Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) kicks a field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images (cowboyswire.usatoday.com)
Tryouts
Monday saw the first tryout for DT Jack Heflin (Roughnecks) since being released by the New Orleans Saints at the 53-man cut-down in August. His workout was with their NFC South rival, Atlanta Falcons. WR Kaden Davis (Panthers) took a visit with the Green Bay Packers, also on Monday.
The following day, LS Tucker Addington (Gamblers) worked out for the Houston Texans, along with several punters and kickers. Two Memphis Showboats also drew workouts out on Tuesday: C Alec Lindstrom (Showboats) with the New England Patriots, who are experiencing a rash of injuries along their offensive line; and K Matt Coghlin (Showboats), earning his first reported tryout, this with the San Francisco 49ers. They lost K Jake Moody due to injury and opted to sign K Matthew Wright, another kicker at the tryout. Wright also has ties to spring football, as he failed to make the Tampa Bay Vipers in 2020, losing out to Andrew Franks for that job.
Addington earned a second workout during the week, stopping by Baltimore on Thursday to snap for the Ravens. S AJ Thomas (Stallions) was also a Thursday tryout, for the Saints. This was just over a week after he met with the Washington Commanders.
Transactions
The transactions began early this week, with K Matthew McCrane (Defenders) getting released from the Detroit Lions’ practice squad on Monday. It always seemed to be a short-term proposition, but McCrane made some cash to practice with the team for a few weeks anyway.
One day after visiting with the Packers, WR Kaden Davis (Panthers) was summoned back to the practice squad of the Denver Broncos, among a spate of moves the team made on Tuesday. He had been released by the team on October 1. Also on Tuesday, the New York Jets waived LB Anthony Hines (Defenders) from the practice squad. He lasted a little over a week there.
Three UFL acquisitions were made by NFL teams Wednesday: The Los Angeles Chargers re-signed CB Nehemiah Shelton (Showboats) to the practice squad, his second stint with the team this season; an injury to Cleveland Browns long snapper Charley Hughlett necessitated the signing of LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas), who snapped with them during training camp; and the Jets scooped up C Alec Lindstrom (Showboats), bringing him aboard their practice squad after he worked out for the Patriots the previous day.
Friday was a particularly sad day as one of two UFL players to make an NFL roster out of training camp, DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades), was let go by the Minnesota Vikings. He was active for two games out of five this season. LS Tucker Addington (Gamblers) joined two other spring footballers in working out for teams during the week, only to sign with a different team in the same week. Addington was added to the Patriots practice squad with their regular long snapper, Joe Cardona, questionable on the injury report.
XFL
*Across the pond in England, LS Scott Daly (New York Guardians) may have suffered a significant knee injury for the Chicago Bears. Daly, who himself is an injury replacement at the position, went down in coverage on a late first quarter punt. He was quickly ruled out for the game, forcing TE Cole Kmet to take his place on special teams.
*The only statistical note for DT CJ Brewer (Roughnecks) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a pass defensed in the fourth quarter. That was one of nine snaps (13%) that Brewer played on defense.
*Relegated to backup swing tackle once again, OT Storm Norton’s (Wildcats) day included six snaps on special teams for the Atlanta Falcons.
*On two different days, the Baltimore Ravens brought in long snappers to try out this past week. LS Nick Moore (Tampa Bay Vipers) was not on the injury report, so perhaps the Ravens were just doing their due diligence should an injury strike the position. Either that, or they’re not happy with Moore’s performance this season. Nevertheless, it was Moore who snapped on all punts and kicks on Sunday.
*QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) did not play as the backup to Lamar Jackson for Baltimore.
*Though he punted at the end of the first drive of the game for the Green Bay Packers, P Daniel Whelan (Defenders) was not needed in that capacity for the rest of the game. His 46-yard punt went out of bounds at the Arizona eight-yard line.
*In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dominating win over the Las Vegas Raiders, LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) continued to perform all long snapping duties admirably.
*In his second game of the season, G Michael Dunn (Dragons) started at right guard for the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland needed to shuffle its offensive line as starting C Ethan Pocic was inactive, and Nick Harris, who took his place, was knocked out of the game early on. Dunn moved over to center to finish the game. He committed one penalty, a fourth quarter hold. Dunn played every snap of the game on offense at the two different positions.
*Having overtaken Easton Stick as the backup quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers, QB Taylor Heinicke (Battlehawks) was active behind Justin Herbert, but did not play.
USFL
*Backup S Micah Abernathy (Gamblers) was the second spring footballer to go down with a potentially serious injury in week six. On his third special teams snap covering a punt in the first quarter, Abernathy hurt his knee. After the game, head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged that Abernathy was going to miss “significant time.”
*With the game out of hand by the third quarter, more opportunities arose for WR Kavontae Turpin (Generals) in the Cowboys’ loss to the Lions. Turpin finished second on the team in targets with seven, hauling in four of those passes for 24 yards, adding a rush for six yards in playing 46% of the offensive snaps. Turpin also returned four kickoffs for 194 yards, including one he took back 79 yards, only to be stopped by Bates in a UFL-on-USFL crime.
*RB Jaylen Warren returned to the lineup for the Pittsburgh Steelers, sending RB Aaron Shampklin (Gamblers) tumbling down the depth chart, fourth in line for carries on Sunday. He ran the ball once for a loss of two yards in four offensive snaps, adding two on special teams.
*For the second week in a row, DE Jeremiah Pharms, Jr. (Maulers) played, but recorded no stats for the New England Patriots. His defensive playing time was at 24%.
*Snapping in his first game of the year – and seventh since entering the NFL in 2020 – LS Tucker Addington (Gamblers) was active for the Patriots in place of starter Joe Cardona, who was out with an injury this week.
*His consecutive start streak snapped at three games when the Carolina Panthers opted to open in a two down-linemen look, DE LaBryan Ray (Stars) still managed to play in 46% of the snaps on defense.
*It’s rare that a long snapper leads a team in special teams tackles, but LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) did just that for the Denver Broncos. He had two tackles, one solo and one assist. That gives him three tackles on the young season.
*DT Khalil Davis (Stallions) had a productive afternoon for the Houston Texans. He made two solo tackles, both for losses (a combined four yards) and added a quarterback hit in rookie QB Drake Maye’s first start for the Patriots. Davis was in on 53% of the defensive plays.
UFL
*On Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ 82nd birthday, K Jake Bates (Panthers) and the rest of the Lions gave him a nasty present in the form of a 47-9 mugging. Bates made four field goals – from 40, 48, and two from 33 – and also converted all five point-after attempts. His only bugaboo was allowing four kickoffs returns to the dangerous Turpin, who almost took one to the house. Bates himself made the tackle.
*In a record-keeping quirk, LB Dondrea Tillman (Stallions) was credited with an assisted tackle, helping Bronco teammate Zach Allen stop RB JK Dobbins for a loss of one yard. However, because it was only an assist, Tillman doesn’t get credit for the tackle for loss – but Allen does. Tillman managed to play 19% of defensive snaps, 56% on special teams.
*Ohio native LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas) got to play his first-ever NFL game for his hometown Browns. Barring poor performance, he’ll snap for at least four games with Cleveland’s regular long snapper on injured reserve.
Byes: Miami Dolphins S Elijah Campbell (Defenders)
