Perkins, Benkert among UVA players cut by NFL on Saturday

Here’s a list of former Wahoos who survived and those cut

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia’s last two starting quarterbacks are victims of the NFL’s cut list as teams reduce rosters to 53 players.

Bryce Perkins, who broke UVA’s career total-yardage record last season, was cut by the LA Rams, while the Atlanta Falcons cut Kurt Benkert, who started for the Cavaliers in 2016 and 2017.

Meanwhile, the LA Chargers cut former UVA wide receiver Darius Jennings, and the Carolina Panthers cut former Wahoo safety Quin Blanding, who had been on the team’s practice squad the past two seasons. Former UVA linebacker/end Chris Peace was cut by the New York Giants and former UVA lineman Oday Aboushi (2010-2012) and an NFL journeyman, has been cut by the Detroit Lions.

Joe Reed, who helped lead Virginia to a Coastal Division championship in the ACC a year ago, has made the roster for the Chargers.

Meanwhile, Taquan “Smoke” Mizzell was signed to the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad and former UVA defensive back Bryce Hall was placed on the New York Jets COVID-19 reserve list.

Hall will not count toward New York’s active offseason roster until he is activated from the reserve list. Hall, who was a fifth-round pick, is expected to compete for a starting job once he returns.

It appears that 14 former Wahoos have survived the NFL’s cut list to 53: Andrew Brown (Bengals), Anthony Harris (Vikings), Tim Harris (49ers), Dontrelle Inman (Washington), Micah Kiser (Rams), Rodney McLeod (Eagles), Morgan Moses (Washington), Joe Reed (Chargers), La’Roy Reynolds (Falcons), Matt Schaub (Falcons), Eric Smith (Giants), Juan Thornhill (Chiefs), Brent Urban (Bears) and Olamide Zaccheaus (Falcons), along with Hall’s situation with the Jets.

The Rams’ decision to cut Perkins from its 53-man roster came somewhat as a surprise. Perkins had impressed the Rams’ offensive coaching staff so much that head coach Sean McVay released Josh Love last week from the team’s quarterback competition.

McVay has indicated that he would like to sign Perkins to the Rams’ 16-man practice squad over the weekend if possible.

“Bryce brings a lot of energy daily and he’s a great kid,” Goff said about Perkins. “He’s done a really good job. I was extremely impressed early on with his recall of the offense. We do so much stuff offensively and so much stuff in year four now of this offense, that has been switched around and changed so many times. It’s hard to keep track of it, but Bryce did a great job and has picked things up really quickly. He’s been a joy to have in the room.”

The oldest Cavalier playing in the NFL is the remarkable Schaub, who beat out Benkert for the backup quarterback job to Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Schaub is 39 years old.

Both Maurice Canady, who signed with Dallas in the offseason, and rookie Jordan Mack, who was not drafted but picked up by the Panthers, have decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season.