The Arizona Cardinals’ roster is nearly pared down. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt announced 16 players who were let go on Friday as the team trims the roster to the league-mandated 53 in time for next Sunday’s season opener.

One player that wasn’t on the cut list (at least yet) is quarterback Matt Leinart. Speculation has flown hot and heavy about Leinart in the last two weeks after he was demoted in favor of quarterback Derek Anderson for the last two preseason games. There’s been rumblings about trades to a number of teams and the thought that the Cards would just release the unhappy QB.

Not only did Whisenhunt not announce Leinart’s name as a cut, but he wouldn’t even announce his starter for the Rams game.

Another player not cut on Friday was offensive lineman Reggie Wells, who instead was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick.

Here are the players who have been cut by the Cardinals so far:

Surprises? Not many, although I thought Beisel was a good bet to make the team, especially after a big game last night against the Redskins in which he had 3 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack a pass breakup and an interception.

Others were surprised that Cody Brown, a 2nd-round pick out of Connecticut a year ago was also let go. Brown missed all of 2009 with a wrist injury. Brown was healthy this preseason, but just not productive. Brown played in all four preseason games but registered just 3 tackles, all of them coming in the opener against the Houston Texans.

And most close to the team thought that veteran tight end Anthony Becht would make the roster over 7th round pick Jim Dray, but that didn’t happen either.

Linebacker Mark Washington, a former Arizona State Sun Devil was waived as well.