NFL Rookies, Free Agents, Out-of-Shape Holdouts, Aging Veterans Are Toast as Teams Make Cuts

That smell coming from NFL training facilities across the nation this weekend was the aroma of teams winnowing down their rosters to their final 53 players.

While hundreds of players packed training camps this summer with great hopes of making the cut and playing this season, the preseason has separated the true contenders from the NFL hopefuls. Rookies who were just barely picked up in the draft, free agents, veterans trying to eke out one or two more seasons and holdouts who bartered for their contracts instead of beefing up their game credibility have all taken the hits as the cuts have fallen.

In a few precious weeks, they've all become toast.