In the NFL, team architects generally have a strong idea of how many players they would like to keep at each position during the regular season. They have targets, at least – nine offensive linemen, perhaps, or six cornerbacks – in order to make all the pieces fit on a 53-man roster.
Sometimes, however, the players vying for those 53 spots don't cooperate.
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"If there's a good football player that we think we need to keep we'll always find a way to do that," said Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Lovie Smith, who (along with General Manager Jason Licht) is facing his own cut-down to 53 in five days.