NFL roster deadlines are on Tuesday, August 26 at 4 p.m. EST, when each team trims from 90 to 53 players. While a 16-player practice squad, 17 with an international exception, is set within a few days afterwards, several veterans will be looking for new teams. Every year throughout the NFL, there are veterans that are surprisingly released from their current squads. As the New Orleans Saints take on the Denver Broncos this afternoon in their final preseason game, here are a few veterans that could surprisingly be released next week.

QB Jake Haener

There weren’t many that thought Haener, going into his third season, had a legitimate chance to win the starting quarterback job over Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler. However, there also aren’t many who thought that Haener wouldn’t make the team at all. Not with the fairly new rule that grants all teams a roster exemption for an emergency third quarterback.

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New Orleans will carry a third quarterback this year. And, it might ultimately be Jake Haener. But let’s be honest, there is little about Haener that makes you think that he can be a quality player if pressed into action. With the inexperience of both Rattler and Shough, my belief is that the Saints will release Haener and attempt to bring in a third quarterback, Kenny Pickett is my thought, with a little starting experience. If they can’t find one they’re comfortable with, then Haener may be brought back as either the emergency quarterback or for the practice squad.

RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire

Keep a very close eye on rookie sixth-round pick Devin Neal if he plays against the Broncos. Neal has missed a chunk of training camp and both preseason games with a hamstring injury. If he plays today, and plays well, it could cause a shake-up in the Saints backfield.

We wrote earlier this week about how it’s hard to imagine Cam Akers making this team based on how he’s looked. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has played far better, but hasn’t exactly inspired much confidence if he were forced into heavy duty. In fact, there are some rumors floating that the Saints may be interested in trading for another running back. At the very least, this should tell us that Kellen Moore isn’t very comfortable with his backfield rotation. Edwards-Helaire does a lot of little things well enough to fill out a depth chart adequately. But if Neal or Velus Jones show a lot of upside or the Saints bring in another back, Edwards-Helaire could be one of the team’s surprise cuts next week.

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WR Brandin Cooks

Most felt that Cooks would likely be the Saints third receiver after New Orleans brought him back this offseason. An 11-year veteran, Cooks began his career with three productive years and two 1,000-yard seasons as a Saint after being a first round choice in the 2014 NFL draft. He’d go on to have four 1,000-yard seasons three different teams in his four stops before returning to New Orleans this offseason.

Brandin Cooks is no longer that same player and shouldn’t be considered a roster lock. Cooks has played alright through training camp and preseason. At 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, Cooks isn’t going to be a consistent intermediate threat to keep the chains moving. He’s still got enough speed to be a deep threat, but the Saints already have plenty of speed with Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Mason Tipton. Additionally, it’s possible that Tipton has passed Cooks on the depth chart with an outstanding training camp. The Saints also added big-bodied wideout Devaughn Vele in a trade with Denver.

Olave, Shaheed, Tipton, and Vele are virtual locks for four roster spots. Cooks is a safe bet to make the team if they carry six wideouts. But if the Saints only carry five here and value the special teams versatility of someone like Dante Pettis, then Cooks could potentially be a big-name cut this week.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL roster cuts: 3 surprise names to watch in Saints preseason