Tag: Elijah Sullivan

Jaguars sign LB Elijah Sullivan to Reserve/Futures contract

The Jags added some depth at linebacker by signing Elijah Sullivan to a Reserve/Futures contract.

Jacksonville is shoring up its roster heading into the offseason, as the team has signed linebacker Elijah Sullivan to a Reserve/Futures contract.

Sullivan, who was undrafted in 2021 out of Kansas State, landed with the San Francisco 49ers last offseason. He spent training camp with the team and began the season on the practice squad, but he was released on Sept. 7.

He ended up signing with Kansas City’s practice squad, where he spent the entirety of the 2021 season. However, he was released on Jan. 18, and he’ll be spending at least the beginning of this offseason in Jacksonville.

A native of Tucker, Ga., Sullivan earned back-to-back Honorable Mention All-Big 12 accolades in 2019 and 2020. He appeared in 48 games (starting 24) and totaled 144 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, six passes defensed, two sacks, two picks and two forced fumbles (with one recovery).

He’ll compete for a roster spot at a position where the team already has a good bit of depth with players like Shaquille Quarterman, Chapelle Russell and Dakota Allen.

Chiefs release 4 players from practice squad

The #Chiefs released four players from the practice squad on Tuesday. What does it mean? Info here:

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The Kansas City Chiefs are shaking up some things on the practice squad ahead of the divisional round of the playoffs.

According to the NFL’s personnel notice from Tuesday, the Chiefs have terminated the practice squad contracts of four players. That group includes TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart, DE/LB Shilique Calhoun, DB Josh Jackson and LB Elijah Sullivan. Griffin-Stewart and Jackson have both appeared in games for Kansas City this season.

It’s not uncommon for this to happen this time of year. On Monday, practice squad contracts expired for teams who have been eliminated from playoff contention. When practice squad contracts expired in 2020, the Chiefs snagged Austin Edwards from the Falcons and Prince Tega Wanogho from the Eagles. Fans should expect that they intend to make some similar types of additions with these new vacancies.

A number of the players released from practice squad contracts who are free to sign with other teams includes some veteran players. Adrian Peterson, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Brian Poole, Willie Snead and D.J. Hayden are among the most notable names. There are also some former Chiefs out there like Deon Yelder, Adrian Colbert, Tedric Thompson, Anthony Gordon, Bradley McDougald and Daniel Brown.

This also might not be the end for each of Griffin-Stewart, Calhoun, Jackson and Sullivan with Kansas City. Expect most of those players, if not all, to return on reserve/future contracts themselves.

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Chiefs bring in TE Mark Vital for a tryout, LB Elijah Sullivan for a visit

The #Chiefs hosted a former college basketball player for a tryout at tight end and had K-State linebacker in for a visit on Friday.

The Kansas City Chiefs had a pair of players in town on Friday for a visit and tryout respectively.

According to the NFL’s personnel notice, the Chiefs had TE Mark Vital in for a tryout and LB Elijah Sullivan in for a visit. The distinction between a tryout and a visit — tryouts include football activities, while visits do not.

Vital is an intriguing developmental prospect at the tight end position. Listed at 6-5 and 250 pounds, Vital helped lead the Baylor Bears men’s basketball team to a national championship earlier this year. With the conclusion of his college basketball career, Vital joined the Portland Trailblazers in the NBA Summer League. Soon after, he announced that he would shift his focus from basketball to professional football, a sport that he hadn’t played since he was a child.

The Seahawks had signed Vital to their practice squad in early September, but he only lasted four days with the team before he was released.

Sullivan was recently released from the San Franciso 49ers’ practice squad. He spent six years in Manhattan, Kansas with the Wildcats before signing with Niners following the 2021 NFL draft. Sullivan appeared in 48 games for the Wildcats, recording 144 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, six passes defended, two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

The 6-0 and 215-pound linebacker is a bit undersized for what the Chiefs traditionally like at the position, but with Willie Gay Jr. on injured reserve, the team needs to add players at the position to their call list.

If either player does end up signing with Kansas City, it’ll likely be on the practice squad. Brett Veach typically tweaks that unit throughout the year as the team deals with various injuries and roster challenges.

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6 49ers to watch on defense in 2nd preseason game vs. Chargers

Here’s who we’re watching Sunday when the #49ers defense is on the field vs. the Chargers.

The 49ers’ starting defense looks for the most part on track to be ready for the season opener. There are a slew of depth issues yet to be resolved though, and how Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers goes could go a long way toward sussing out some of the roster questions still facing the club.

Finding depth on the defensive side will be key given how unproven a lot of those players are. Any reserve thrust into a starting situation is going to do so without a ton of playing experience. That’s why so many of the young players that were on our radar for the preseason opener will be on our list of players to watch in the second preseason contest against the Chargers.

 

49ers officially sign 10 rookies, Trey Lance not among them

The San Francisco 49ers signed 10 rookies, including five draft picks to contracts. Trey Lance was not among them.

The San Francisco 49ers on Thursday made 10 rookie signings official, including five of their eight draft picks and five undrafted free agents.

No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance was not among the players to sign one day before the start of rookie minicamp. Third-round picks RB Trey Sermon and CB Ambry Thomas have also yet to ink their rookie deals.

Given the standardized nature of the NFL’s four-year rookie contracts for draft picks there’s not a ton to iron out and the signings are more of a formality than anything. Players just have to sign before training camp starts or they’ll have to hold out.

There weren’t any surprises among the undrafted players either. San Francisco’s UDFA class is relatively small with four plus their signee via the NFL international pathway program.

Here are the 10 rookies who inked their deals Thursday: