Tag: Khaleke Hudson

Browns sign linebacker Khaleke Hudson off the Saints’ practice squad

The Browns signed linebacker Khaleke Hudson off the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad. He was one of two call-ups for Week 1’s win over the Panthers:

The Cleveland Browns are signing one of the two New Orleans Saints practice squad players who were called up for Week 1’s game. Linebacker Khaleke Hudson is joining the Browns, as first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, having been with the Saints since April. New Orleans signed him as a free agent from the Washington Commanders. Hudson and the Browns will visit the Saints for a game at the Caesars Superdome on Nov. 17.

It’s a tough blow to the depth chart at linebacker, which could potentially be missing Willie Gay Jr. Gay was limited in practice with a back injury last week and exited the Week 1 matchup during the second quarter with an undisclosed ailment. Hudson totaled 19 snaps on special teams but logged just five on defense against the Carolina Panthers. Demario Davis, Pete Werner, D’Marco Jackson, Jaylan Ford, and Anfernee Orji remain on the 53-man roster.

If the Saints want another linebacker to fill out the practice squad in his place, they could bring back someone like Mike Rose or Andrew Dowell, both of whom were waived at roster cuts in August. But Monty Rice isn’t an option. He spent the back half of the 2023 season on the Saints’ practice squad but was signed by the Atlanta Falcons after New Orleans let him go last month.

On the other hand, the Saints could look to reinforce another position group. Orji played really well as a backup for Gay and made more plays than Hudson on special teams. They still have Isaiah Stalbird on the practice squad, with Nephi Sewell working his way back on the PUP list.

This could be an opportunity to re-sign cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles, who initially had an agreement with the Saints that fell apart as they built their practice squad two weeks ago. That reunion would make sense given Marshon Lattimore’s injury and the lack of any other cornerbacks on their practice squad.

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Browns sign a new LB off of Saints practice squad to their active roster

A new linebacker has been added to the 53-man roster.

The Cleveland Browns cannot stay out of the headlines this week, this time for a minor roster move. The team has added linebacker Khaleke Hudson to their active roster (according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo).

Hudson, a fifth round pick of the Washington Commanders in 2020, was most recently a member of the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad. He was elevated for New Orleans’ Week 1 game and played special teams for them. Hudson has 12 career starts to his name, including eight in 2023 with the Commanders.

Now, the question remains where that roster spot is coming from. The Browns had multiple players who left the game on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys with an injury. Two linebackers in second-year player Mohamoud Diabate and Tony Fields II were among them.

Could we see Diabate land on Injured Reserve to clear the roster spot for Hudson? The Browns will announce a subsequent move soon to make room to add Hudson to their active roster.

Saints elevate two players from their practice squad for Week 1 vs. Panthers

The Saints elevated two players from their practice squad for Week 1’s game with the Panthers, but it may not be who you expect:

The New Orleans Saints elevated two players from their practice squad for Week 1’s game with the Carolina Panthers, but it may not be who you expect. It takes just a glance at the injury report to explain why they’re available for the season opener.

Linebacker Khaleke Hudson and defensive tackle Kendal Vickers are both eligible to play on Sunday. Veteran nose tackle Khalen Saunders has been ruled out with a calf injury, so it makes sense to bring Vickers up as reinforcement for Bryan Bresee, Nathan Shepherd, Khristian Boyd, and John Ridgway III.

Backup linebackers D’Marco Jackson (calf) and Jaylan Ford (hamstring) are also unavailable, while strong side linebacker Willie Gay Jr. (back) is questionable. Starting weakside linebacker Pete Werner (shoulder) practiced fully this week but was listed on the injury report all three days. Hudson can man multiple spots at the second level so it’s smart to have him ready if he’s needed.

What’s interesting is who wasn’t brought up for this game. Neither wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown nor safety Johnathan Abram are available for Week 1 despite an injury to A.T. Perry (hand; he’s questionable after missing the last two days of practice) and Abram having run with the starters for much of the summer. That suggests either Will Harris or Jordan Howden will start next to Tyrann Mathieu, while offensively Perry will either play or be supplanted by a rookie like Bub Means or Mason Tipton. Stay tuned.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Khaleke Hudson is Saints Player of Day 47

Countdown to Kickoff: Khaleke Hudson is the Saints Player of Day 47. The veteran linebacker could help the Saints replace what they lost in free agency:

Just 47 days stand between right now and when the New Orleans Saints open up the 2024 regular season against the Carolina Panthers. With that, Khaleke Hudson is the Saints Player of the Day 47 in our countdown.

