades ahead of the cutdown deadline.
Offensive tackle Broderick Jones, a 2023 first-round pick, changed teams. So did quarterback Quinn Ewers and defensive lineman CJ Okoye. Quarterback Kyle McCord, tight ends Hunter Long and Mark Redman, tackles Walter Rouse and Nate Thomas, defensive back Clark Phillips III, defensive lineman Gervon Dexter, and centers Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and Jarrett Patterson were also traded.
A day after trading Ewers to Jacksonville, the Dolphins landed a new backup quarterback by acquiring McCord from Green Bay for a 2028 sixth-round pick. The Dolphins had acquired a 2028 sixth-round pick from the Jaguars for Ewers.
McCord threw four touchdown passes in a 42-38 victory over Arizona on Friday, including two in the final 3 1/2 minutes. But the Packers signed Tyrod Taylor in May to back up Jordan Love.
McCord will back up Malik Willis, who signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract in March after playing behind Love in Green Bay the past two seasons.
The Cardinals acquired Long and a 2028 seventh-round selection from Jacksonville for a sixth-round selection in 2028. Long has 20 receptions for 153 yards in 46 games.
The Colts got Van Pran-Granger and a 2027 seventh-round pick from Buffalo for a 2027 sixth-round selection. Van Pran-Granger appeared in 18 games, including one start with the Bills in two seasons.
The trade is an indication starter Connor McGovern will be ready to go after missing much of the past month with an undisclosed lower-body injury. Lloyd Cushenberry had replaced McGovern when he was sidelined.
The Bears acquired a 2027 fifth-round pick and Phillips from Atlanta for Dexter.
The 49ers added a backup center in Patterson from Houston for a 2027 seventh-round pick, a person familiar with the deal said on condition of anonymity because it hadn’t been announced. Patterson started 21 games over the last three seasons after being a sixth-round pick by the Texans in 2023. He will back up Jake Brendel in San Francisco. The Niners had signed Brett Toth to fill that role in the offseason, but he has been out since early August with a concussion.
The Packers continued to boost their tight end depth by acquiring Redman from the Rams for a 2028 seventh-round pick. The move comes three days after Green Bay signed veteran tight end Jonnu Smith.
The Vikings sent Rouse and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Patriots in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2027.
The Texans got Thomas from the Cowboys for a 2027 late-round draft pick.
A day earlier, the Steelers sent Jones to Dallas for draft picks. Jones who was picked 14th overall by Pittsburgh three years ago, gives the Cowboys depth at offensive tackle.
Ewers, a seventh-round pick by Miami last year, will replace Nick Mullens as Trevor Lawrence’s backup.
Okoye went from the Ravens to the Giants, reuniting with Harbaugh.
The Saints cut Northern Irish kicker Charlie Smyth, who finished last season on the roster. Tanner Brown also was cut, so Daniel Carlson will be the kicker for New Orleans.
Veteran safety Geno Stone, who signed a one-year contract with the Bills, was released.
The Bears released defensive lineman Marcus Davenport, who has 25 sacks in 77 career games.
Edge rusher Sam Williams and former Texas running back Jaydon Blue were cut by Dallas.
The Cardinals cut linebacker BJ Ojulari and veteran cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas V.
Many of the players who were cut will rejoin their teams on the practice squad. Others will go to new teams. Some will reach the end of their NFL career.
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AP Pro Football Writers Schuyler Dixon, Josh Dubow and Teresa Walker, and AP Sports Writers Steve Megargee, Joseph Reedy, John Wawrow, Brett Martel, David Brandt, Jay Cohen and Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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