The Broncos are signing wide receiver Josh Hammond, a former XFL player.
Story update: The Broncos had an open spot on the roster for Josh Hammond after placing Jalen Virgil on injured reserve on Tuesday. See our original post below.
The Denver Broncos are signing former XFL wide receiver Josh Hammond, according to the XFL’s official Twitter page.
Hammond (6-0, 194 pounds) played in 10 games for the DC Defenders this spring and totaled 34 receptions for 331 yards and one touchdown.
After playing college football at Florida, Hammond signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2020. After two seasons in Jacksonville, Hammond went on to spend time with the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots in 2022.
After failing to stick with three NFL teams, Hammond spent one season in the XFL this spring. He’ll now get another chance in the NFL, this time with the Broncos. Hammond worked out for Denver in July before training camp.
The Broncos are signing Hammond to add depth at wide receiver following Jalen Virgil’s meniscus injury. Denver will need to make a corresponding move to make room for Hammond on the 90-man offseason roster. The team will trim the roster down to 53 players next Tuesday (Aug. 29).
The Broncos worked out WRs Michael Bandy, Josh Hammond and Justin Marshall on Tuesday. Bandy and Hammond played in the XFL this spring.
The Denver Broncos worked out three wide receivers Tuesday ahead of the start of training camp.
The Broncos brought in Michael Bandy, Josh Hammond and Justin Marshall, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson. Two of those receivers — Bandy and Hammond — played in the XFL this spring.
Bandy totaled five receptions for 35 yards in two games with the Houston Roughnecks this spring. He played college football at the University of San Diego and went undrafted in 2020. Bandy then spent 2021-2022 with the Los Angeles Chargers. He dressed for 11 games and caught 10 passes for 89 yards with the Chargers.
Hammond played in 10 games for the DC Defenders this spring and totaled 34 receptions for 331 yards and one touchdown. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2020. Before playing in the XFL, Hammond spent time with three NFL teams from 2021-2022.
Marshall signed with the Atlanta Falcons this spring as an undrafted free agent out of Buffalo. He was cut by the Falcons on June 16.
At the time of this writing, none of the three WRs who worked out for the Broncos have been signed. They will likely be kept in mind for down the road if any injuries happen during training camp.
The New England Patriots signed WR Josh Hammond on Thursday.
The New England Patriots signed wide receiver Josh Hammond on Thursday following a workout. He was present for practice on Friday.
Hammond entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020. He was waived out of training camp, and then re-signed to the practice squad.
He signed a futures deal with the Jaguars for the 2021 season, and he was waived again. He bounced around the Jacksonville practice squad and was active in limited action.
Hammond was waived again in May, after signing another futures deal with the Jaguars for 2022. His last stint up to this point was with the Philadelphia Eagles. The organization waived him earlier this week.
The #Patriots are signing ex-Eagles and Jaguars WR Josh Hammond after a workout today, per source.
Hammond could provide depth for camp, as New England looks to find answers for depth at the receiver position. This could also be an opportunity of stability for Hammond, after bouncing around during his first couple of seasons in the league.
Former Jags receiver Josh Hammond was claimed off the waiver wire Tuesday.
The process to find a new team wasn’t all that hard for former Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Josh Hammond, who the team waived on Monday after adding some tryout receivers from last weekend’s rookie minicamp. On Tuesday, it was announced that the Philadelphia Eagles claimed him off the waiver wire.
Hammond joined the Jags as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Florida in 2020 and was a practice squad player throughout most of his time on the team. During Week 15 (vs. the New York Jets) and 17 (vs. the Indianapolis Colts) of last season, he was activated to the active roster and saw 15 snaps on the field (13 on offense and two on special teams). However, he didn’t register a catch in the process.
Hammond joins the Eagles as they are in Phase 2 of their offseason workout program. That gives him plenty of time to establish himself and aim for a roster or practice squad spot.
The Jags’ second preseason game against the Saints wasn’t pretty at all, but nonetheless we were able to put together a stock report after the 23-21 loss.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have wrapped up stop No. 2 of their preseason tour after sustaining another loss, but this time it was to the New Orleans Saints in the form of a 23-21 final score.
It was a game where the starters on offense and defense didn’t exactly come out how fans wanted, leaving several concerns as the preseason heads into its final week. As always, though, there also were a few good things to take away from the process, too.
Here’s a stock report of both members on the team who are ascending and some who are descending as the Jags have passed the mid-way point of their 2021 preseason:
The Jags now had to place three more players on COVID-19 reserve Friday, but this time it was players from the practice squad.
