Multiple former Utes cut from NFL teams on 'Selection Saturday'

It's one of the toughest days in football when NFL teams have to cut down their rosters to 53 players.

With the NFL season kicking off on Thursday night with Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Houston Texans, each team in the league was required to have its final rosters set by 2 p.m. MST on Saturday.

And with that being said, it wasn't the greatest day for many former Utes who were looking to latch onto a team this season.

Led by shocking decisions by regarding Tyler Huntley and Francis Bernard, a total of 12 Utes were waived by their respective teams after fall camp.

Huntley was locked into a battle with Trace McSorley for the third-string quarterback position at the Baltimore Ravens — but he apparently lost out on that spot.

Meanwhile, the waiving of Bernard by the Dallas Cowboys was arguably the most shocking of a decision regarding a former Ute.

Bernard quickly established himself as a playmaking linebacker during fall — and emerged as one of the stars of the camp according to star linebacker Leighton Vander Esch.

"Francis Bernard. I think he’s really taken off,” Vander Esch told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Wednesday when asked who some of the breakout stars in camp were. “He’s a smart kid. He plays fast and obviously he’s made plays. He’s gotten an interception in the last two padded practices so I think he’s making a name for himself. And I think he’s gonna be awesome for our room. Pumped to have him with us. Like I said, he’s smart. He plays fast. He’s instinctual. He’s going to be huge on special teams for us and when he finds his time on the field, he’s going to do just fine.”

Other Utes who got cut include...
*Josh Nurse, CB — Baltimore Ravens
*Brian Allen, CB — Buffalo Bills
*Darrin Paulo, OT — Denver Broncos
*Jackson Barton, OT — Kansas City Chiefs
*Javelin Guidry Jr., CB — New York Jets
*Pita Taumoepenu, LB — Seattle Seahawks
*Matt Gay, K — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
*Tony Bergstrom, C — Washington Football Team
*Jared Norris, LB — Washington Football Team
*Nate Orchard, DE — Washington Football Team

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