Jonathan Taylor's future among lingering questions after NFL's roster cuts

With the 2023 NFL regular season set to get underway next week, there has been a flurry of roster activity around the league in recent days.

All 32 teams were required to finalize 53-man rosters by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, which meant many players got cut, traded or put on reserve (players with fewer than four seasons of NFL experience were required to clear waivers before becoming free agents). The moves didn’t stop Wednesday as front offices continue to make final roster tweaks ahead of Week 1 action.

While many questions were answered, some new ones have arisen. Here are a few things left to ponder after a flurry of roster activity…

What happens next in the Jonathan Taylor saga?

The unofficial trade deadline for Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor came and went Tuesday with Indianapolis ultimately placing the running back on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.

Taylor can still be traded while he is on the PUP list, although even if he is added to a new team he’d still be required to sit out the opening four weeks, meaning his subsequent trade value has decreased. The earliest we will see him, regardless of what uniform he’s in, will be in Week 5.

There were reports Tuesday that Miami and Indianapolis had been working on a potential deal involving Taylor. Dolphins GM Chris Grier confirmed to reporters his team and the Colts were in contact but that no official offers were exchanged.

Green Bay also reportedly showed interest in the former Wisconsin Badger. The Packers currently have Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon and Emanuel Wilson in the backfield on its initial 53-man roster.

If Taylor does not play at all in 2023 then he would not accrue a fourth season and would not become a free agent in 2024.

The NFL’s official trade deadline falls on Oct. 31 this year.

Who else ended up on the PUP?

Taylor wasn’t the only notable player to be added to the PUP list Tuesday ahead of the deadline.

Cardinals starting quarterback Kyler Murray, who underwent surgery in January to repair a torn ACL sustained late in 2022, is still not ready to return and that leaves Arizona in an interesting situation to start the season. As of Wednesday, Joshua Dobbs and rookie Clayton Tune were the only two quarterbacks on Arizona’s active roster. Will one of them end up starting Week 1, and might the team bring in another arm at some point in the next week?

Bills pass rusher Von Miller will get more than a month of extra time to recover from the torn knee ligament he sustained last year. Buffalo decided to keep the three-time All-Pro and Super Bowl 50 MVP on the PUP list.

Miller’s first season with the Bills ended in November after Week 11 and his absence was noticeable down the stretch.

QB Carousel: Why did Patriots cut Zappe?

New England needs to finalize its backup QB situation after the team cut Bailey Zappe, Trace McSorley and Malik Cunningham on Tuesday, leaving Mac Jones by his lonesome on the team’s depth chart. Zappe and Cunningham have since been signed to New England’s practice roster, but it remains unclear how things might change before Week 1.

Zappe made four appearances in 2022, including a 2-0 showing in two starts, so his demotion came as somewhat of a surprise. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday that several teams were interested in Zappe but the QB ultimately decided to stay with New England and join the Pats practice squad.

Six-year NFL veteran Trevor Siemian was let go by the Bengals after getting beaten out by rookie Jake Browning for the spot of being Joe Burrow’s backup.

The Browns signed P.J. Walker to their practice squad after he was cut by the Bears. Walker went 2-3 in five starts with the Panthers in 2022.

Carolina waived Matt Corral just one year after the Panthers selected the pivot in the third round (94th overall) of the draft.

Will Rourke eventually get his shot?

Another quarterback that didn’t crack a final roster was Canadian Nathan Rourke. He didn’t make Jacksonville’s final roster, however his NFL dreams remain alive as the team signed him to its practice squad after the 25-year-old went unclaimed on waivers.

The former CFL standout and B.C. Lions starter had an impressive showing in training camp and made one of the best plays of the 2023 pre-season when he evaded four Cowboys defenders after his pocket collapsed and found Qadree Ollison for a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Players can make between $200,000 and $300,000 over the course of a full season on an NFL practice squad depending on amount of league experience. Meanwhile, the 2023 minimum salary for a player with no previous experience at the NFL level is $750,000.

Jacksonville signed one other notable player to the practice squad Wednesday -- tight end Josh Pederson the son of Jags head coach Doug Pederson.