Cornerback: Marco Wilson, Antonio Hamilton, Kei’Trel Clark, Christian Matthew, Nate Hairston, (Garrett Williams)
This is Marco Wilson’s time to show he can be a legitimate CB1 in the NFL, and there is no reason to believe he can’t reach that lofty goal. Antonio Hamilton is the CB2 for now, but Kei’Trel Clark and Christian Matthew are likely better long-term fits.
Nate Hairston beats out Kris Boyd for a special teams role while Garrett Williams continues to work his way back from the knee injury he suffered last year while in college. If Wilson and Company hold their own, this could be one effective unit.
Safety: Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson, Jovante Moffatt, Sean Chandler
Budda Baker is a clear-cut starter along with Jalen Thompson. Jovante Moffatt snags one backup spot at safety while Sean Chandler gets the final slot. Baker and Thompson should become one of the league’s top duos at safety now that Isaiah Simmons is in New York.
Specialists: Matt Prater, Nolan Cooney, Aaron Brewer
This is the most straightforward of the final 53 to make the team. We know Prater will man the Arizona Cardinals kicking job for at least one more season, Nolan Cooney could easily become one of the league’s best, and Aaron Brewer is still a reliable long snapper.
Final cuts occur on Tuesday, August 29th, so it will be interesting to see which of these projections come to light, and which fall to the wayside. It’s also important to remember that there are still plenty of practice squad positions to fill following the cutdown.