The Jacksonville Jaguars placed three players from their practice squad on Reserve/ COVID-19 Friday. Those players were cornerback Josh Nurse and receivers Terry Godwin and Josh Hammond.
The reserve/COVID-19 was created this season for players who have contracted COVID-19 or have been around a person or group of people who have tested positive. Either category requires a period to quarantine until cleared, which is one of many elements of the league’s COVID-19 protocol.
Godwin has been on the Jags’ practice squad since the beginning of the regular season. He’s participated in two games (vs. the Packers and Steelers) this season with the team and was able to garner two kick returns, nine offensive snaps, and 10 special teams snaps.
Hammond also has been on the Jags’ 2020 practice squad since its initial beginning but hasn’t participated in a game yet.
Nurse joined the Jags’ practice squad in September. He’s also participated in two games (vs. the Texans and Browns) where he registered nine and 10 special teams snaps, respectively.
Friday’s trio of players puts the Jags at five COVID-19 related transactions this week. They also put cornerback Tre Herndon and guard Ben Bartch on the Reserve/ COVID-19 list for the active roster earlier in the week.
Coach Dan Mullen said having three receivers selected in a single draft is important in demonstrating the value of Florida to recruits.
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NFL teams have finalized their 53-man rosters ahead of this weekend’s kickoff of the 2020 football season, and the three Gators receivers who were drafted all earned final roster spots.
Van Jefferson, who was taken in the second round, had a strong camp with the Los Angeles Rams and could be battling for a starting receiver spot this fall. Meanwhile, Freddie Swain and Tyrie Cleveland, who were selected in the sixth and seventh rounds by the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos, respectively, each made their squad’s final roster as well.
The 2020 NFL draft was the first draft since 1978 in which three Florida receivers were selected. Strong receiver play was a big reason for UF’s success through the air in 2019, which was its best passing season in nearly 20 years.
Coach Dan Mullen said having three receivers selected in a single draft is important in demonstrating the value of Florida to recruits.
“I think it’s a huge deal because I think, you know what, when guys look at it, and our guys, thankfully they bought into it and now they all reap the rewards on it,” Mullen said. “I think that especially (when) you get out on the recruiting trail and you’re looking at people that are; you’re calling these different receivers and they’re like, ‘Well, coach this school, they had the one guy get all these catches’ and I said, ‘OK, well what if you’re not the one… or how many different people are saying they are the one?’
“And you come play at Florida, you’re not only going to get coached, you’re going to get developed and have the opportunity to go and get touches on the field and the opportunity to go on to the next level and play in the NFL.”
Another Gators receiver, Josh Hammond, went undrafted but signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent. He didn’t make Jacksonville’s final roster, but he cleared waivers and was signed to the team’s practice squad.
Though Swain and Cleveland may not see much action as rookies outside of special teams play, Jefferson could be an important target for Jared Goff in the Rams’ passing offense.
The Jags have names 15 players to their practice squad including veteran Mike Glennon and camp standout Terry Godwin.
The Jacksonville Jaguars named their initial 53-man roster Saturday and spent the remainder of the weekend filling their initial practice squad. On Monday they revealed that they had come to terms with 15 players for the unit, leaving just one slot available for their 16-man unit.
Those player’s names are as follows:
RB Nathan Cottrell (Georgia Tech)
TE Ben Ellefson (North Dakota State)
LB Nate Evans (UCF)
TE Matt Flanagan (Pittsburgh)
LB Joe Giles-Harris (Duke)
QB Mike Glennon (North Carolina State)
WR Terry Godwin (Georgia)
WR Josh Hammond (Florida)
CB Amari Henderson (Wake Forest)
OL K.C. McDermott (Miami)
OL Austen Pleasants (Ohio)
WR Trey Quinn (Southern Methodist)
DL Caraun Reid (Princeton)
OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms (Missouri)
P Brandon Wright (Georgia State)
As many fans are aware, there were several rule changes made to the practice squad system this offseason because of the coronavirus pandemic. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement moved the maximum unit number up to 12 players, but that number was increased to 16 when the NFL realized the severity of COVID-19. The league also decided to allow a minimum of six veterans on the unit, giving teams more flexibility during final cuts.
