It is an exciting time to be a wrestling fan - WWE has never shown this much interest in independent wrestling before, and it is creating some great opportunities for wrestlers to make their mark before making their debuts. By showing so much attention to independent promotions like Progress, Ring of Honor and Evolve, it is allowing wrestlers to showcase their skills in ways that were never available before. Even as recently as this past week, former independent wrestlers Mia Yim and Matt Riddle made their debuts on NXT television.

However, in order for these independent wrestlers to get their opportunity on the main stage, some room needs to be made on the main roster. While WWE has maintained a roster of some of the best talent in the world, there is also some weight that can be trimmed off.

Some wrestlers have been hiding behind the curtains on the main roster, hoping that no one notices them when it comes time to "future endeavor" some talent. But with so much talent waiting in the wings on the independent circuit, there is not time like the present to release and replace some members of the roster.

This year has already seen a shuffling of the deck of sorts, but next year may be even bigger, with Vince reported to be pursuing several talents outside of the company. With the WWE roster being as big as it is, the company will have to find a way to make room for all the projected talents that could be joining the WWE.

20 Released: The Big Show

As one of the most tenured wrestlers on the current WWE roster, the end of Paul Wight's career has been nearing for sometime now.

With close to a 20 year career in WWE, The Big Show has accomplished some amazing things. This is not limited to being the first wrestler to hold the WWE, WCW and ECW World Championships. However, his career has been on a downward spiral over the last few years.

He has been a shell of his former self as a performer, and has become the target of rage from the IWC. With his performances not leaving much to be desired, it may be time for WWE to finally release their "friendly" giant.

19 Replacement: WALTER

If WWE is going to part ways with one giant, they may as well bring in another to take his place. However, they will be experiencing a severe upgrade by bringing in WALTER

WALTER has been making serious waves on the independent circuit since his introduction to the mainstream wrestling scene in 2015. The United Kingdom wrestling scene has been on fire, and WALTER has been at the forefront of this. With numerous World Championships at Progress, WXW and PWG on his mantle, WALTER has turned a lot of heads with his hard-hitting strikes and surprising agility for his six-foot-four, three-hundred pound frame. He may not have the size of The Big Show, but he is certainly more athletic and is in his prime.

There were many reports about WALTER signing to WWE earlier in 2018, however things never fully transpired. With Triple H expanding the NXT: UK territory, the perfect time for WALTER to make his debut may have arrived.

18 Released: Mojo Rawley

Mojo Rawley is not the first former professional football player NFL to join the WWE roster. He is also not the first one to not live up to expectations either.

Since joining the NXT roster in 2012, Rawley was heavily hyped on the basis of his legitimate athleticism and charisma. As far as former football players go, Rawley is certainly one of the most charismatic. His gimmick of "staying hyped" endeared fans, and they hoped he would go far.

Unfortunately, Rawley never met those expectations. His only claim to fame was winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 33. Unfortunately - like many other wrestlers before him - this win did not materialize in to anything, and Rawley faded in to obscurity. It may be time to let Rawley go to make room on the roster for new projects.

17 Replacement: Rob Gronkowski

If there is room on the WWE roster for a former NFL player, who better to fill that void than Gronk?

Gronkowski has let his fandom for WWE be known before (including an in-ring appearance at WrestleMania 33). Most recently, reports have circulated of Gronkowski looking to try out for WWE as a full-time wrestler.

Considering the success of Ronda Rousey on the WWE roster thus far (and the positive press it has generated), this could be a great move for WWE.

Gronk has struggled to stay healthy in recent NFL seasons, and may be looking for a career change. While Rawley may have had an inability to get over with fans, Gronk is a very recognizable name in the sports world, which would make his transition that much easier.

16 Released: Bo Dallas

There are not many people who still Bo-Lieve in Bo Dallas' WWE career.

Despite a very popular run as a part of the B-Team in 2018, Dallas has never reached the potential that he showed in NXT. His reign as NXT Champion positioned him as a major player in the early days of the brand. However once he transitioned to the main roster, the holes in his work started to show.

When compared to other members of the roster, Dallas does not look like a prototypical wrestler. While plenty of other wrestlers have overcome "not having the right look" before, Dallas was not able to. Fans did not buy in to him as a legitimate threat, and his career never recovered. Having a third-generation wrestler on the roster is always a feel-good story in WWE, but it is clear that it may be time to cut Dallas off.

15 Replacement: James Storm

Perhaps it is time for the man who teased a career in WWE to finally make good on his promise?