Here’s what to know about Hudson, a newcomer to the Saints who fittingly wears the No. 47 jersey:

  • Name (Age): Khaleke Hudson (26)
  • Position: Linebacker
  • Height, weight: 6-foot, 220 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: 7.58
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $1,152,500
  • College: Michigan
  • Drafted: Round 5 in 2020 (Washington Commanders)
  • NFL experience: 5 years

2024 will mark the first year in which Hudson has played for a team in his NFL career not named the Washington Commanders. Hudson is expected to add depth and some value on special teams, something that’s obviously an asset after he factored in on 73% of Washington’s special teams snaps in 2023. The Saints lost special teams linebackers like Zack Baun and Ty Summers in free agency so he could help out in that phase.

He did see more time on the defensive side of the ball in 2023, though, playing in 17 games (8 starts) with 74 tackles (44 solo), five tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, two passes defensed and two quarterback hits.

His versatility that he brings to the table for an NFL team goes back to his college career at Michigan where he played the “Viper” position for the Wolverines. The position is described as one in which the player functions as a hybrid between the linebacker and the safety role.

At Michigan, he saw action in 52 contests with 37 starts, earning second team All-Big 10 honors twice (2017, 2019).

Hudson was signed by the Saints in April as an unrestricted free agent to a one-year deal. How he is able to capitalize on this opportunity in New Orleans and if he can grow a larger role at linebacker over time will be something to keep an eye on.

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Former Commanders LB Khaleke Hudson signs with Saints

Another member of Ron Rivera’s first draft class has a new home.

Another former Washington Commander has found a new home, as linebacker Khaleke Hudson signed with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday.

Hudson, a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, appeared in 58 games for the Commanders over four seasons, playing primarily on special teams. However, Hudson did start 12 games at linebacker, including eight last season. Hudson finished with 108 tackles in four seasons, including seven for loss and one sack.

Many believed Hudson would be a player that new head coach Dan Quinn would want to re-sign because of how hard he plays. But the Commanders went in another direction, adding Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner to start, and Anthony Pittman and Mykal Walker for depth. New safety Jeremy Chinn can also play linebacker in Quinn’s defense.

With Hudson signing with the Saints, that officially puts a bow on former head coach Ron Rivera’s first draft class. Chase Young — who also signed with the Saints this offseason — was traded last season. Antonio Gibson, Saahdiq Charles and Kam Curl all departed as free agents. Antonio Gandy-Golden and Keith Ismael have been gone, while James Smith-Williams remains unsigned.

Former Michigan football VIPER Khaleke Hudson finds new NFL team

Congratulations, Khaleke! #GoBlue

It’s been something of a journey for former Michigan football VIPER Khaleke Hudson. He came aboard to Ann Arbor as a probable safety though he looked more like a linebacker. The good news was that with then-defensive coordinator Don Brown, he had a perfect hybrid position that perfectly used his talents.

However, in the NFL, they don’t often utilize tweener types. Jabrill Peppers, who occupied the role before him, became a straight safety in the NFL. Hudson was drafted as a linebacker by Washington and was a special teams player mostly before working his way into a reserve role, where he managed to get a couple starts under his belt when injuries piled up.

Hudson is getting a new lease on life, signing a new free agent deal with the New Orleans Saints, joining his former teammate Cesar Ruiz in The Big Easy.

It’s a one-year deal for Hudson, who per Mike Garofalo, also visited the Pittsburgh Steelers — his hometown NFL team (Hudson hails from McKeesport, Pennsylvania).

Will a fresh start allow Hudson to break out and make more of an impact? We’ll find out more come training camp.

Saints have more Washington 2020 draft picks than the Commanders do

There are more players from Washington’s 2020 draft class in New Orleans than on the Commanders’ roster. But they outnumber the Saints’ own 2020 draft picks, too:

Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Saints have rostered more players from the Washington Commanders’ 2020 draft class than Washington themselves. There isn’t a single player that the Commanders picked in 2020 remaining in Washington. Two of them landed with the Saints this offseason: defensive end Chase Young (a first-round pick) and linebacker Khaleke Kudson (a fifth rounder). The Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Matthew Paras, a former Washington beat writer, first shared this observation.

But here’s the twist. There are more players from Washington’s 2020 draft class now suiting up for the Saints than New Orleans’ own 2020 draft haul. The Saints went into the 2020 draft talking up a quality-over-quantity approach, trading up three times and coming away with just four players: right guard Cesar Ruiz, linebacker Zack Baun, tight end Adam Trautman, and quarterback-turned-tight end Tommy Stevens.

