Tim Tebow is the biggest name among NFL cuts for the second time in three years.
Tebow had seemingly won the No. 3 QB job when Philadelphia traded Matt Barkley to Arizona on Friday.
But Coach Chip Kelly cut the unconventional quarterback who showed improved accuracy since his first stint in the NFL.
"We felt Tim has progressed, but we didn't feel he was good enough to be the [No.] 3 right now," Kelly said.
Tebow last played in a regular-season game in 2012 with the Jets, who traded for him a day after Peyton Manning went to Denver. The Patriots cut Tebow in 2013 when he failed to win a job as Tom Brady's backup, and Tebow spent last year in the broadcast booth.
Tebow finished the preseason 21 of 36 for 286 yards, 2 TDs and 1 interception. He also ran for 82 yards and a score.
"He really improved his throwing motion from when he was throwing a couple of years ago," Kelly said. "He worked extremely hard on it and deserves a lot of credit for that."
Just not a roster spot.
Tebow was among more than 700 players cut across the NFL on Saturday as teams trimmed their rosters to 53.
Other quarterbacks who were jettisoned were veterans Matt Cassel (Buffalo), Rex Grossman (Falcons), Christian Ponder (Raiders) and Matt Flynn, who hopes to return to the Jets after Week 1, when his salary wouldn't be guaranteed.
"For now, it's #bloodymary time," Flynn tweeted along with a photo of a cocktail garnished with celery, olives and two strips of bacon.
One quarterback who isn't looking for work is Robert Griffin III, who lost his starting job in Washington to Kirk Cousins in the preseason but not his roster spot.
Other notable players whose phones buzzed with that dreaded call to turn in their team-issued tablets included:
• Wide receiver Reggie Wayne, who caught two passes in the preseason after joining the Patriots in mid-August.
• Veteran cornerback Will Blackmon, who was released by the Seahawks, as surprising decision as it appeared he was in line to be Seattle's staring nickel cornerback.
• Defensive lineman Darnell Dockett after the 49ers gave him $2 million guaranteed.
• Middle linebacker Jameel McClain, who led the Giants last year with 117 tackles.
• Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still, whose daughter Leah's cancer went into remission this spring.
• Running back Jonas Gray, who never got out of Bill Belichick's dog house after oversleeping and missing practice a few days after his 199-yard rushing performance against Indianapolis last season.
• Wide receiver James Jones, who was cut by the Giants but should draw interest, particularly from his former team, the Packers, who lost Jordy Nelson to a season-ending knee injury last month.
• Titans wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, a former first-round draft pick of the Giants who played in Indianapolis last season.
• Defensive end IK Enemkpali, who gained infamy by breaking Jets quarterback Geno Smith's jaw last month but got released by the Bills.
• Veteran kicker Nick Novak, released by the San Diego Chargers after being beaten out by rookie Josh Lambo.
The Texans cut three Hard Knocks favorites: cornerback/running back Charles James, outside linebacker Kourtnei Brown, whose 69-yard interception return for a touchdown against Denver failed to keep him from getting released from his sixth NFL team, and wide receiver EZ Nwachukwu.
For all the noteworthy cuts, there were some prominent keepers Saturday.
Former Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne, 27, made the 49ers' roster. The rookie return man made good on his goal nearly a year after leaving his old sport to chase his NFL dream in a quest that captivated his homeland 7,000 miles away.
Ex-Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor made the Browns' roster as a wide receiver despite catching zero passes in the preseason, and the San Francisco 49ers kept linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who's facing a misdemeanor sexual battery charge, on the active roster.
Yale running back Tyler Varga made the Colts roster, the 17th consecutive year Indy has kept an undrafted college free agent on its 53-man roster. The next two longest streaks -- Kansas City (12 years) and Denver (11) -- both ended.
The cruelest cuts actually come today, when teams scouring the waiver wire find a better fit for their roster and jilt a player who just celebrated surviving the "final" cut down.
"It's always fluid," Broncos General Manager John Elway said. "It'll be fluid throughout the season."
CARDINALS
Tackle suspended two games
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The NFL has suspended starting right tackle Bobby Massie two games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
A person close to the situation had said several weeks ago that Massie was initially suspended for three games but was appealing the penalty.
Massie was arrested on an accusation of driving under the influence Jan. 31. The arrest was made at the Cardinals' practice facility in Tempe.
Massie, who started all 16 games plus the Cardinals' playoff game last season, can return to practice the week following Arizona's Sept. 20 game at Chicago.
The Cardinals had anticipated the suspension, with Massie practicing with the third team in recent weeks. He will not count on the 53-man roster during the suspension.
CHIEFS
McCray traded away
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs traded defensive back Kelcie McCray (Arkansas State) to the Seattle Seahawks for an undisclosed draft pick Saturday as they trimmed their roster to the 53-man limit.
They also released former sixth-round pick Eric Kush, who began training camp as the starting center, and defensive end Mike Catapano, who overcame illness to work his way into the mix.
Other notable cuts included linebacker James-Michael Johnson; defensive linemen David Irving and Hebron Fangupo; wide receivers Da’Ron Brown and Fred Williams; defensive backs Kevin Short and Deji Olatoye; and tight end Ryan Taylor.
Top cornerback Sean Smith was placed on the reserve-suspended list after a drunken driving arrest last year resulted in a three-game suspension.
Veteran tight end Richard Gordon was placed on injured reserve.
Sports on 09/06/2015