When James Storm arrived in NXT in 2015, fans of his work rejoiced. His smash-mouth style fit perfectly in WWE, and his name recognition from his time in Impact Wrestling did a lot for his credibility. Fans were very excited to see him tangle with their favorite NXT wrestlers, but it never transpired. Storm would only have a handful of matches on NXT before returning to Impact.

However, now that his time has finally finished, the time is right for WWE to scoop him up. Storm is a proven competitor in both the tag team and singles divisions, and has only gotten better since his last appearances. Perhaps a reunion with Bobby Roode is in the future?

14 Released: Dana Brooke

If my calculations are correct, Dana Brooke has been working on borrowed time in WWE for the better part of a year.

Dana Brooke's lackluster performances on the WWE main roster are not exactly her fault - with little wrestling experience only a handful of matches in NXT, she was brought up to the main roster far too early. Her lack of experience was very evident while working alongside experienced wrestlers, so she was transitioned into the role of manager for Titus Worldwide.

Unfortunately Brooke also did very little with that role, and has not been able to secure herself as a valuable performer for WWE. With many women waiting in the wings from the Mae Young Classic, it may be time for WWE to open up a spot on their roster by releasing Dana Brooke.

13 Replacement: Allie

Impact Wrestling has been a showcase for Women's wrestling since their inception. They have produced some of the finest female wrestling matches over the years, and have done a good job at maintaining their talent pool. With WWE's renewed focus and dedication on Women's wrestling, perhaps one of their more popular wrestlers is ready to make a transition?

Allie has been a mainstay on the independent scene for a number of years, and has experienced a worthwhile career in Impact since 2013. Her feuds and partnership with Rosemary have been a bright spot on Impact lately, and have allowed her to showcase her range as a performer.

Her swiftness in the ring combined with her love for the business makes her a prime candidate for WWE - the only question remains is, when will WWE finally scoop her up?

12 Released: Sanity

Despite coming off a huge run in NXT, Sanity has not been able to recapture their spark since debuting on the main roster.

The renegade group was feared as a gang in NXT, but SmackDown Live audiences have not reacted to the group as well as initially hoped. This has made their appearances on the blue brand few-and-far between, leaving questions as to if they are in the WWE doghouse.

Eric Young is a fixture of the independent wrestling scene, while Wolfe and Dain were unknown to U.S. audiences. While this may be contributing to their lukewarm reception, it does not spell good things for the longevity with WWE. While not all of them may be released soon, it is unlikely that this entire group will remain with WWE much longer.

11 Replacement: Dalton Castle

What WWE could save in payroll by eliminating some of the members of Sanity, they could use to bring in one of the hottest acts currently going on the independent circuit.

Dalton Castle has experienced some great success alongside "his boys". As a perennial mid-card performer for Ring of Honor, he always put on great matches. However, by upping his status with a solid run as ROH World Champion, Dalton became a must-see act.

There have already been reports about WWE being interested in him earlier this year, but things never materialized. With there being so much success of recent WWE signees on NXT, there is surely a renewed interest from both parties about bringing him in for his first run with the company.

10 Released: Hideo Itami

Hideo Itami's signing with NXT in 2014 was a very big deal. The wrestler formerly known as KENTA was one of the biggest stars in Japan's Pro Wrestling NOAH, and was one of WWE's biggest international signings. The buzz surrounding him when he first joined the black-and-yellow brand can not be understated. Unfortunately, a string of injuries left Itami as an afterthought in the eyes of WWE fans.

While NXT was experiencing its big boom in the industry, Itami was on the sidelines.

In an attempt to revitalize his WWE career, he was transferred to 205 Live in 2017, but he has become lost in the shuffle. WWE fans care very little about Itami at this point, which is very sad to see. Considering his notoriety in Japan and his disappointment in his WWE career, the likelihood of Itami and WWE coming to a mutual decision on a release is becoming more likely.

9 Replacement: Bandido

If Triple H is looking to continue to add international stars to his NXT roster (and for a new experiment after Itami's failure), they should be looking at Bandido.

The high-flying luchador is most well-known for being the on-and-off tag team partner of Rey Mysterio. Most recently appearing alongside Mysterio at All In, Bandido has been on WWE's radar lately. With high-flying wrestlers like Ricochet gaining traction with the audience, WWE has widened their focus on wrestlers that fit his similar build and style.

With their inability to sign Pentagon Jr. and Fenix, this is a great way for WWE to capture more of Mexico's wrestling audience.

8 Released: Heath Slater

It may be time for this one-man-band to hang up the boots, even if he has kids.

Heath Slater has played his part well in WWE over the past eight years. Whether he has been asked to get beat up by legends or made fun of by Brock Lesnar, Slater has gotten the job done. Unfortunately, Slater has done very little in his career in WWE by way of achievements. Other than forgettable Tag Team Championship runs, he has never been able to break out of jobber status.

