Tag: Kirk Merritt

1 player to watch at each Saints position group in preseason finale

Highlighting a player to watch at each Saints position group in their preseason finale against the Chargers:

The New Orleans Saints preseason will close out on Friday night when the Los Angeles Chargers visit for this summer’s only exhibition game at the Caesars Superdome. It’s the last opportunity for many players to make their case for a roster spot – New Orleans must whittle the depth down from 80 players to just 53 after this preseason game, and probably 40 or more of those roster spots are already spoken for. Many guys will just be hoping to earn a practice squad contract. The Saints have built a highly competitive team.

So there will be plenty to tune in for when they kick off with the Chargers. We’re highlighting one player from each position group who deserves some attention. Some of them are guys on the roster bubble who can change their fortunes with a big night, others are recent high draft picks who need to show more progress before the regular season begins. Others could be on their way out if they don’t meet expectations. Let’s run through the list:

Kirk Merritt showing versatility in Saints practices by taking snaps at running back

Kirk Merritt is showing off his versatility in Saints practices by taking snaps at running back. The receiver is helping his case for a roster spot, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

Versatility has always been a hot topic for the New Orleans Saints, though we usually discuss it when talking about their defense. Players like P.J. Williams, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Malcolm Jenkins are all recent examples of players that could line up just about anywhere they were asked to on defense. But it’s not limited to that side of the ball. Tight end Taysom Hill is the perfect example considering his snaps at quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, and in the backfield over his time with the Saints.

But another name has come into focus here, in Destrehan native Kirk Merritt. He, like Ty Montgomery in past years, has begun practicing at both wide receiver and running back. The concept isn’t new to Merritt though. He played a similar role during his high school days, splitting snaps between the two positions. He’s played well for New Orleans throughout the summer and just had a highlight reel-worthy kick return in their preseason game with the Green Bay Packers, taking it 59 yards upfield. Showing out on special teams helps, but it’s a good idea to test his flexibility on offense, too.

Merritt highlighted that the toughest hurdle of for the transition will be learning protections — that entails more than blocking defensive backs out on the edge for the converted wide receiver. It’s about reading blockers ahead of him, working off of bigger linebackers, and of course learning where he fits into it all from the backfield. Head coach Dennis Allen said that the “more things you can do, the more valuable you become.” Merritt is putting that to the test, and his next opportunity comes Friday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Broncos claim former Saints RB Devine Ozigbo off waivers

It didn’t take long for former Saints RB Devine Ozigbo to find a new home. He’s been claimed by the Denver Broncos off of waivers, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

As the running back depth battle for the New Orleans Saints approaches its close, the team moved on from veteran back Devine Ozigbo last week. Per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, the former Nebraska Cornhusker was claimed off of waivers by the Denver Broncos. Despite being let go by the Saints, Ozigbo had some promising moments throughout camp and the preseason on offense and special teams.

He now joins a promising backfield which includes young star running back Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon III, Mike Boone, former Saint Stevie Scott III and JaQuan Hardy. Some believe that Scott or Hardy could be on their way out soon.

With that said, Ozigbo has a real chance to land on the Broncos’ 53-man roster. All he has to do is continue to show his prowess not only as a runner, but also in the receiving and protection game. And stay healthy of course, but that’s not been a notable issue for him.

Meanwhile, left behind in New Orleans are starters Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram II, Tony Jones Jr., Dwayne Washington and Abram Smith. While still listed as wide receiver on the team’s official website, the Saints have also been trying out wide receiver Kirk Merritt at running back. Merritt looks to be on his way to a Ty Montgomery-like role should he pass the right benchmarks.

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3 players we’re watching at Aug. 22’s Saints practice

Stakes are climbing higher in the week leading up to the final Saints preseason game. 3 players we’re watching at Aug. 22’s practice, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

For bubble players on NFL rosters, today begins the final week of training camp. For the New Orleans Saints, there’s a lot of talent in the depth chart, but not a ton of spots left to claim. Here are three players we’ll be watching as the final week of camp kicks off, with a focus on those looking to start off strong for n order to claim a roster spot ahead of the regular season kickoff. 

Dolphins make a slew of roster moves ahead of Week 17 matchup vs. the Titans

The Dolphins activated two off the COVID list, but they haven’t cleared protocols yet.

In preparation for their Week 17 matchup with the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, the Miami Dolphins announced eight roster moves on Saturday afternoon.

