Has been traded twice
Being elevated from the practice squad will be no big deal for Stills. He’s gone through enough transactions in his NFL career already.
In any sport being traded is a rarity. In football it’s the most rare. But Stills is one of those rare… exceptions.
He’s been traded twice in his career. In May 2015, Stills was sent from the Big Easy to South Beach in a trade to the Dolphins via the Saints. Miami sent linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and a third-round pick to New Orleans for Stills.
In a related-but-separate deal, the Dolphins then traded wideout Mike Wallace to the Vikings. Stills essentially was his replacement.
In a more widely-covered deal, the Dolphins then sent Stills to the Texans along with offensive lineman and former first-round pick himself, Laremy Tunsil. The Texans shipped Miami two first-round picks, a second-round pick and two other players in that trade.
Both deals really were either blockbusters or near-blockbuster moves involving Stills.
NFL bloodlines
Stills himself is a proven NFL talent. But he comes from a family that got their feet wet in the league as well. His father, Ken Stills, was a defensive back from 1985-1990 playing in the NFC North. His dad was an eighth-round pick of the Packers in 1985 and then finished his career with the Vikings in 1990. The elder Stills also was a coach at the indoor football level and XFL.
Gary Stills, his uncle, also played in the NFL. He was a Chiefs’ third-round pick in 1999 and spent seven years there before skipping to the Ravens for two years and finally a season with the Rams. Gary Stills was a 2003 Pro Bowler.
Compared to a current Bill
One neat nugget on Stills from a few years back comes via Bleacher Report. Prior to being drafted, Stills was compared to one NFL player who is now his teammate: Return man Andre Roberts.
Prior analysis on Stills via B/R:
Stills is compared to Andre Roberts of the Arizona Cardinals. He is projected as a third-round pick because of his savvy ability to get open and make the tough catch.