Minnesota Vikings place kicker John Parker Romo (96) is congratulated by long snapper Jake McQuaide, center, after making a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Tryouts
Tuesday was a heavy tryout day for spring football veterans. LS Tucker Addington (Gamblers) worked out for the Miami Dolphins. The Minnesota Vikings tried out kickers with rookie Will Reichard landing on IR. Among them were K John Parker Romo (Brahmas) from XFL 2023 and Andre Szmyt (Battlehawks).
The Vikings had other positions in as well, and in a bit of a throwback, called upon TE Tyree Jackson (Defenders). Jackson was last season being released with an injury settlement by the New York Giants in mid-August. Finally, in his first tryout since being let go by the Cincinnati Bengals, DT Domenique Davis (Gamblers) was brought in by the Pittsburgh Steelers for a look.
Washington Commanders K Austin Seibert landed on the injury report as “questionable” this week, so they had to hold an emergency audition for kickers on Friday. One of those was K Matthew McCrane (Defenders). The job ended up going to Zane Gonzalez, however, who was signed to the practice squad later that day. This was McCrane’s second tryout with Washington, having first worked out back in June.
Transactions
A cavalcade of transactions involved spring football players this week. It began with a busy trade deadline day, one of the busiest in recent NFL memory. Just before the 4pm EST deadline, the Houston Texans sent DT Khali Davis (Stallions) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a 2026 7th round draft pick. A key reserve along Houston’s defensive line, he’ll likely play the same role out west.
The Dolphins signed LS Tucker Addington (Gamblers) after his workout. He was added to the practice squad, a day after the team waived LS Matt Overton. Addington Beat out rookie Randen Plattner, who attended the same tryout. Another tryout signing was DT Domenique Davis (Gamblers), brought aboard the Steelers’ practice squad at the conclusion of the workout.
It wasn’t all good news on Tuesday, as the New Orleans Saints waived DE Niko Lalos (Sea Dragons) from their practice squad. Lalos had been on-and-off the Saints team since 2022, a stint with the Seattle Sea Dragons wedged in between.
K John Parker Romo (Brahmas) beat out three others on Wednesday to fill in for Vikings K Will Reichard for at least four weeks. In an ironic twist of fate, Romo had been signed by the Vikings early in the off-season, only to be released once the team drafted Reichard in the 6th round. Romo recently floated a potential return to spring football in 2025; that will be on hold for now.
The Vikings also promoted DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades) to the active roster from the practice squad. Redmond had already been a gameday elevation twice in the last two weeks. DT Bruce Hector (Renegades) was similarly promoted on Friday, by the New York Jets. Hector has played in just one game this season but was apparently needed after the team placed DT Leki Fotu on IR on Halloween.
XFL
*In the Baltimore Ravens’ Thursday night come-from-behind thriller over the Bengals, QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) sat back and watched Lamar Jackson do his thing. Johnson didn’t see game action.
*Also in Baltimore, LS Nick Moore (Tampa Bay Vipers) continues to show no ill-effects from last year’s Achilles tendon injury, snapping on all punts and kicks against Cincinnati.
*Like fellow backup Josh Johnson, QB Taylor Heinicke (Battlehawks) was active but did not play for the Los Angeles Chargers.
*There were punts aplenty for LS Scott Daly (New York Guardians) to cover for the Chicago Bears. In eight total punts, Daly was able to make an assisted tackle, helping to bring down New England Patriots’ returner Marcus Jones after a long gain. It was Daly’s third stop of the season.
*DT Greg Gaines was listed as “questionable” on the week 10 injury report for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so DT C.J. Brewer (Roughnecks) was active in case he was needed in a pinch. He wasn’t – Brewer played no snaps on defense or special teams.
*Snapping on four extra points and five punts, LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) did not make any tackles in coverage for the Steelers.
*Officially a member of the 53-man roster, DT Bruce Hector (Renegades) played on 32% of the defensive snaps for the Jets, but was held off the stat sheet in his second game of the season.
