Tuesday’s NFL cutdown date saw two Snohomish County natives make the cut as expected, and one survive who was a surprise.
NFL teams were required to reduce their rosters from 90 to 53 players Tuesday in anticipation of the start of the 2023 season, and county natives Abraham Lucas, Kyler Gordon and Daniel Arias all made their respective teams.
Lucas and Gordon, both of whom are Archbishop Murphy High School graduates heading into their second NFL seasons, were the locks. Lucas, a right tackle with the Seattle Seahawks, and Gordon, a cornerback with the Chicago Bears, are both listed as starters on their respective teams’ depth charts. Lucas started 16 games for the Seahawks last season as a rookie, while Gordon started 14 with the Bears and intercepted three passes.
The surprise was Arias. The Jackson High School graduate, who plays wide receiver, was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as a rookie non-drafted free agent following a modest career at the University of Colorado, during which he caught 48 passes for 750 yards and four touchdowns over a five years. But Arias has tools (6-foot-3, 216 pounds, 4.52 40-yard dash), and he caught five passes for 76 yards during the preseason, which was enough to convince Arizona to keep him.
The most prominent name among locals who was cut was Myles Gaskin. The Lynnwood native, who graduated from O’Dea High School, is a four-year veteran running back who led the Miami Dolphins in rushing in 2020 and 2021 before slipping down the depth chart last season. Gaskin had a productive preseason, carrying 13 times for 80 yards and catching seven passes for 50 yards, but it wasn’t enough to stick.
Quarterback Jake Luton, a Marysville Pilchuck High School product who spent the past three seasons in the NFL, mostly on practice squads, was cut by the Carolina Panthers. Luton was 8-for-19 for 115 yards with one touchdown and one interception during the preseason.
Defensive end Ali Gaye, an Edmonds-Woodway High School graduate who is a rookie non-drafted free agent, was cut by the Houston Texans. He had one tackle during the preseason.
Players who were cut are placed on waivers and can be claimed by any other team, though Gaskin is a vested veteran and therefore not subject to the waiver process. Arias’ position with the Cardinals is tenuous enough that he could be a victim should Arizona choose to claim any players waived by other teams. Players who clear waivers become eligible to be added to teams’ 16-man practice squads beginning Wednesday.
The NFL season opens Sept. 7.
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