NFL Cuts 2018: Analyzing Top Big-Name Releases Who Will Find New Homes

It wouldn't be cut season in the NFL without trades. 

NFL teams know how to play this time of year before the regular season begins, attempting to trade recognizable names and getting something in return as opposed to simply releasing them. 

Hence the Green Bay Packers shipping quarterback Brett Hundley to the Seattle Seahawks for a draft pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

But more often than not, trades won't happen and those big names make it to the market—after all, other teams know the players could be available on the open market. Some of these cuts won't have to wait long before finding new teams.

Breshad Perriman, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Breshad Perriman has been nothing short of a bust over the course of his stint with the Baltimore Ravens. 

That doesn't mean he'll have a hard time finding a new job. 

Should the Ravens cut ties with the 2015 No. 26 overall pick, Perriman will be subjected to the same leeway other first-round products get time and time again. 

Still, it's not hard to see why the Ravens will be fine with moving on from the project. Perriman made his debut in 2016 and only caught three touchdowns, then he appeared in 11 games a season ago, catching 10 passes. 

The writing has clearly been on the wall: 

Perriman isn't seeing much use on special teams, either, which guys on the end of the depth chart certainly are. Michael Crabtree, Willie Snead and John Brown are the starters, and the Ravens, like most teams, will likely opt for versatile depth. 

A team willing to take a gamble on Perriman is still out there somewhere. But he'll have to start from the bottom rung of the ladder, picking up special teams in practice before working his way into a base offense again. 

Jason McCourty, CB, New England Patriots

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Jason McCourty has put together a storied career since 2009 as a sixth-round success story, but Father Time comes calling for all players—so does cut day. 

McCourty might seem like a roster lock with the New England Patriots because the front office in Foxborough, Massachusetts, traded for him back in March after his successful stint with the Cleveland Browns. 

Yet according to ESPN's Mike Reiss, McCourty has spent most of the offseason running with the second-team defense across from undrafted player J.C. Jackson. He's also not taking special teams snaps, which is a negative for non-starters. 

As if to try to salvage the trade itself, the Patriots have tried moving McCourty around: 

But if McCourty gets shown the door, there are teams thinner at cornerback than the Patriots, who figure to trot out a starting lineup of Eric Rowe, Stephon Gilmore and Jonathan Jones or Duke Dawson.

The key for McCourty is finding one of those teams, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or otherwise. Either way, a veteran leader at a premium position won't last long on the open market. 

Paxton Lynch, QB, Denver Broncos

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

It seems a matter of time with Paxton Lynch. 

At one point Lynch was hailed as the next big thing for the Denver Broncos, as is expected of a first-round quarterback. But since entering the league in 2016, Lynch has appeared in five games, completing 61.7 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and four interceptions. 

In an indictment of Lynch, the Broncos went out and grabbed Case Keenum this offseason. 

Broncos general manager John Elway has said the team might not "stand pat" at the position, according to the Associated Press' Arnie Stapleton, which could imply the Broncos are a team to watch when it comes to further trades, too. 

Either way, Lynch will get the same first-round forgiveness plan somewhere. He plays the most important position of all, and at least one team thought highly enough of his traits to take him in an opening round, so the idea a change of scenery could help him land with another team quickly. 

Honorable Mentions 

• Michael Johnson, DE, Cincinnati Bengals
• Ameer Abdullah, RB, Detroit Lions
• Carl Nassib, DE, Cleveland Browns
• Manti Te'o, LB, New Orleans Saints 
• Kevin White, WR, Chicago Bears
• Kevin Hogan, QB, Washington Redskins
• Chance Warmack, G, Philadelphia Eagles
• Kony Ealy, DE, Dallas Cowboys