The Dolphins activated safety Adam Butler and safety Brandon Jones off the reserve/COVID list. They have yet to clear COVID protocols, but they needed to be removed from the list by 4 p.m. if they wanted a shot to play on Sunday.

Miami also placed cornerback Noah Igbinoghene and safety Sheldrick Redwine on the COVID list. They will miss this game, but they have been either inactive or playing a very small role in most games this season, so they won’t be much of a loss.

Linebacker Brennan Scarlett was removed from injured reserve. Scarlett had played 21% of available defensive snaps before suffering a knee injury in the first half of the Week 11 battle against the Jets.

Finally, the Dolphins elevated wide receiver Kirk Merritt and center Cameron Tom as COVID-19 replacements from the practice squad, and defensive back Chris Milton as a standard practice squad elevation.

The Dolphins kick off against the Titans on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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Dolphins elevate WR Kirk Merritt and LB Vince Biegel ahead of Texans game

Miami brought up a WR and a LB ahead of Sunday.

Ahead of an important matchup with the 1-7 Houston Texans, the Miami Dolphins elected to elevate linebacker Vince Biegel and wide receiver Kirk Merritt from the practice squad.

The Dolphins will be without top wideout DeVante Parker this weekend due to his move to the injured reserve on Friday, so Merritt will be coming up to provide some depth at the position. This will be his second elevation this season, but he has yet to see the field.

Biegel’s move could be related to the status of Jerome Baker who missed last week’s game and most of the week prior with a knee injury. Biegel was also elevated against Buffalo in Week 8, but he did not see any snaps.

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Dolphins activate Tua Tagovailoa, elevate two practice squad WRs

The quarterback can now play if he doesn’t have a setback.

The Dolphins officially activated quarterback Tua Tagovailoa from injured reserve on Saturday, likely giving him the opportunity to start Sunday against the Jaguars.

Tagovailoa was hurt during the Week 2 matchup with the Bills when he took a shot from defensive end A.J. Epenesa. In his absence, Jacoby Brissett led the team to three losses as the starter while playing through injury in Week 5 against the Buccaneers.

Miami also elevated two wide receivers from their practice squad on Saturday, as Isaiah Ford and Kirk Merritt made the jump to the active roster.

Ford was elevated last week and was in on just three snaps, bringing in one reception for three yards. Merritt has yet to be up this year and has just one career offensive snap that came last year against Arizona.

With DeVante Parker out and Preston Williams questionable, the elevation of these two receivers could be important, as they would be the fourth and fifth options if Williams can’t go.

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Dolphins announce signing of WR Kirk Merritt to futures contract

Dolphins announce signing of WR Kirk Merritt to futures contract

The Miami Dolphins are closing up their first week in the immediate aftermath of the 2020 NFL season — a successful campaign that left the Dolphins just short of the ultimate goal: a ticket to the postseason and a chance to make some noise. The Dolphins are, despite their 10-6 record, a team with plenty of room for improvement; specifically on the offensive side of the football. Miami’s defense figures to be more ferocious than 2020 next season with so many prominent pieces of the puzzle back and continuity on their side.

Offensively, this team figures to have a bunch of new pieces. They’re guaranteed to have a new play caller once again, but with the wide receiver room serving as such a sore spot for Miami, they’ll likely embrace a complete overhaul of their skill positions.

One player who lingered in the background for Miami’s 2020 season who will get a chance to make a statement and be a part of the new-look group is wide receiver Kirk Merritt.

The 2020 undrafted free agent has signed a futures contract to keep him in Miami for the foreseeable future, adding yet another young talent who Miami can watch develop this offseason and potentially provide the team with a lottery ticket worth cashing in on down the road. Merritt’s resume as an athlete speaks for itself — he ran a 4.33s 40-yard dash before the 2020 draft and would have been one of the best athletes at the NFL Combine had he received an invitation. But, despite Miami’s issues at receiver this season, Merritt barely made a dent on the active roster — so there’s a lot Merritt must prove between now and next season in order to survive the upcoming waves of reinforcements we should be expecting to see in the wide receiver room.

Who has the best chance to be the Dolphins’ WR6 in 2020?

Who has the best chance to be the Dolphins’ WR6 in 2020?

The Miami Dolphins will face an interesting dilemma this summer once training camp opens up. The team decided to stand firm on their wide receiver room amid the improvements the team made elsewhere across the entirety of the roster — which could be interpreted in a number of different ways. One possible explanation is that the Dolphins decided to only prioritize a handful of objectives this offseason and wide receiver did not make the cut. But another possibility is that the Dolphins feel their wide receiver room has plenty of untapped potential — which would need to come from the youngsters on the roster. Which players are strong bets to make the team?

