NFL 75-Man Roster Cuts: Cut Players Who Will Produce for Another Team

NFL teams were forced to trim their rosters down to 75 men on Monday, and several of the players who received the axe will find new homes and still produce this season.

The cold business of the NFL is in one of its most ruthless periods, as players who have quite literally bled for a roster spot will be sent home. However, it will not be the end of the line for all of these gridiron warriors, and a few shrewd general managers will find a hidden treasure in the group of players that were deemed not good enough for some other franchise.

Many veterans were not safe from the chopping block, and the youngsters who failed to stand out were sent packing. However, there are often second chances for those who refuse to let a roster cut deter them. 

Here are five players who will make the most of their second chance.

Note: All roster decisions can be found at NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk.

Chris Cooley

Chris Cooley was the biggest name not to make it through to the next round of roster cuts after Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan opted to get younger at the tight end position.

Cooley is a productive pass-catcher who is the Redskins’ all-time leader in receptions for a tight end.

He is 30 years old, and although he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, he is certainly capable of improving a team with his sure hands and locker-room presence.

Cooley had 77 receptions for 849 yards in 2010, and an NFL team will give him a shot this year.

Neil Rackers

Kickers faced the brunt of general managers’ wraths across the league, with both Neil Rackers and Graham Gano being cut by the Washington Redskins.

The team opted to enter the season with Billy Cundiff—who had recently been cut by the Baltimore Ravens—as the place kicker, as reported by Mark Maske of The Washington Post.

Rackers is a veteran and has been a consistent kicker for 11 seasons. He made 32 of 38 field goals for the Houston Texans last season.

Kickers are often considered replaceable but are often in demand as well. A team that loses faith in its kicker will snatch up Rackers, and he will continue his career.

Deuce Lutui

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll hoped he could coax a productive year out of Deuce Lutui, who was a standout under Carroll at USC.

The team hoped Lutui would add depth to the offensive line when they signed him in April, despite conditioning concerns that have plagued the guard’s career.

Lutui did not prove enough in Seattle to earn a spot on the roster, and the 29-year-old will not have many more shots if he fails to keep his weight under control.

However, injuries along the offensive line are common, and a former second-round pick who has proven to be a capable starter in the past will be attractive to teams. He will get a roster spot on another team.

Jabar Gaffney

The journeyman wide receiver was let go by the New England Patriots and denied a second stint with Tom Brady.

However, Jabar Gaffney has been remarkably productive over the past two seasons, and teams that are thin at wide receiver would be smart to sign the savvy veteran.

Gaffney reeled in 65 catches for 875 yards with the Denver Broncos in 2010 then followed that campaign with the best season of his career. In 2011, he caught 68 passes for 947 yards while with the Washington Redskins.

Those are extremely respectable numbers, and there are several teams in dire need of that type of production from a wideout.

Josh Brown

Expecting to see Terrell Owens on this list? Owens failed to garner any interest from an NFL team last season and has now failed his tryout with the Seattle Seahawks. 

The mercurial wide receiver’s reputation as a locker-room cancer and his diminishing skills make him less likely to contribute to the success of an NFL team than a castaway kicker like Josh Brown.

Brown is a veteran who is coming off a season in which he made 21 of 28 field goals for the St. Louis Rams. He was cut this offseason after Nick Folk beat him out for the New York Jets’ starting job.

Still, kickers are often on a short leash, and few bad misses could open up a spot for Brown to make his way onto an NFL roster.