*Elevated for gameday for the second time this year, WR Chris Blair (Defenders) was active on Sunday for the Atlanta Falcons, but did not play.
*In his first regular season NFL game, K John Parker Romo (Brahmas) did all of the scoring in the Vikings’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He booted four field goals, from 45, 33, 34 and 29 yards. The Minnesota defense did the rest in the 12-7 victory. Only one of his five kickoffs were returned as well.
*Stat-less for the Dolphins, S Elijah Campbell (Defenders) played two snaps on defense, and 64% on special teams.
USFL
*Eased into the lineup on his new team, DT Khalil Davis (Stallions) played just five snaps for the 49ers against the Bucs on Sunday.
*LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) wasn’t to blame for the blocked field goal in the waning seconds that cost the Denver Broncos’ an upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs. It was the second missed field goal of the day for kicker Wil Lutz. Aside from that exciting play, it was otherwise a quiet afternoon for the long snapper.
*Though he came off the bench, DE Jeremiah Pharms, Jr. (Maulers) finished second in tackles for the New England Patriots against the Bears. He tallied five in total, including a sack of the number one overall pick in this year’s draft, QB Caleb Williams. It was one of three tackles for loss for Pharms, with both of the others coming in the run game. The Patriots rode the hot hand, as Pharms out-snapped two starters along the defensive line, playing in 58% of them.
*In Germany, the Carolina Panthers eked out a win over the New York Giants. DE LaBryan Ray (Stars) started and notched two assisted tackles in 63% of the defensive snaps.
*If the Dallas Cowboys haven’t hit rock bottom, they came awfully close in a 34-6 drubbing at the hands of their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. K Brandon Aubrey (Stallions) made two field goals, from 46 and 23. That, and three kickoffs, was the extent of his action.
*Now that QB Dak Prescott may miss significant time with an injury, the position appears in flux in Dallas. WR Kavontae Turpin (Generals) certainly didn’t benefit from the switch to Cooper Rush (and then Trey Lance), as he was not targeted on just eight offensive snaps. He was his usual dynamic self on kick returns, taking back two for 83 yards and a long of 47.
*Up from the practice squad for the second game in a row, CB Josh Butler (Panthers) played a bit more this week for the Cowboys. He was on the field for 13% of the snaps on defense, and 36% on special teams. Defensively, he managed one assisted tackle.
*Playing for his second team of the season, LS Tucker Addington (Gamblers) took over long snapping duties for the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, including snapping on two 50-yard field goals by K Jason Sanders.
UFL
*The theme of this week seems to be “active, but did not play.” That was also the case for C Alec Lindstrom (Showboats) of the Jets.
*Though the defense shined for the Vikings, DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades) wasn’t involved much, playing a scant five snaps on the afternoon.
*The trade deadline saw the Denver Broncos ship LB Baron Browning to Arizona, leaving a gameday spot open for LB Dondrea Tillman (Stallions). Against the Chiefs, Tillman was active and made one assisted tackle on 29% of defensive snaps, adding 64% of the special teams snaps played as well.
*Short on receivers this week, the Saints elevated two from the practice squad. One was WR Kevin Austin, Jr. (Stallions) for his first NFL game. Austin also made his first NFL catch, hauling in two in total for 36 yards and a long of 22. His first grab was an impressive one along the sideline to convert a 3rd-and-14. He played nearly half the offensive snaps (49%) as the team’s third receiver. He also snuck in four special teams snaps.
*Trailing the entirety of the game, the first lead the Detroit Lions took against the Texans was as time expired. K Jake Bates (Panthers) hit the game-winning field goal, a 52-yarder that just made it inside the left upright. He also hit from 58 on a kick that tied the game in the fourth quarter. It was the third-longest made field goal in Lions team history. Bates is now three-for-three from beyond 50 yards this season, no surprise to those who watched him in the UFL.
Byes: Cleveland Browns G Michael Dunn(Dragons) and LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas), Green Bay Packers P Daniel Whelan (Defenders).
