This week is unique in the world of rookie reports because it’s NFL cut day! In case we forgot, not every rookie was drafted in the first round. Actually, if my math is correct, only 32 rookies got drafted in the first round, so the security and certainty of a roster spot are not luxuries that a 6th or 7th-rounder can enjoy.
One amazing thing about cut day is the endless potential that follows the doom and gloom of a player’s release. Many of today’s stars were later-round picks. Most notably, Brock Purdy, who was Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 draft, has proven that it doesn’t matter where you’re drafted—you have to produce in this league. Most teams will retain their most recent draft selections, but players from previous years will learn harshly that every year, a potential replacement is being brought in to take their job. The 2024 draft class, just like every other one, is tasked with demonstrating the ability to fill a role they were specifically drafted for. That’s a politically correct way of saying they were drafted to do what someone else ain’t doing!
This week’s “How ya Doin” is all about checking who is not just making the team, but actually doing the job they were selected to do—and who is surprisingly doing more than that. Take a guy like Ladd McConkey, who will be asked to do more than just come along slowly. It’s clear from camp reports that he will be a primary target for Justin Herbert in LA, probably exceeding even the high hopes of the front office brass.
On cut day, who gets let go can tell you a lot about the performances and the trust that a team has in its rookies. Teams often roster veterans as a kind of insurance for their rookies’ learning curve, so pay attention to depth charts and which position groups are NOT bolstered by an older player who would eat into the rookies’ snap share. These are a couple of ways to see how your team’s rookies are doin!
