Tag: jachai polite

Rams waive OLB Jachai Polite, protect two players on practice squad

The Rams announced a few roster moves on Tuesday, all pertaining to the practice squad

The Rams announced a few roster moves on Tuesday ahead of the divisional round, all pertaining to the practice squad. They have once again waived Jachai Polite, releasing him from the practice squad. Additionally, they protected punter Brandon Wright and kicker Austin MacGinnis.

That means neither Wright nor MacGinnis can be signed off the Rams’ practice squad this week. It’s merely a precautionary move by the team in the event that an emergency kicker or punter is needed in Saturday’s game against the Packers.

Polite began the year on the 53-man roster but was waived in December and re-signed to the practice squad. It’s unclear if the Rams plan to add a player to the practice squad to take his place, but the timing of the move is interesting.

Rams place Jachai Polite on reserve/COVID-19 list

Jachi Polite is a member of the Rams practice squad.

The Los Angeles Rams announced on Saturday that they have placed outside linebacker Jachai Polite in the reserve/COVID-19 list. Polite is currently a member of the Rams practice squad

This does not mean Polite has tested positive for COVID-19. He could have been deemed a high-risk close-contact to someone who has tested positive.

The Rams waived Polite this month but re-signed him to the practice squad after he cleared waivers. He has one sack on the year for the Rams.

Polite was a third-round pick by the Jets last year but never played in a regular-season game in 2019.

Rams sign Jachai Polite to practice squad after waiving him

Polite is back after the Rams waived him this week.

The Los Angeles Rams made the somewhat surprising decision to waive Jachai Polite this week but he wasn’t away from the team for very long.

After Polite cleared waivers, the Rams signed him back to the practice squad, filling one of the available spots. Sean McVay indicated that the team wanted to bring him back, as long as he wasn’t claimed by another team.

Polite can still contribute on Sundays if the team opts to elevate him from the practice squad, which they’re allowed to do twice without that player taking up a roster spot.

Polite was a third-round pick by the Jets last year but was cut before the season began. He also spent time on the Seahawks’ practice squad before landing with the Rams.

Rams waive former 3rd-round pick Jachai Polite

With Derek Rivers signed and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo on his way back, the Rams have parted ways with Polite.

The Los Angeles Rams announced on Thursday that they have waived Jachai Polite from the active roster. The former third-round pick joined the Rams as a member of their practice squad last September and made his debut in Week 1 this season.

This move comes after the Rams claimed Derek Rivers off waivers and also designated Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to return from IR. Both players could be active on Sunday against the Cardinals, so they needed to make room on the 53-man roster if Okoronkwo is activated.

Polite played sparingly, only getting 43 snaps on defense in 11 games this year. He did have a sack and three tackles against Washington, which was his first and only sack in the NFL.

Polite was selected by the Jets in the third round of the 2019 draft. He was cut before ever playing a game for them, however, and was also released by the Seahawks after spending a few weeks on their practice squad last September.

Rams OLBs coach notes athleticism of Ebukam, Okoronkwo and Polite

The Rams don’t lack potential or athleticism on the edge.

Athleticism isn’t everything in the NFL, but when it comes to rushing the passer, it’s one of the most important traits. Explosiveness, burst and quickness help edge rushers get off the line quickly, and if they can turn the corner around tackles efficiently, it greatly drives up their chances of getting to the quarterback.

The Rams may not boast much experience at outside linebacker, nor many proven playmakers, but they certainly don’t lack athleticism. Outside linebackers coach Chris Shula highlighted three players who are athletic and prepared for the 2020 season, and one of them could be a surprise contributor.

Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo are two obvious picks to have an impact in 2020, but hearing Jachai Polite as someone Shula is excited to coach is certainly notable.

“Guys that are really coachable, want to do it exactly right, want to prove themselves (and) are really excited,” Shula said, via TheRams.com. “We’re athletic and prepared, with guys like Samson and Jachai and Obo. We’re really athletic, fast and smart, so I’m really excited to work with this group.”

None of those players are locks to start in 2020, but Leonard Floyd essentially is. After the Rams gave him $10 million guaranteed for one season, he’s all but guaranteed to play significant snaps in his first season in L.A.

Terrell Lewis is the wild card in the group because as a rookie, he’ll have a tougher transition this offseason. However, his athleticism popped off the screen at Alabama and his potential will be hard to keep down.

Shula got to know Lewis during the pre-draft process and is understandably happy to have him in the mix.

“He’s a really, really smart person and football player – it all makes sense to him,” Shula said. “He has a great memory, great recall of what he had in college. And then he was in a system in college where he was asked to do a lot of the same things that we’re asking him do to here, so I’m expecting the transition to be pretty simple.”

Training camp will be more important for the outside linebackers than just about any other position group on the Rams’ roster, and there’s plenty for the coaches to sort out before the season begins.

4 things to know about new Jets EDGE Jabari Zuniga

Here are four things to know about new Jets EDGE Jabari Zuniga, who New York selected with the 79th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

With their second pick of the third round, the Jets elected to double-dip on defense.

New York selected Jabari Zuniga to add much-needed depth at the edge rusher position. They’re hoping that this University of Florida pass-rusher can right the wrongs of the last one that was drafted by Gang Green. In Zuniga, the Jets are getting an explosive athlete who has been flashing since his freshman season at Florida but failed to stay healthy last season.

Zuniga’s monstrous start to his senior season was derailed by a high-ankle sprain. He came out of the gate strong early, adding 14 tackles, seven for loss and three sacks in just six games. The Jets are hoping with this pick that they can hit on Zungia’s potential.

With that said, let’s get to know the Jets’ newest addition to the defensive line. Here are four things to know about Zuniga.

Basketball Background

(Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

Jabari Zuniga was a basketball player growing up, following in the footsteps of his father, Carlos, who played basketball at Tulane University.

Zuniga played just one season of high school football and had a significant growth spurt, allowing for him to become a touted SEC prospect.

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What matters most to Jets at the NFL Combine?

Adam Gase thinks the player interviews are the most important aspect of the NFL Combine.

There’s a lot to takeaway from the NFL Combine, but for Adam Gase and the Jets, the most important parts are the player interviews.

“For us, the interviews are the biggest thing, you get everything else on tape…” Gase said. “Seeing a guy face-to-face, being able to ask him questions, really finding out his football intelligence, kinda finding out who these guys are. It’s real important for the coaches and then personnel guys are able to use the numbers and watching these guys work out live to their advantage.”

The player interviews are an underrated part of the combine. Remember last year what happened with Jachai Polite after his interviews at the combine? He didn’t like what some of the teams had to say about his play style and it hurt his draft stock. Polite ended up being third-round pick of the Jets’ after being deemed a first-round talent. He’s since been cut by multiple NFL teams.

A player may have all of the talent on the football field, but if he’s not a standup guy, interviews give teams a chance to find out.

The interviews also allow Gase and Joe Douglas to see how prospects react when their play is criticized. Take Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, for example. He met with the Jets this week and said they went over his film.

“It was a couple of plays that we went over — some good, some bad,” Thomas said. “But basically they just ask you to explain the offense. We looked at a lot of six-man pass protection and just explain to them how we ran it and our calls for it. Things like that.”

The one-on-one time with draft prospects is crucial, and interviews can ultimately be the deciding factor on whether or not a player gets picked by a particular team. Gase and the Jets seem to hold them above all else at the combine, so any prospects meeting with them best have some satisfactory answers ready