Two former West Virginia players were among the cuts Tuesday as NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 75 players.
The Texans waived defensive lineman Chris Neild a month after signing the 27-year-old cut by Texans. The 2011 seventh-round pick of Washington has played in 24 games but suffered preseason ACL tears in 2012 and last year.
Cornerback Ellis Lankster, 28, was cut by Buffalo following a two-week stint with the club. He was hoping to be reunited in a special-teams role under Rex Ryan, just as he filled for parts of four seasons with the Jets.
The final round of cuts come Saturday afternoon, when rosters are trimmed to their season limit of 53 .
Among end-of-camp competitions, Keith Tandy appears to be battling for the final safety spot in Tamp Bay. The 26-year-old has appeared in 40 games since being picked by the Bucs in the sixth round of the 2012 draft.
The next few days also figure to be a pivotal for underrated free-agent rookies Dreamius Smith (Chargers) and Quinton Spain (Titans). There is speculation among the Nashville media that Spain will earn a roster spot as a reserve offensive lineman, while Smith has the fourth-most preseason carries among San Diego’s running backs and could salvage a spot on the practice squad.
In Cincinnati, seventh-round pick Mario Alford appears likely to stick at receiver, along with second-year defensive end Will Clarke.
On Sunday the Bears placed safety Ryan Mundy (hip) on season-ending Injured Reserve. The team’s leader in tackles and interceptions during 2014, Mundy is in the final half of a 2-year contract paying him $1.45 million this season.