Cut Down Day

NFL teams have to cut down their roster to 75 players by today at 4pm EST. Some did this dirty work yesterday. The rosters have to be cut further to 53 players by Saturday at 6pm EST. All football coaches likely dread this task more than any other. The players hate it even more. Dreams often end on these days. Some players find new life on the practice squads of teams. Others may be so fortunate as to find a better fit on another team. No matter what happens in future days this day sucks.

The Minnesota Vikings took care of their roster reduction business yesterday with the release of 13 players:

QB James Vandenberg

WR Chris Summers

WR LaMark Brown

WR Erik Highsmith

RB Bradley Randle

RB Jerodis Williams

G   Tyler Holmes

C   Camden Wentz

DE Lawrence Jackson

DE Marquis Jackson

LB Stanford Keglar

CB Greg McCoy

CB Roderick Williams

The biggest name of the bunch is Lawrence Jackson. He was a first round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2008. His best years were his three years spent with the Detroit Lions. He had a career high of 6 sacks with the Lions in 2010. The Vikings signed him in April to see what he had left. Apparently, it wasn't enough. Stanford Keglar was a fourth round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2008. Jackson and Keglar were trying to prolong their NFL careers. The other 11 players were trying to start their careers. I was a little surprised that Randle was among this round of cuts. He's a smaller back but he sure blocks like a bigger back. I thought that sort of tenacity could earn him a spot on the roster. It still might. He could be signed to the Vikings practice squad. 

13 players are no longer in the Vikings locker room. That's rough. This Saturday, or Friday, another 22 football players will be leaving that locker room. That's brutal.