Dolphins' Raheem Mostert offers advice for players who are released on release day

Before Raheem Mostert showed up at the San Francisco 49ers and long before the running back earned Pro Bowl honors with the Miami Dolphins, he was fighting for a spot in the NFL.

Mostert, 32, was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Chicago Bears and even the Dolphins before landing on the 49ers' practice squad in 2016.

“It's devastating because your hopes and dreams are right in front of you and then when you get that call, it's like a permanent memory,” Mostert said Monday. “I remember when I was in Philly and I got that call. Unfortunately, I was the last one in the building to get that call and that changed my life.

“You just have to grow and learn and become a better player when teams make those decisions. So I was able to stick around and I just wish all the guys out there the best. Especially on this team because we had a good group of guys that came in and worked their asses off and did everything they could to get a spot on the roster.”

More than a thousand NFL players will be released or waived on Tuesday as teams trim their rosters to 53 players each. Fortunately for Mostert, he doesn't have to worry about turning in his playbook.

But he had another piece of advice for players who end up on the waivers list.

“I was really lucky that I didn't burn any bridges, because the bridges you keep up and keep strong come back tenfold,” Mostert said. “That was the case for me when I left Philly and Chip Kelly was in San Francisco the following year at the time. And you know what? I left my mark in San Fran.”

Teams have until 4 p.m. ET Tuesday to reduce their rosters to 53 players.