MOBILE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — NFL teams must cut their rosters to 53 men by 3 p.m. Tuesday. 23 players from Lower Alabama are hoping to make the final cut including four rookies.
Projected to go as high as the second round, Kris Abrams-Draine (Spanish Fort/Missouri) was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round but has been turning heads recently in training camp.
Gov. Kay Ivey names Baldwin County’s new sheriff “He’s a player that we’ve seen a noticeable jump in from the spring to when he returned (for training camp),” Broncos head coach Sean Peyton told The Athletic. “He’s playing a little more decisively with a little more confidence, and that’s probably because he’s getting to know the system.”
Nehemiah Pritchett (Jackson) and D.J. James (Spanish Fort) are two other rookie cornerbacks vying for an NFL roster spot. Both played at Auburn and were drafted by the Seattle Seahawks.
Their chances of making it out of training camp greatly improved when the Seahawks traded Mike Jackson to Carolina last Thursday. The Sporting News reported Pritchett should make the team as a second-string outside corner.
In Cincinnati, sixth-round pick Cedric Johnson (Davidson/Ole Miss) has been impressive.
“He can really ru—uuun,” Bengals defensive line coach Marion Hobby said. “He’s done some nice things for us.”
5th Quarter Extra: Week 1 (LIVE) Meanwhile, Johnson’s brother is trying to stick with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cephus Johnson (Davidson/South Alabama) was a quarterback in college at South Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana who is now a wide receiver.
Johnson was in training camp last year with the Minnesota Vikings and later signed on to the Bucs practice squad. He is currently listed as third string on the Buccaneers’ depth chart.
Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (St Paul’s/Alabama) is considered on the bubble to make the Baltimore Ravens but has been impressive so far in training camp.
“Jalyn has made numerous plays on the ball,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. “Jalyn is finally healthy. We’ll see what he can do.”
Armour-Davis’ first two seasons in the league have been plagued by injuries.
Pet of the Week: Edgar, the Pom-Mix In Las Vegas, Jakorian Bennett (McGill-Toolen/Maryland) has emerged as one of the Raiders starting cornerbacks.
“Overall, his confidence is slowly building and growing,” Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said of Bennett.
In Kansas City, Neil Farrell (Murphy/LSU) is hoping to earn a roster spot with the defending Super Bowl champions . Right now, the Chiefs list him as third at the defensive left tackle position behind Derrick Nnadi and Tershawn Wharton.
His Chiefs teammate, Kadarius Toney (Blount/Florida) also faces stiff competition to make the final 53-man roster. Head Coach Andy Reid said Toney is fighting for a roster spot.
The Sporting News ‘ Jarrett Bailey reported this week that “Toney was unplayable at the end of the 2023 season and now could find himself off the roster altogether.”
Saraland gets by Jackson, plus week 1 highlights It would be a startling development for the 25-year-old wide receiver who was a first-round pick of the New York Giants just three years ago.
La’Mical Perine (Theodore/Florida) picked up a Super Bowl ring last year with the Chiefs, but after signing a free-agent deal with Pittsburgh is considered on the bubble to make the Steelers’ 53-man roster.
Perine is currently listed behind running backs Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson on the Steelers’ official depth chart.
Safety A.J. Finley (St. Paul’s/Mississippi) signed last year as an undrafted free agent and primarily served as a special teamer in his rookie season with the L.A. Chargers. Now he is poised to see significant playing time in the Chargers defensive backfield.
5th Quarter Play of the Week: Week 1 “A.J. is a guy that guys have confidence in,” Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said. “He’s a guy who has made some plays in practice, communicates really well. He has a comfort out there.”
Cordale Flott (Saraland/LSU) is lining up with the Giants starting defense as an outside cornerback, a spot he did not play in his first two seasons with the team. Flott has 13 starts in 25 games in his first two years in the league.
In Nashville, two locals are in training camp with the Titans. Roger McCreary (Williamson/Auburn) is listed as the starting nickelback with Eric Garror (McGill Toolen/Louisiana) as his backup. McCreary is in his third year with Tennessee. Garror is in his second season.
It has been quite a training camp for the Chicago Bears’ Velus Jones Jr. (Saraland/Tennessee) . After two seasons at wide receiver, Jones is making the transition to running back.
In three pre-season games, Jones rushed 25 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the performance, Jones is considered to be “on the bubble” to make the Bears’ final roster.
Alabama high school player dies after brain injury during football game “We wanted to get a good look at him,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said. “He put a really good foot forward.”
In Houston, Tytus Howard (Monroe County/Alabama State) is the Texans starting right tackle.
Howard agreed to a contract restructuring that turned $12.75 million of his base salary into a signing bonus. Last year, he signed a three-year, $56 million contract extension before suffering an injury-plagued 2023 season.
Jimmie Ward (Davidson/Northern Illinois) was given a contract extension last week that will take him through the 2025 season with the Texans. Last year, Ward played in just nine games due to injury, but he enters the 2024 season as the Texans’ starting strong safety.
Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s/Memphis) had a big payday in the offseason, signing a three-year, $51.1 million free agent deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Statistically, Huff was one of the most efficient pass rushers in the NFL last year with the New York Jets.
A Minute with Drexel: Making an ordinary day exceptional Current Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore/Alabama) is being given more freedom from the New York coaching staff in calling defensive plays. The 32-year-old is entering his 11th season in the league.
31-year-old defensive tackle Michael Pierce (Daphne/Samford) agreed to a 2-year, $7.5 million contract extension with the Baltimore Ravens through the 2025 season.
“I think our D-Line is one of the best in the National Football League, and Michael Pierce (is) a big part of that,” Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said.
In Dallas, Jalen Tolbert (McGill-Toolen/South Alabama) has taken advantage of the absence of hold-out wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
“He’s approached this camp with that intensity,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. “I know he’s given me tons of confidence in him.”
Foley man’s SNAP card declined — learns he was scammed Tolbert started six games last fall and posted 22 catches for 268 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his second NFL season.
In Washington, the Commanders brought in veteran defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth (Murphy/South Carolina) two weeks after the start of training camp.
Stallworth appeared in all three preseason games. Last year, in a season plagued by injuries, Stallworth played for the Titans and was on the practice squads of the Panthers, Texans and 49ers.
Jalen Wayne (Spanish Fort/South Alabama) had just one catch for 8 yards in three preseason games with the Green Bay Packers. The wide receiver spent time with the Bills and Browns after going undrafted out of South Alabama last year. He also spent time with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes this year.
After teams cut their rosters to 53 players Tuesday, they can sign players to their 16-man practice squads beginning Wednesday.
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