Which former Ole Miss Rebels survived the final round of NFL roster cuts?
The NFL opens up its 2023 regular season next week but this week was the unfortunate final round of roster cuts and waivers that can cut a players professional career short before it even starts, or at least puts it on ice for the time being. This includes former Ole Miss players
Plenty of former Rebels were involved in these cuts as some were on the bubble to make the 53-man rosters either due to production throughout preseason or in a logjam at their respective position with a full room of players.
As for the 2023 NFL Draft selection of Ole Miss players receiver Jonathan Mingo was probably the safest of the four as he was the second round selection by the Carolina Panthers and had a solid preseason in Charlotte.
Defensive end Tavius Robinson also made the Baltimore Ravens final roster while running back Zach Evans survived the final round of cuts by the Los Angeles Rams.
Offensive lineman Nick Broeker had an up and down week as he was the lone Ole Miss player drafted that was cut from his team. The Buffalo Bills waived Broeker on Tuesday but he was signed by the Houston Texans on Wednesday.
When it came to the 2022 Ole Miss Rebels who became undrafted free agents it was good news for A.J. Finley, Malik Heath and Otis Reese IV.
Heath, who had a strong preseason with the Green Bay Packers made it as one of the receivers on the 53-man rosters. Finley will be joining Evans as staying in Los Angeles but as a member of the Chargers defense after surviving the roster cuts.
Reese is getting to stick around in Nashville a little longer as the defensive back was kept on the Tennessee Titans roster this week.
There were a few former Ole Miss players who did not receive good news this week.
The biggest name of those waived or cut by their NFL team was Matt Corral. The former Rebel quarterback was in his second preseason with the Panthers but was waived by them on Wednesday.
The Panthers drafted former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young as the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, spelling certain doom for Corral’s prospects of a career with Carolina. Now he will wait to see if a team will pick him up off the waiver wire.
Other former Ole Miss players are now on practice squads, keeping their NFL dreams afloat as anything can happen when a player is slotted there. Braylon Sanders is with the Miami Dolphins; Laquon Treadwell is with the Ravens; Snoop Conner was waived from the 53-man roster but then signed back by the Jacksonville Jaguars; Mason Brooks is with the Washington Commanders and DeMarquis Gates is with the Chicago Bears.
