Huskies Who Survived NFL Cutdown Day -- And Those Who Didn't

One of the hardest days in football -- the NFL roster cutdown to 53 spots -- has come and gone, with 53 one-time University of Washington players involved, and 26 of them earning jobs at the game's highest level.

Another six were placed on injured reserve. Twenty-one former Huskies were put out of work, with some expected to emege on practice squads.

Surprise developments were linebacker Carson Bruener catching on with the Pittsburgh Steelers, his dad's old team, as a seventh-round draft pick and edge rusher Cooper McDonald, who played for the Huskies, San Diego State and TCU, earning a spot with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent.

The 6-foot-1, 227-pound Bruener helped solidify his roster spot by leading the Steelers in tackles with 7 in their final exhibition game, a 19-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers. He was the only Husky drafted this past April.

McDonald, a 6-foot-2, 235-pounder who transferred out of the UW after the turbulent 2021 season, impressed Chiefs coaches with his 4.66-second 40-yard dash speed for a player of his size.

Bruner and McDonald likely will be utilized as special-teams players because of their physicality and speed.

Eight members of the UW's 2023 national runner-up and 14-1 team earned full-time jobs in Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, Atlanta Falcsons edge rusher Bralen Trice, Tampa Bay Bucs tight end Devin Culp, Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten, New England Patriots tight end Jack Westover and Bruener.

Michael Penix Jr. looks for a receiver in Falcons training camp. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

From that Husky team, wide receivers Jalen McMillan with Tampa Bay and Ja'Lynn Polk with New England were placed on injured reserve.

Six others from that 2023 team failed to survive cutdown day in linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio in Buffalo, safety Mishael Powell in Minnesota, cornerback Jabbar Muhammad in Jacksonville, safety Dom Hampton in Washington, wide receiver Giles Jackson in Philadelphia and linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala in Seattle.

Among other prominent UW players who failed to stick were the Huskies' all-time leading rusher in Myles Gaskin, who lasted just 16 days with the Ravens after he was signed following a tryout, and three-time All-Pac-12 offensive lineman Jaxson Kirkland, who was let go in Cincinnati.

The longest tenured Husky in the NFL, linebacker Shaq Thompson, will play his 11th pro season in Buffalo. By earning a roster spot, he might have inadvertantly bumped Ulofoshio out of a job.

Shaq Thompson looks for someone to hit in a Bills practice. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UW NFL ROSTER TRACKER

Salvon Ahmed, RB, Indianapolis -- fifth-year player placed on injured reserve list by Colts.

Andre Baccellia, WR, Arizona -- third-year player released on Aug. 25 by Cardinals and signed to practice squad.

Budda Baker, S, Arizona -- ninth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Josiah Bronson, DL, Tennessee -- third-year player signed free-agent contract on Aug. 3; waived on Aug. 25.

Jake Browning, QB, Cincinnati -- third-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Carson Bruener, LB, Pittsburgh -- rookie earned spot on 53-man roster.

Myles Bryant, CB, Houston -- sixth-year player released on Aug. 26 by Texans.

Alex Cook, S, Chicago -- second-year player waived on Aug. 25 by Bears.

Jacobe Covington, CB, Kansas City -- undrafted rookie waived on Aug. 26 by Chiefs.

Devin Culp, TE, Tampa Bay -- second-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Will Dissly, TE, Los Angeles Chargers -- eighth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Trou Fautanu, OT, Pittsburgh -- second-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu talks to the media in training camp. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Greg Gaines, DL, Tampa Bay -- seventh-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Myles Gaskin, RB, Baltimore -- seventh-year player signed to 1-year $1.17 million contract on Aug. 10; released on Aug. 26 by Ravens.

Kyler Gordon, CB, Chicago -- fourth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Jake Haener, QB, New Orleans -- one-time Husky and Fresno State transfer waived on Aug. 26 by Saints and signed to practice squad.

Dominique Hampton, S, Washington -- second-year player waived on Aug. 11 by Commanders.

Nick Harris, C, Washington -- fifth-year player signed as free agent on Aug. 21, released on Aug. 25 by Commanders.

Giles Jackson, WR, Philadelphia -- undrafted rookie waived on Aug. 20 by Eagles.

Jaxson Kirkland, OG, Cincinnati -- second-year player released on Aug. 26 by Bengals and signed to practice team.

Keleki Latu, TE, Buffalo -- undrafted rookie waived on Aug. 26 by Bills and signed to practice team.

Laiatu Latu, ER, Indianapolis -- second-year player and one-time Husky and UCLA transfer earned spot on 53-man roster.

Cooper McDonald, ER, Kansas City -- undrafted rookie and one-time Husky and San Diego State and TCU transfer earned spot on 53-man roster spot.

Chiefs linebacker Cooper McDonald (59), a former Husky, puts the pressure on in this preseason game. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Trent McDuffie, CB, Kansas City -- fourth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Kaleb McGary, OT, Atlanta -- seventh-year player signed 2-year $30 million contract extension on Aug. 4, placed on injured reserve for season on Aug. 26.

Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay -- second-year player placed on injured reserve on Aug. 26 by Buccaneeers.

Elijah Molden, CB, Los Angeles Chargers -- fifth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Jabbar Muhammad, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars -- undrafted rookie waived on Aug. 26 and signed to practice squad.

Byron Murphy, CB, Minnesota -- seventh-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Rome Odunze (15) stiff arms Kansas City safety Bryan Cook (6) during their preseason game. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago -- second-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Levi Onwuzurike, DL, Detroit -- fifth-year player placed on injured reserve for season by Lions.

Cade Otton, TE, Tampa Bay -- fourth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Michael Penix Jr., QB, Atlanta -- second-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Dante Pettis, WR, New Orleans -- seventh-year player released on Aug. 26 by Saints.

Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, New England -- second-year player placed on injured reserve on Aug. 26 by Patriots.

Mishael Powell, S, Minnesota -- one-time Husky and Miami transfer waived on Aug. 24 by Vikings.

Bills defensive back Taylor Rapp warms up in training camp. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Taylor Rapp, S, Buffalo -- eighth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Mark Redman, TE, Los Angeles Rams -- one-time Husky and San Diego State and Louisville transfer waived on Aug. 26 by Rams and signed to the practice team.

Roger Rosengarten, OT, Baltimore -- second-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Drew Sample, TE, Cincinnati -- seven-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Coleman Shelton, C, Los Angeles Rams -- seventh-year player spot on 53-man roster.

Jackson Sirmon, LB, New York Jets -- second-year player waived on Aug. 26 by Jets and signed to practice team.

Keith Taylor, CB, Atlanta -- fourth-year player released on Aug. 26 by Falcons.

Shaq Thompson, LB, Buffalo -- 11th-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Bralen Trice, ER, Atlanta -- second-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Bralen Trice, after missing his rookie season in Atlanta with an injury, has reclaimed a Falcons roster spot. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, ER, Cleveland -- fifth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Alphonzo Tuputala, LB, Seattle -- undrafted rookie waived on Aug. 26 by Seahawks.

Zeke Turner, LB, Detroit -- eighth-year player placed on injured reserve on Aug. 26 by Lions

Eddie Ulofoshio, LB, Buffalo -- second-year player waived on Aug. 26 by Bills and signed to practice squad.

Sebastian Valdez, DL, San Francisco -- undrafted rookie waived on Aug. 26 by 49ers and signed to practice squad.

Vita Vea, DL, Tampa Bay -- eighth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Luke Wattenberg, C, Denver -- fourth-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

Jack Westover, TE, New England -- second-year player earned spot on 53-man roster.

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