Cardinals quarterback Clayton Tune (15) scrambles against the Raiders during a preseason game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Aug. 23, 2025. Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona Cardinals Release QB, 11 More

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 5:02 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals' journey of trimming their final roster down to 53 players has begun.

After Andre Baccellia was the first reported cut previously this morning, the organization announced 11 more names that were released ahead of tomorrow's deadline.

Arizona Cardinals Release 12 Players

Wide receiver Andre Baccellia
Cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe
Tight end Oscar Cardenas
Offensive lineman McClendon Curtis
Cornerback Steven Gilmore
Defensive lineman Patrick Jenkins
Linebacker Vi Jones
Offensive lineman Roy Mbaeteka
Wide receiver Nate McCollum
Quarterback Clayton Tune
Offensive lineman Dohnovan West
Linebacker Benton Whitley

Tune is the most notable of the cuts, as the third-year quarterback failed to impress the coaching staff with the arrival of veteran backup Jacoby Brissett this offseason.

West, an ASU product, was just brought on the squad last week but now packs his bags.

Mbaeteka was also a recent addition and was part of the league's International Pathway Program. It's likely he could be brought back on to the practice squad as he doesn't count against the total as an IPP player.

Baccellia is also likely to return to the practice squad, which is something he's done with Arizona since the 2021 season. He's well respected by the coaching staff and players for his work as a special teams player.

Final Cuts Come at Cost for Cardinals

"It's tough. We got really good guys that pour a lot into this thing, so it's hard. It is - the human side. And like I said, they sacrifice a lot, and they're all team guys, so it's not like you're dying to get anyone out of the building. I wish we could keep them all, but you just can't," Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters today.

The Cardinals - like all NFL teams - will be required to fully trim their roster down to 53 players by 1 PM MST tomorrow (Tuesday, Aug. 26).

Arizona also has players such as Will Hernandez, Walter Nolen, BJ Ojulari and Bilal Nichols currently hurt, which could play a factor into who makes the initial roster.

Nolen, the team's first-round pick who hasn't played all preseason due to a calf injury, still hasn't had a decision made on if he'll land on PUP (physically unable to perform) which would cause him to miss the first four weeks at minimum.

"Not quite. We'll see. His health - health is always first with all of our guys. So we got a couple guys nicked up. We'll just see kind of how it all falls together," said Gannon.