2010 NFL Roster Cut Day: Were Early Draft Picks Cut Too Soon?

Roster cut day in the NFL is a day when hundreds of dreams are crushed, as teams must whittle their rosters down to 53.

Amongst the cuts are undrafted rookie free agents who may never get another shot at making a roster, veterans whose spots have been taken by younger players, and a group of second/third-year players whose careers haven’t quite panned out.

Mid round draft selections are commonly cut when it comes down to roster cut day, and this year is no different. While these players haven’t "busted" on the level that JaMarcus Russell did, they haven’t exactly set the NFL alight and go down as wasted picks.

Cody Brown was selected in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals with the 63rd overall pick. Coming out of Connecticut having recorded 18.5 sacks in his final two collegiate seasons, Brown was expected to give Arizona an extra pass-rushing threat. However, Brown injured his wrist in the 2009 preseason and was placed on injured reserve.

Fast-forward a year and a bit, and the Arizona Cardinals announce that they have released Cody Brown. Although the injury Brown sustained was unfortunate, in the harsh world of the NFL, Brown goes down as a bust, and the pick may have been better spent on Matt Shaughnessy or Michael Johnson, who both recorded a handful of sacks in their rookie seasons, or maybe a developmental QB.

Another second-year player cut was Juaquin Iglesias, who was a third round pick for the Chicago Bears in the 2009 draft. After a successful college career at Oklahoma, Iglesias was expected to challenge Rashied Davis for the No. 3 spot on the Bears' depth chart. Despite these expectations, Iglesias was active for just one game as a rookie and hasn’t made the Bears' active roster in his second year.

After seeing the success of a quartet of fourth round receivers—the Jaguars’ Mike Thomas, Raiders’ Louis Murphy, Colts’ Austin Collie, and Dolphins’ Brian Hartline—the Bears must be scratching their heads.

Other notable players let go this week were QB Pat White, Dolphins 2009 second round pick, as well as Dolphins 2009 third round pick WR Patrick Turner; G Kraig Urbik, Steelers 2009 third round pick; and LB Tyrone McKenzie, Patriots 2009 third round pick.

Were these players given a real chance to prove themselves? Mario Manningham, the WR selected in the third round by the Giants, recorded just four receptions in his rookie year. In his second year his production rocketed, and he recorded 57 receptions for 822 yards and five TDs. Could Juaquin Iglesias or Patrick Turner have been capable of this had they been given another chance in their second years?

Another 2008 third round pick, Jermichael Finley, had limited production in his rookie season and had a breakout year in his second season. Tavares Gooden, another third round pick from 2008, appeared in just four contests as a rookie and started 12 games in his second year with the Ravens.

Players often need a year to adjust to the NFL, and it is very common for a player to have a breakout year in his second/third season once he has found his feet.

Is it too early to let go of a player after just his rookie season? To be picked in the second or third round of the draft, these players must have a good amount of talent, but have they been given the opportunity to showcase it? These players released this week were all relatively high draft picks, and before branding them "busts," we must ask the question: Were they let go too soon?