In one of the busier days of the offseason, NFL teams trimmed their rosters down to 53 spots ahead of the 2025-26 season on Tuesday, with several former Nittany Lions being cut or waived.
Most notably, Penn State’s only active NFL quarterback, Sean Clifford, was waived by the Green Bay Packers after a mediocre preseason performance. Clifford was also released by the Packers last offseason before signing to the practice squad, and it’s possible he takes the same route this time around.
Clifford appeared in all three preseason games, going 9-for-17 for 44 yards passing with seven carries for 15 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive tackle Coziah Izzard was waived by the Kansas City Chiefs, who signed him as an undrafted free agent this offseason, per a report by Chiefs beat writer Matt Derrick. Though he wasn’t a starter, Izzard appeared in 15 games and finished with seven tackles for loss last season.
Fellow defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas was also waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his first offseason, according to a report by Fox Sports’ Greg Auman. J-Thomas was signed as an undrafted free agent and played sparingly throughout the preseason, recording two tackles.
Jalen Kimber was one of five former Penn State cornerbacks to get cut. Signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent, he also failed to make the 53-man roster, according to a report by The Draft Network’s Justin Melo. Kimber’s fall out of the NFL draft was surprising to some, and the slide continues after the preseason.
The Titans also released Amani Oruwariye, who they signed earlier in the offseason, per reporter Kayla Anderson. The former fifth-round pick will likely find a landing spot after five solid years in the NFL to begin his career, though injuries have hampered his impact.
The Buffalo Bills released cornerback Daequan Hardy, per The Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski, ending his time with the Bills after two seasons. The sixth-round pick never saw the field in Buffalo and will now look for a new home, if he isn’t re-signed to the practice squad.
Former Nittany Lion standout Kalen King, who infamously fell from a projected first-round pick to a seventh-round selection by the Green Bay Packers, was also waived, according to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. King never saw playing time, but was impressive at times throughout the preseason, putting him in the conversation to make the 53-man roster.
Tariq Castro-Fields was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles after a short stint with the team, according to NJ.com’s Cayden Steele. Castro-Fields saw minimal action throughout the 2024-25 campaign, in which the Eagles won Super Bowl LIX. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round in 2022 and spent time with the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers, failing to catch on.
Veteran wide receiver KJ Hamler was released by the Buffalo Bills, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He signed with the team in December 2023 and never saw game action with the team. He began his career as a second-round draft pick with the Denver Broncos in 2020, but injury issues kept him from reaching his potential.