You can be sure to see Devante Parker, Albert Wilson, Preston Williams,  and Jakeem Grant in Miami this September. Veteran WR Allen Hurns has also seemingly solidified his standing — so an extra boost to the passing game will need to come from a 6th wide receiver to make the roster. Who are the best contenders?

Mack Hollins

Hollins has vertical components to his game and is a strong special teams contributor. That’s his best bet to make the Dolphins — star on the team’s third unit as a gunner and hope his length and catch radius can provide enough of a push to make an impact.

Isaiah Ford

Ford has built up some solid sweat equity with the Dolphins after being called into action during the 2019 season. After lingering on the Dolphins’ practice squad, Ford stepped into a void and was a fairly reliable receiver — although his lack of high end physical traits may prevent him from filling a greater role for the team in 2020.

Gary Jennings

Jennings is a sneaky sleeper because he is just one year removed from being a 4th-round pick for the Seattle Seahawks. What’s more interesting is that Jennings — a burner with 4.3 speed in the 40-yard dash, came from a spread offense at West Virginia that frequently utilized him in the slot; which is where he’d be of most help to the Dolphins.

Kirk Merritt

Merritt is a troubled prospect who went undrafted during the 2020 NFL Draft but has some reported eye-popping numbers in his athletic testing. Merritt would need to enter training camp and blow the Dolphins away with his route running in order to command an active roster spot.

Final Verdict

Don’t sleep on Gary Jennings. He’s the Dolphins wide receiver with the best chance to make the roster and he was unable to make a lasting impression after injury cut short his time in Miami last season after being claimed off waivers. A recent report from the Miami Herald spotlighted Jennings as a standout this offseason at a third-party workout/training facility, too.

“It was like old school college seven-on-seven out here, and (Jennings) put on a clinic. His routes were outstanding. We’re talking about two straight hours going against some of the top defensive backs in this league,” said trainer Pete Bommarito of Bommarito Performance Systems.

“He was a 4.3 guy (coming out of college) and is still a 4.3 guy. I had All-Pro cornerbacks on those fields (last Friday) and they said he’s the real deal. All he needs is a shot. He has all the skills to be big time.”

He’ll get his shot in Miami. What he makes of it will be up to him.

Dolphins UDFA receiver Kirk Merritt shows off his hops

Dolphins UDFA receiver Kirk Merritt shows off his hops

The Miami Dolphins’ 2019 undrafted free agent talent provided the team with several promising talents who were able to make a big splash and impact on the team last season. The most prominent of the group was wide receiver Preston Williams, who entered the NFL as a gifted but troubled prospect and was considered a player that would need strong coaching to help him reach his potential.

The early returns for Williams are strong — he was in position to challenge for a 1,000 yard rookie season as an undrafted prospect before a knee injury prematurely ended his season at the halfway point. It was a brutal blow to the Dolphins’ receiving corps, which became a one man show with DeVante Parker tearing up the box score each week.

In 2020, the Dolphins have another physically gifted UDFA wide receiver in the building — former Oregon Duck, Texas A&M Aggie and Arkansas Red Wolves receiver Kirk Merritt. Merritt, who also spent one season at East Mississippi Community College after being dismissed from the Aggies for two charges of indecent exposure — he pled no contest — will serve as Miami’s next opportunity to secure a talented pass catcher via the UDFA pool.

Unlike Williams, Merritt has elite athletic testing. He was reportedly credited with the following numbers at an unofficial pro day this spring:

  • 4.33 in the 40-yard dash
  • 4.02 in the 20-yard shuttle 
  • 45.5-inch vertical jump
  • 23 bench press reps 
  • 11’3” broad jump 

If nothing else, we can confirm that Merritt’s hops are for real — after Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf had a box jump go viral, Merritt posted a “response” on social media of him hitting a 62-inch box jump with relative ease.

Whether or not Merritt will carve out a role for himself in Miami is yet to be determined. But as a former 4-star recruit of the Oregon Ducks, Merritt clearly has the physical gifts to be a player at the NFL level. He’ll need the tutelage of Brian Flores and his staff to ensure he’s channelling his skills in a healthy manner — but if that comes together Merritt may be Miami’s second consecutive steal at wide receiver from the UDFA pool.