Several former Gators made NFL news of over the weekend, but they all probably wish they hadn’t. Roster cutdown day (to 53 players) was Saturday, and here’s who hit the waiver wire …

* Dallas Baker: The big wide receiver has been on the fringe for Pittsburgh since he was drafted in the seventh round in 2007, but couldn’t solidify a spot on the team. Baker lost out in the battle for No. 5 receiver to veteran Shaun McDonald, who was signed in free agency from the Detroit Lions. It didn’t help that Baker left Thursday’s preseason game with a hip injury.

* Todd Johnson: In something of a surprise, the veteran safety lost his spot to undrafted longshot David Roach. Johnson had been one of the Rams’ best special teams players and started four games at safety over the last two seasons. Money may have been a factor, as Johnson was in the middle of a four-year, $4-million deal and his salary would have been guaranteed for the season had he made the team. “I was definitely surprised, just the way I performed in the preseason. I felt I did everything I could and I was a solid special teams player,” Johnson told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

* Brock Berlin: Once Johnson’s roommate at UF, Berlin was staying with Johnson in St. Louis before he was cut. Berlin, whom many Florida fans don’t consider to be a Gator after he transferred to Miami, lost out on the No. 3 quarterback job to West Texas A&M’s Keith Null (the Rams’ 2009 sixth-round draft pick).

* Phil Trautwein: Also cut by St. Louis, the Gators’ starting left tackle last season found a soft landing spot over the weekend when the Cleveland Browns swooped in and added him to their 53-man roster. The undrafted Trautwein reportedly got off to a slow start for the Rams but made steady progress throughout the preseason. The Rams were planning to sign him to their practice squad.

* Ian Scott: The veteran nose tackle was vying for a backup spot with San Diego but was released on Saturday with an injury waiver. Scott played well in the Chargers’ last two preseason games but had been limited in camp by nagging pain in his knee. Scott has been troubled by injuries throughout his career, as the knee injury also led to his release from the Carolina Panthers in 2008.

* Aaron Walker: The big tight end (6-foot-6, 260 pounds) was looking for work in Cleveland and has been hanging around the NFL and providing depth since he was drafted in the fifth round by the San Francisco 49ers in 2003. His time in the pros may be running out, however, as he lost in his bid for the No. 3 spot (behind Robert Royal and Steve Heiden) to second-year man Martin Rucker.

* Carlton Medder: Formerly a right tackle for the Gators, Medder was expected to move inside if he had any shot at the NFL. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2008 but injured his elbow early in training camp. The Cards brought Medder back this summer, but he lost his bid to make the team and the practice squad.

* Tavares Washington: The former JuCo transfer, who started 11 of 18 games for the Gators from 2003 to 2005, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the 49ers and made their practice squad in 2006 and 2007.  After being signed by the Washington Redskins and released during the preseason in 2008, Washington landed on the Kansas City practice squad and was promoted to the team in December, when he made two appearances on special teams in the Chiefs’ final four games of the season.

* Billy Latsko: The former Gator walk-on, who bounced around on the practice squads of the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers, was given a shot at fullback for San Diego. Latsko was cut on Saturday but landed on the Chargers’ practice squad on Sunday.

* Kestahn Moore: Not as fortunate as Latsko, Moore made it through preseason as a running back with the Chargers but was cut on Saturday.

* Ingle Martin: The former Gator quarterback, who has spent time in the NFL with Green Bay, Tennessee and Kansas City, was brought in by the Denver Broncos to provide depth when Chris Simms and Kyle Orton were dealing with injuries. Martin was cut last Friday.

* Jason Watkins: The Gators’ starting right tackle last season was cut on Sept. 1 between the Houston Texans’ third and fourth preseason games.

* Joe Cohen: The defensive tackle who was drafted in the fourth round by San Francisco in 2006 was lost in a logjam of defensive lineman in camp with the Miami Dolphins. The Oakland Raiders brought him in for a brief look but released Cohen on Aug. 31.

* Jeremy Mincey: The rangy defensive end was released on Aug. 26 after playing 11 games (including two in the postseason) for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

* Drew Miller: Brought in as a center by the Jaguars on Aug. 8, Miller only lasted until Aug. 12.

Here is the current list of Gators in the NFL and more …

GATORS IN THE NFL (29)

QB Rex Grossman (Houston Texans)
RB Fred Taylor (New England Patriots)
RB Earnest Graham (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
RB DeShawn Wynn (Green Bay Packers)
WR Percy Harvin (Minnesota Vikings)
WR Jabar Gaffney (Denver Broncos)
WR Louis Murphy (Oakland Raiders)
WR Andre Caldwell (Cincinnati Bengals)
WR Chad Jackson (Denver Broncos)
OT Max Starks (Pittsburgh Steelers)
OG Cooper Carlisle (Oakland Raiders)
OT Phil Trautwein (Cleveland Browns)
TE Cornelius Ingram (Philadelphia Eagles) * Injured Reserve
DE Derrick Harvey (Jacksonville Jaguars)
DE Jevon Kearse (Tennessee Titans)
DE Bobby McCray (New Orleans Saints)
DE Ray McDonald (San Francisco 49ers)
DE Jarvis Moss (Denver Broncos)
DT Marcus Thomas (Denver Broncos)
DE Alex Brown (Chicago Bears)
DT Gerard Warren (Oakland Raiders)
LB Channing Crowder (Miami Dolphins)
LB Andra Davis (Denver Broncos)
LB Mike Peterson (Atlanta Falcons)
LB Brandon Siler (San Diego Chargers)
CB Keiwan Ratliff (Pittsburgh Steelers)
CB Lito Sheppard (Jets)
S Reggie Nelson (Jacksonville Jaguars)
S Marquand Manuel (Detroit Lions)

PRACTICE SQUAD (1)

FB Billy Latsko (San Diego Chargers) – cut on Sept. 5, sign on Sept. 6

RECENTLY CUT (12)

QB Ingle Martin (Denver Broncos) – cut on Sept. 4
RB Kestahn Moore (San Diego Chargers) – cut on Sept. 5
WR Dallas Baker (Pittsburgh Steelers) – cut on Sept. 5
TE Aaron Walker (Cleveland Browns) – cut on Sept. 5
C Drew Miller (Jacksonville Jaguars) – cut on Aug. 12
OG Tavares Washington (Kansas City Chiefs) – cut on Sept. 5
OG Carlton Medder (Arizona Cardinals) – cut on Sept. 5
OT Jason Watkins (Houston Texans) – cut on Sept. 1