Hawkeyes in the NFL: 53-man roster cuts

It has been a whirlwind last few days in the NFL, with teams making roster move after roster move to ensure that they are in compliance with the 53-man roster limit going into the season. It’s a stressful time of year for many players, as the fate of their pro-football career, at least for this season, awaits a decision from the organization.

Since the dust has finally settled, it’s time to take a look at what former Iowa Football players made the 53-man roster cut and what is in store for them during the 2024-25 season. In total, 29 former Hawkeyes made 53-man rosters, which is one higher than the 28 that made it last season. Unfortunately, 14 players did not make the cut, but several of them have been resigned as practice squad members. We take a look at some of the top storylines with the NFL season on the horizon.

Former Hawkeyes on NFL rosters

Notable players to make the 53-man roster

The Hawkeyes have their fair share of stars in the league, but they also had a handful of players that entered the preseason looking to secure their 53-man roster spot. It always feels good to see a player that you’ve followed for years sneak on to an NFL roster.

– Rookie defensive lineman Logan Lee was an 6th Round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers and turned that opportunity into a 53-man roster spot. Lee logged 40 snaps over two preseason games, but missed the finale against Detroit with an injury. Many were surprised to see him make the final cut, but if you’ve ever heard Kirk Ferentz speak about Logan, you understand why he was able to turn the heads of the Steelers staff. Arguably the best ‘feel good’ story of the preseason.

– Another rookie, tight end Erick All Jr was drafted in the 4th round by the Cincinnati Bengals. Had All not been injured last season, he would have gone much higher in the draft, so some have looked at it as a steal for the Bengals. He has turned heads as a blocker, while he caught one pass for ten yards in their final preseason game against the Colts. Cincy has a deep TE room with Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson, but don’t count out Erick All for some snaps this season.

– Tight end Parker Hesse spent most of last season on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad and signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent over the offseason. He caught one pass for eight yards against the New York Giants in the preseason, but Hesse has always been a good blocker and that earned him a spot with Detroit. Nothing says that Iowa is TEU more than a former defensive lineman sticking around for another season as a tight end.

– Linebacker Ben Niemann had a good run to start his career, totaling 239 tackles over five years with the Chiefs and Cardinals. He signed with Tennessee as a free agent last year, but was released prior to the season and then spent most of the year on the Denver Broncos practice squad. The Detroit Lions grabbed him over the offseason as they continue their march to becoming the Detroit Hawkeyes. Niemann totaled four tackles during the preseason and made the 53-man roster. Even if he doesn’t get much time on the Lions linebacker rotation, expect him to be on the special teams unit.

– It seemed like running back Tyler Goodson was destined to be RB3 for Green Bay last season, but he injured his shoulder during the preseason and was released. The Indianapolis Colts signed him and he got a little bit of run, totaling 19 touches for 121 yards over six games. This year, he beat out former Northwestern back Evan Hull for the RB3 spot. Good to see him on the 53-man roster after the way his season ended last year with a dropped pass against the Texans.

Practice squad storylines

– The New York Jets signed wide receiver Brandon Smith in early August and although he didn’t make the cut for the 53-man roster, he did plenty to earn a practice squad spot. In three preseason games, Smith caught five passes for a team-leading 120 yards, including several contested catches. He is coming off of a season in the UFL where he caught 18 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns with the D.C. Defenders.

– The Ravens signed a pair of former Hawkeyes to their practice squad. An undrafted free agent signing, defensive lineman Joe Evans got rave reviews during the preseason, which is why he is back with the team as a practice squad member. The Ravens team site says that Evans became a ‘favorite of veterans for his hard play’, while he totaled 13 tackles and three quarterback hits during the preseason.

– Cornerback Matt Hankins got released from the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad last season, but they brought him back in for the preseason and he earned himself a spot back in the practice squad. He totaled nine tackles during the preseason and picked off a pass in their win over Dallas.

– There are still plenty of players that could get signed to practice squads around the league and, personally, I would be shocked if there aren’t still a couple of Hawkeyes signed. Linebacker Kristian Welch had a fantastic preseason with the Packers, totaling 18 tackles and two interceptions. Green Bay head coach Matt LeFleur said ‘it was tough’ to release Welch and ‘He did everything he could’ve possibly done’. There were rumors that he was signing with Baltimore, but that has not yet been confirmed by the organization.

Quarterback CJ Beathard has put together a respectable career as a backup, including 13 career starts for the 49ers and Jaguars. For the first time in his career, he missed a 53-man roster cut. The Jags signed Mac Jones over the offseason and CJ injured his groin during the preseason. He was released with an injury settlement and is free to sign with any team. I think someone will pick him up.

Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette is a versatile player that can be a catch passes, carry the ball, return punts and return kicks, so it comes as a shock to me that he hasn’t stuck on a roster. With Carolina last season, Smith-Marsette had 16 touches for 125 yard, while he had a rushing touchdown and a punt return touchdown. He also had a big kick return during the preseason. I’d be surprised if no one gives him a shot.

A couple other names to keep an eye on include DB Desmond King (Texans), DL Jack Heflin (Saints), DL Zach VanValkenburg (Rams), DL Noah Shannon (Raiders), OL Ike Boettger (Panthers) and DB Michael Ojemudia (Cardinals). I wouldn’t be surprised to see a team pick up Desmond King to have a veteran presence in the secondary, while VanValkenburg spent some time on the Rams active roster last season.