That plan blew up in their face. The Saints cut Stevens early in the season after initially stashing him on their practice squad. They traded Trautman during the 2023 draft (to the Denver Broncos, reuniting him with Sean Payton). Baun left in free agency last month to sign a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The only player remaining from that four-man band is Ruiz, who signed a contract extension last September.

So the Saints have two players from Washington’s 2020 draft class and just one of their own. That’s not the best of resources by either team. Regime change has already come for the Commanders (plus a change in ownership), and it might be on the way for New Orleans if the Saints miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row and the third season with Dennis Allen as head coach. Hopefully they can turn things around, one way or another.

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New Orleans Saints sign another free agent linebacker

NFL Network reports the New Orleans Saints signed another free agent linebacker, adding Khaleke Hudson from the Washington Commanders:

Here’s more help at linebacker. The New Orleans Saints are signing free agent Khaleke Hudson from the Washington Commanders, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, who says it’s a one-year deal. Hudson played a lot of snaps on both defense (405) and special teams (344) last season, and he’s looking to build on that growth in 2024. He had 74 tackles in 2023.

A former fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft out of Michigan, Hudson is stepping into a good situation to compete. The Saints lost Zack Baun in free agency and have not re-signed special teams aces like Andrew Dowell, Ryan Connelly, or Ty Summers. Another one of their top backups, Nephi Sewell, isn’t expected to be ready in time for training camp after suffering a late-season ACL tear. Hudson has a good shot at making the team.

So the Saints will have Demario Davis starting at one spot and Pete Werner competing with Willie Gay next to him. Hudson enters the mix with Sewell, D’Marco Jackson, Anfernee Orji, and Monty Rice to round out the depth chart. Last year five linebackers made the 53-man roster and four more were kept on the practice squad, so we should expect more additions in the months ahead.

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Commanders LB Khaleke Hudson again showing his value

When Khaleke Hudson gets an opportunity, he usually delivers, and that’s again the case.

Khaleke Hudson has been down this road previously.

The former Michigan Wolverine linebacker has played hard for four seasons on special teams but has gotten little chance to play on the defensive side of the ball.

Last week against the Jets, Hudson was graded by Pro Football Focus (PFF) to have recorded an 82.5. The significance of this was it meant Hudson graded out as the highest Commanders defensive player for the game.

Following Hudson was Kendall Fuller (78.0), Jonathan Allen (76.0), Percy Butler (73.5), Emmanuel Forbes (70.2) and David Mayo (69.7).

While Ron Rivera’s linebackers have struggled for much of the season, Hudson’s defensive snaps have remained peculiarly quite low.

Cody Barton was brought in to replace free agent Cole Holcomb who signed with Pittsburgh. But Barton often struggled. Several of us asked at various times this season why was Hudson again being relegated to special teams primarily?

Most often, the Commanders coaches determined to not play the two most athletic linebackers. So Hudson again found himself not even seeing a single defensive snap in four games. And then, in three other games, he saw only 1, 8 and 6 defensive snaps.

This is the same Hudson who coaches limited to a grand total of five defensive snaps in 2022 going into the season finale against Dallas. That day he was permitted to play all 67 defensive snaps making 7 tackles.

With two games remaining, Hudson is playing more now, being given six defensive starts. He has made 50 tackles, 2 quarterback hits, 1 quarterback sack and 2 tackles for a loss.

Hudson enjoyed a big game last week against the Jets with 8 solo tackles and two passes defended. He was also in on 7 assisted tackles.

Commanders PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Rams in Week 15

The grades are in. Who graded the highest on offense? What about defense? One player really stood out on offense.

The Washington Commanders finally enjoyed a week off. The Commanders returned to action in Week 15 with a cross-country trip to Los Angeles to face the Rams.

Unfortunately, Washington’s luck against the Rams was much the same as before the bye week. Los Angeles jumped out to a 28-7 lead on the Commanders, but Washington stormed back late in the fourth quarter behind backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who replaced Sam Howell midway through the fourth quarter before falling 28-20.

The defense’s performance was similar to that of the previous game. While some things improved, look no further than Cooper Kupp’s 62-yard touchdown to see that the Commanders’ coverage issues are still a major problem. And it was another game in which Washington’s pass rush struggled to apply pressure on Matthew Stafford.

How did Pro Football Focus grade the Commanders?

It’s time to review PFF’s best and worst from Washington’s Week 15 game. Here are the grades.