His willingness to be seen as a joker on television has given him job security, but it would be difficult for him ever to be seen as a credible threat again. With plenty of knowledge of character work in the business, perhaps he would be better suited for a position at the WWE Performance Center than an in-ring role.

7 Replacement: Shane Strickland

If WWE needs a charismatic wrestler to take Slater's place, they don't need to look very far. WWE has cultivated a solid relationship with Evolve Wrestling over the past few years, and their current Champion is already on their radar.

With reports coming in recently about WWE's interest in Shane Strickland, there is no better time for him to make the transition. WWE utilizing various independent promotions are feeder systems to NXT has proven to be a great system thus far, and Strickland has risen to the occasion. His work in both Evolve and Lucha Underground speaks for itself.

Strickland's natural charisma will serve him well in his career, and it seems that all signs point to a stop in WWE in his near future.

6 Released: Harper

Sometimes WWE already has gold on their roster, but just doesn't understand what to do with it.

Harper has had money written all over him since before he joined WWE developmental in 2012. With his menacing look, strength and surprising agility, Harper could have been poised for a big singles run with the company. Unfortunately, WWE never found the confidence to give the big man a decent-enough push.

Watching Harper struggle alongside Rowan in various teams has been difficult to watch. For those that have seen him on the independent circuit, they know that Harper is capable of some extraordinary things in the ring. Perhaps it is time for him to revisit his roots?

5 Replacement: Michael Elgin

"Big Mike" is someone that should have been on WWE's radar for a long time. After blazing a trail in Canada, Elgin quickly rose up the ranks in both Ring of Honor and New Japan. He has been a mainstay on the independent circuit for years, and has been a dark horse for a WWE run. The former Ring of Honor Champion has not been without his controversy, but his in-ring work is second to none.

All it will take for Elgin to be successful in WWE is to be brought in at the right time. With a proven track record, there is nothing stopping Elgin from being as successful as other recent ROH Champions like Adam Cole, Kyle O 'Riley or Roderick Strong.

4 Released: Shelton Benjamin

Most long-time WWE fans were very excited to hear that Shelton Benjamin had rejoined the roster.

Benjamin's first WWE singles run was full of start-and-stop pushes. While he did have numerous reigns as Intercontinental and United States Champion, he was never given an open pathway to be a top singles star, despite having the skills to do so. His return to WWE has been more of the same. After a lackluster run in the tag team division, his current run as a singles wrestler has not produced any incredible results.

Despite being in phenomenal shape, Benjamin is rounding out towards the end of his career. While it's nice to finish it off in WWE, it may be time to think about other opportunities within the company other than performing.

3 Replacement: Zack Sabre Jr.

WWE's focus on their UK brand has created some spectacular matches over the past year. With talent like Tyler Bate, Trent Seven and Pete Dunne representing the brand it would be difficult not to put on great matches. However, WWE is currently missing the crown jewel of wrestling in the UK.

Zack Sabre Jr. is one of the absolute best technical wrestlers that the world has ever seen. This also means that he is in incredibly high demand. In fact, he is one of the few wrestlers that have recently turned down a WWE contract in favor of their current independent bookings. However, with WWE realizing the value in bringing in top independent stars combined with their interest in their UK brand, the stars might be aligning to bring Sabre Jr. in.

2 Released: Tyler Breeze

Breeze is another wrestler from NXT who did not live up to his potential on the main roster. In a matter of weeks he went from headlining NXT TakeOver shows to joining a comedy tag team on the main roster. With such obvious talent and charisma, he had the potential to be a great mid-card heel, but the office never got behind him.

There is no doubt Breeze turned water into wine with his Fashion Police gimmick alongside Fandango, but he will never be seen as a credible threat on television in the eyes of fans. Perhaps some time outside of WWE will give him time to reset his character, then he could return as a fresh character in the eyes of fans.

1 Replacement: Rachael Ellering

WWE loves the idea of second generation wrestlers, especially when they can wrestle as good as Rachael Ellering.

Having already appeared for WWE on both NXT and both editions of the Mae Young Classic, she has dipped her toes in the same company her father used to manage in. Out of all the women in the first Mae Young Classic, Ellering  stood out among the crowd. Her wrestling pedigree combined with her love for the business has molded her in to a great performer. Alongside other second generation wrestlers like Natalya and Charlotte, Rachel could be a big player in WWE.

The thing that Rachael has going for her apart from some others on this list she is currently not tied in to a contract with any promotion. The only thing keeping her from WWE is finding an open spot on the roster. With some of the others on this list nearing the end of their career, perhaps it will happen sooner than later.