NFL Cuts 2015: Tim Tebow and Top Names Released from Rosters

The final round of NFL roster cuts always delivers a handful of surprises, and this year was no different, as Tim Tebow headlines an impressive list of talent let go on Saturday.

The Heisman Trophy winner was expected to make the Philadelphia Eagles' 53-man roster following Matt Barkley's trade to the Arizona Cardinals, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, but despite a solid showing in preseason, Tebow once again finds himself without a team.

Other notable names include veterans Reggie Wayne and Darnell Dockett, who were released by the New England Patriots and San Fransisco 49ers, respectively, as well as Duron Carter, the son of Hall of Famer Chris Carter, who was signed by the Indianapolis Colts following a stint in the CFL.

Here's a list of the most notable players who didn't survive the final round of cuts:

Player	Position	Team
Tim Tebow	QB	Philadelphia Eagles
Matt Cassel	QB	Buffalo Bills
Reggie Wayne	WR	New England Patriots
Devon Still	DT	Cincinnati Bengals
Darnell Dockett	DL	San Francisco 49ers
Josh Freeman	QB	Miami Dolphins
Nick Novak	K	San Diego Chargers
Jameel McClain	LB	New York Giants
Da'Quan Bowers	DE	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jason Babin	DE	New York Jets
Matt Flynn	QB	New York Jets
Duron Carter	WR	Indianapolis Colts

The full list can be found on the NFL's official website.

Tim Tebow, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

It feels weird to be shocked that a quarterback who hadn't taken a meaningful snap since 2012 didn't make the Eagles' regular-season roster, but in the case of Tebow, the news actually came as a surprise. The 28-year-old looked much improved during preseason and seemed set to survive cuts following the Barkley trade, but instead Eagles coach Chip Kelly will go with Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez at the position.

As shared by NFL Network, he explained why:

According to ESPN Stats & Info, he completed 21 of 36 passes during preseason, throwing two touchdowns and one interception. While those aren't great numbers, he was a lot more efficient than he was during his time with the Denver Broncos and New York Jets, where he completed well under 50 percent of his passes, per NFL.com.

Tebow seemed a good fit for Kelly's fast-paced attack, and his ability to scramble for extra yards or keep plays alive with his feet could have been valuable in certain situations. But ultimately, he didn't do enough during preseason to deserve a spot, and he's become too old to stash on the active roster and continue developing.

Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd put it this way:

Unsurprisingly, he cleared waivers, per NFL Network's Albert Breer, and it will be interesting to see what's next for the man who led Florida to two national championships. The CFL is an option, but with an even higher emphasis on the passing game in Canada, it doesn't seem a particularly good fit.

His broadcasting career showed plenty of promise before he returned to the NFL, and one has to assume that's where he'll be headed again.

Reggie Wayne, WR, New England Patriots

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Wayne's stay with the Patriots lasted just two weeks, and according to 98.5 The Sport Hub's Scott Zolak, the former Colts star asked for his release, citing a difficult work environment:

It's an odd ending to what was already a peculiar story. One of the best receivers of his generation, Wayne wasn't given a new deal by the Colts at the end of last season, and in a controversial move joined rival New England instead.

The 36-year-old failed to hit the 1,000-yards-receiving mark in three of his last four seasons, and it's clear the Patriots didn't bring the veteran to Foxborough to have a huge role in the offense. The reason his release is so surprising is the short time he spent with New England. Even Bill Belichick acknowledged he was out of the door in the blink of an eye, per the Pats' official Twitter account:

Zolak's report that he asked for his release would explain the decision, but either way, it remains an odd story.

Retirement seems the safe bet for the likely future Hall of Famer, and it remains to be seen whether the Colts will offer their all-time franchise leader in regular-season games played a one-day contract so he can retire a Colt.

Darnell Dockett, DL, San Fransisco 49ers

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

The Bills' decision to cut quarterback Matt Cassel and the end of Nick Novak's tenure as the San Diego Chargers' kicker deserve a mention, but perhaps the biggest shock of the day was the 49ers' decision to cut Dockett, a three-time Pro Bowler during his time with the Cardinals.

Dockett hasn't played in a regular-season NFL game since 2013, tearing his ACL during preseason of last year, and the 49ers' decision to walk away now instead of letting him continue to work his way back is a strong indication they believe he won't return to his old self, per NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal:

The decision is still a surprise, however. The 49ers defense lost a number of defensive stars to retirement in the offseason, with Patrick Willis, Justin Smith and Chris Borland all walking away from the game.

While there's some young talent on the defensive line, including Tank Carradine, Arik Armstead and Quinton Dial, the group badly needs some veteran leadership and a proven contributor to lead the way. Dockett could have fulfilled that role, but clearly the 49ers disagree.

The Huffington Post's Jordan Schultz claims he could return to Arizona, which seems his most logical destination. Dockett has spent an entire year rehabbing his knee and working on getting back to the field. It would be a surprise if he decided to retire without at least seeing whether he can still play.

He holds value as a veteran leader and proven contributor, so even if he doesn't sign a deal with a new team immediately, he should be a hot commodity once the first defensive linemen start going down with injuries.

Follow @ReverschPass