As camp rolls on and media starts to report on it, we all get to see who stands out and who’s not having the best camp. Most years some unexpected players may get a roster spot over the vets, but this year may be different with the lack of training and look teams have on these rookies. Those that aren’t having the best camp is who we’re going to focus on the most in this article.
- Atlanta Falcons Center Alex Mack. This may come as a surprise to some people, but the Falcons drafted Center Matt Hennessey in the mid rounds, who is more than a capable starter for the coming years. Hennessey, a touted center prospect in the 2020 draft, can step into a starting role & their OL would still be fine. To add to that Mack is aging (34), with a big contract (5 years/$45M), along with an $8M base salary for the 2020 season. Mack is a capable starter for another year or two for a team that’s one piece away from building a good OL if he can stay healthy.
- Las Vegas Raiders OL Gabe Jackson. Jackson was in the middle of trade talks during free agency, and much like Mack, has a sizable contract that runs through 2022 in which he makes a $28M base salary through the rest of his deal. If those trade talks meant anything about his future with the team, his time may be limited. Jackson is still fairly young and should have a good sized market, but it’s just not going to work in LV anymore. The addition of guard John Simpson in the draft would give them security if they do end up releasing Jackson.
- Arizona Cardinals WR Hakeem Butler. The Cardinals brought in a receiver by the name of DeAndre Hopkins, making it harder for other receivers to make the roster, like Butler. Butler doesn’t have game film to show from last year since he missed his entire rookie season with a broken hand. Now this year, Butler has a steep hill to climb in an already deep WR room. Butler should have a sizeable market, but he’s just not high enough on the depth chart to make an impact.
All these guys can be capable players elsewhere (some more than others), but their time on their respective teams is almost up.
The deadline to trim rosters down to 53 is scheduled for September 5th at 4:00 PM. Until then, we’ll all just have to wait.