As for their last remaining spot, it was reported that former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Sidney Jones would be joining the unit. He confirmed his signing through his Instagram story feed and tagged Jacksonville as a destination in it. Regardless as to what the holdup is, fans shouldn’t expect him to be on the Jags’ practice squad long as they have four rookie corners on the roster in C.J. Henderson, Josiah Scott, Chris Claybrooks, and Luq Barcoo.
The Jags receiving corps got stronger after the draft and there is a lot that needs to be sorted out behind star D.J. Chark.
Earlier in the week, we started our depth chart projections for the Jacksonville Jaguars. With the quarterbacks, running backs, and tight ends all covered, here are our projections for the wide receivers position:
Projections to make the final 53-man roster
Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
WR1: D.J. Chark Jr.
D.J. Chark was the most improved player on the Jags’ roster without a doubt. He also proved to be their top receiver, becoming the first receiver since Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns (2015) to garner 1,000 receiving yards.
It didn’t matter who the quarterback was, Chark shined and received a Pro Bowl nod after making highlights after highlights. The crazy part is that he’s just scratching the surface and is only 23 years old.
WR2: Chris Conley
Chris Conley was one of the Jags’ veteran additions during the 2019 free-agency period and will enter 2020 as the Jags’ most experienced receiver as a sixth-year player. He had some issues with drops in 2019 but still managed to register 47 catches for 775 yards and five touchdowns.
As a new offensive coordinator to the Jags’ organization, Conley is a player I think Jay Gruden will be more than comfortable with as the No. 2 alongside Chark. However, it wouldn’t shock me if Laviska Shenalt received a lot of looks as the No. 2, too, but health is a concern with him and he’s also extremely raw.
WR3 (slot starter): Dede Westbrook
The Jags will roll out a lot of multiple receiver sets under Gruden and one can understand why when looking at the potential they have. Gruden has also been known to get a lot of production from the slot and that became clear when looking at the success of Jamison Crowder, who registered 221 passes for 2,628 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns throughout four seasons with Gruden and the Washington Redskins.
Westbrook is just as talented as Crowder and could serve the same role for Gruden’s offense in Jacksonville. After all, it’s where he’s flourished and his 2018 season is proof of that as all five of his touchdowns came from the slot.
WR4: Laviska Shenault Jr.
He was the Jags’ second-round addition of April’s draft and they have big-time plans for him. Shenault was extremely versatile while with Colorado playing as an exterior receiver, a slot receiver, running back, H-back, and as a wildcat quarterback.
Jags coach Doug Marrone says he’s already asked Shenault what kind of load he’s willing to take as a versatile weapon and the rookie is up for the challenge. That said, look for the Jags to be creative with Shenault while working him in slowly as an exterior receiver.
WR5: Keelan Cole
Having Keelan Cole as a No. 4 to No. 5 receiver on this roster is proof that the Jags at least have depth at receiver though the results may not be completely what fans want. He’ll enter the season with 1,600 career receiving yards, a 15.4 yard per catch average, and seven touchdowns.
With the depth chart now crowded Cole may have to see a lot of time on the field through special teams. It might be even wise to consider him in a returners role to protect the receivers further up the depth chart from injuries.
WR6: Collin Johnson
Collin Johnson was the second receiver drafted by the Jags in April’s draft as the team took him in the fifth round. At 6-foot-6, 222-pounds, there is a lot to be excited about with Johnson as he gives the Jags a massive jump-ball target to help Gardner Minshew II out.
There are questions as to if Johnson will be able to separate on the next level and he’ll also need to improve with breaking/sinking into his routes. However, if there is any receivers coach who could turn him into a solid pro it’s the Jags’ own Keenan McCardell.
It’s been a long time coming but the 2020 NFL Draft has finally come and gone. In the process the Jacksonville Jaguars used all of their 12 selections which means they probably won’t be as active as far as undrafted free agency goes. Still, there …
It’s been a long time coming but the 2020 NFL Draft has finally come and gone. In the process the Jacksonville Jaguars used all of their 12 selections which means they probably won’t be as active as far as undrafted free agency goes.
Still, there could be some gems to be found during the undrafted process which is how the Jags found players like receiver Keelan Cole, cornerback Tre Herndon, and safety Jarrod Wilson. With the Jags looking to start a new youth movement and build a better nucleus the 2020 roster may end up having a few undrafted rookies on it, too.
After searching the web, here are some of the updrafted rookies the Jags have been able to come to terms with from the 2020 class:
(*Note: We’ll be updating this over the next few days)
Josh Hammond, WR, Florida
Gators WR Josh Hammond signing with the Jaguars as an UDFA. Great fit for him
