ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - Even with uncertainty about the future of Kirk Cousins, the Washington Redskins cut Nate Sudfeld to go with just two quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster.
Sudfeld, a developmental prospect after being a sixth-round pick out of Indiana in 2016, was among the team’s most notable cuts made Saturday before the deadline. Cousins is playing a second consecutive season on the franchise tag and could cost $34 million if retained under the same terms in 2018.
The only other quarterback on the roster is 30-year-old Colt McCoy, who’s under contract for the next two seasons.
Running back Matt Jones was waived and veteran safety Will Blackmon released. With Blackmon gone and DeAngelo Hall on the physically unable to perform list, Washington is left with a young group of safeties as free agent addition D.J. Swearinger (26) and Su’a Cravens (22) are expected to start.
Jones was the starter going into last season but fumbled three times in seven games and was inactive the final nine games. He skipped voluntary offseason workouts in the hope of being traded or released.
The Redskins kept nine of their 10 draft picks this year, cutting only sixth-rounder Robert Davis and going with five receivers despite injury concerns about Josh Doctson. A first-round pick last year, Doctson missed most of his rookie season with Achilles tendon injuries and a chunk of the preseason with hamstring tightness.
Josh Harvey-Clemons, a seventh-rounder out of Louisville who’s moving to inside linebacker from safety, was arguable the biggest roster surprise. Harvey-Clemons returned an interception for a touchdown in the fourth preseason game Thursday at Tampa Bay.
Before making their final cuts, the Redskins traded 27-year-old tight end Derek Carrier to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2018 seventh-round pick.
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