The NFL's 32 teams are dealing with one of the most difficult days on the calendar Tuesday. By 4 p.m. ET, each squad must whittle its active roster to just 53 men.
NFL clubs are permitted to carry 90 players during the offseason, and sometimes more thanks to various roster exemptions. That makes the task of parting with dozens of players to form the initial roster excruciating.
The good news for NFL teams? Just because players are released or waived does not mean they will leave the organization. Many will end up re-signing to the team's practice squad, which can be formed beginning at noon ET on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
Still, there is no guarantee a released player will return to the team. Veterans released are free to sign anywhere while younger players placed on waivers are free to be claimed by any NFL team.
Here's a look at some of the most interesting players released ahead of the NFL's roster cut deadline, from the league's heaviest player to a plethora of well-known young quarterbacks.
