Notable NFL Players Who Could Be Cut Before the Regular Season

When it comes to being a veteran player in today's NFL, it seems that about the only thing guaranteed about one's job is that it is never guaranteed.

Due to free agency, an ever-increasing salary cap and the rookie wage scale, even notable players face the possibility of being replaced by younger, better or cheaper alternatives on a yearly basis.

Not even upper-echelon players or high draft selections are safe from this fact, as we have all discovered in recent years. Last season, 16-year veteran Champ Bailey was released by the New Orleans Saints. Two seasons ago, former first-round quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart were released by the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills, respectively.

In 2012, the New England Patriots cut ties with former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch.

NFL coaches face pressure to find the best 53 players to take into the regular season. NFL general managers face the pressure to make sure teams are assembled with at least some sense of financial responsibility. 

Over the next few pages. we will examine some notable players who could find themselves off their current rosters in 2015 due to these exact reasons.

QB EJ Manuel, Buffalo Bills

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel has yet to make a name for himself at the pro level, but he was a first-round pick just a couple of short years ago.

Unfortunately for Manuel, his time in Buffalo may already be nearing an end. New head coach Rex Ryan owes him no loyalty and has already made it clear that Manuel, Matt Cassel and Tyrod Taylor are on equal footing in this offseason's quarterback competition.

Manuel has often struggled in games (career passer rating of 78.5) and appears to be behind in the aforementioned competition.

Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.com wrote the following after one recent open OTA session:

"

Cassel gave his receivers a bit more of a chance than both [EJ] Manuel and [Tyrod] Taylor. Manuel was up and down, and head coach Rex Ryan said as much after the practice. Taylor was putting a bit too much loft on to his throws, and that put his receivers at a disadvantage. Both Manuel and Taylor were picked off at separate times in the practice.

"

Manuel's contract is fully guaranteed, so releasing him would simply be done to move on from him. Attempting to trade him for a late-round pick would make much more sense.

The team did recently acquire quarterback Matt Simms, so there are enough arms on the roster to part with Manuel if it is deemed to be the best move.

DT Domata Peko, Cincinnati Bengals

Tom Uhlman/Associated Press

Defensive tackle Domata Peko has had some standout moments during his time as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Through nine seasons, the Michigan State product has amassed 444 tackles and 13.5 sacks, and he has been a mainstay (along with that hair) on the Bengals defensive line.

However, Peko's play in 2014 was less than inspiring. Though he did rack up 46 tackles, he was also ranked 131st (out of 132) among defensive tackles by Pro Football Focus for the year.

The reality is that the Bengals can likely get similar production out of a younger, less expensive player. The fact that Cincinnati can save the full amount of Peko's $3.7 million 2015 cap number by releasing him also cannot be overlooked.

Peko's biggest asset might be his durability (he has appeared in all but five games since being drafted), but that might not be worth nearly $4 million to the Bengals this season.

WR Pierre Garcon

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Washington Redskins wideout Pierre Garcon didn't have an especially bad season in 2014. He did haul in 68 receptions for 752 yards and three touchdowns, after all.

However, Garcon is clearly Washington's No. 2 receiver now behind DeSean Jackson and is being paid more like a No. 1.

Garcon is due to make $7.1 million in base salary in 2015 and another $7.6 million in base salary next year. This is a ton of money for a guy who looks more like a role player than anything in offensive coordinator Sean McVay's system.

According to Pro Football Focus, Garcon ranked 112th among all receivers in 2014. One would have to believe that similar production and performance can be had at a more appealing price.

Don't be too surprised if a pay cut or an outright cut is on the horizon for Garcon. 

DT Phil Taylor, Cleveland Browns

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

The Cleveland Browns made Baylor product Phil Taylor a first-round draft pick back just four years ago, and the results have been mixed.

Taylor had appeared dominant at times on the defensive line, but he has also missed a total of 20 games due to injury since being drafted. Last season, he appeared in a mere five contests and produced just 10 total tackles.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group, Taylor's recovery is still a work in progress: 

"

#Browns DL Phil Taylor participating in OTAs on a very limited basis with right knee brace on

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) May 26, 2015"

The big problem for Taylor and the Browns, however, is that the oft-injured defensive lineman is due to earn a base salary of $5.477 million in 2015. This is an awful lot of money to pay a guy with a significant injury history.

The Browns invested heavily in their defensive line this offseason, adding free-agent Randy Starks and drafting linemen Danny Shelton, Nate Orchard and Xavier Cooper. Unless Taylor really finds a way to stand out in training camp, he should become a very legitimate candidate for the trading block or cut pile.

TE Jeff Cumberland, New York Jets

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

New York Jets tight end Jeff Cumberland might not be the biggest star in New York, but he has had a few notable moments.

Unfortunately, those moments have been few and far between, and Cumberland had a particularly down year in 2014. He caught just 23 passes for 247 yards with three touchdowns.

Pro Football Focus ranked him dead-last overall among 137 rated tight ends for the year.

The bigger problem for Cumberland, however, is that the Jets selected Jace Amaro in the second round of the 2014 draft, signed Wes Saxton as an undrafted free agent this year and have Kellen Davis and Zach Sudfeld also on the roster.

Cumberland is due to earn $1.9 million in each of the next two seasons, with none of his remaining contract guaranteed. If Amaro or one of the other tight ends can step up and claim the starting job, Cumberland could easily become a cap casualty.

RB Toby Gerhart, Jacksonville Jaguars

John Raoux/Associated Press

The Jacksonville Jaguars brought in running back Toby Gerhart to be a force in their backfield last offseason. They were rewarded with 14 appearances, 101 carries and 326 yards (3.2 yards-per-carry average).

Among all running backs, Gerhart was ranked 138th overall by Pro Football Focus for the 2014 season.

Gerhart is due to earn a base salary of $2.5 million in 2015 and $3 million in 2016. These are overly excessive numbers, but they represent a high salary for a player who may not even make the team as a tailback.

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Jaguars will give Gerhart a look at fullback after releasing Bradie Ewing:

"

Toby Gerhart will line up there some this year RT @HaysCarlyon: #Jaguars waive FB Bradie Ewing, no fullbacks on roster now.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 31, 2015"

None of Gerhart's remaining salary is guaranteed, and Jacksonville also has Denard Robinson, Storm Johnson and Bernard Pierce on the roster. If Gerhart cannot make the roster as a fullback, he may not make it at all.

LB Jon Beason, New York Giants

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New York Giants inside linebacker Jon Beason had little choice but to renegotiate his contract this offseason. This is primarily because he has appeared in more than four games only once over the past four seasons.

Beason will have an opportunity to prove he is fully recovered from last year's season-ending toe injury, of course. However, his future is far from guaranteed.

Beason hasn't had a particularly strong season since 2010, when he amassed 121 total tackles with eight passes defensed and a sack. In 2013, when he appeared in 15 games with the Giants and Carolina Panthers, he was rated just 117th overall among inside linebackers by Pro Football Focus.

In order to make the final 53-man roster, Beason will likely have to prove that he is healthy and that he is worth $4.7 million in base salary over the next two seasons.