Tag: Michael Ojemudia

Ex-Broncos third-round draft pick signs with UFL team

Michael Ojemudia, a former Broncos third-round draft pick, has signed with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions ahead of the 2025 spring season.

A former Denver Broncos draft pick is taking his talents to spring football.

Ex-Broncos cornerback Michael Ojemudia has signed with the United Football League’s Birmingham Stallions, the UFL announced last week.

Ojemudia, 27, was picked by Denver in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Iowa. He spent the first three years of his career with the Broncos, playing in 21 games with 12 starts.

After starting 11 games as a rookie, Ojemudia spent most of his second season on injured reserve, dressing for just two games with one start. He also spent the bulk of 2022 on IR before making three appearances.

Denver waived Ojemudia late in his third season and he was then picked up by the Chicago Bears. He dressed for one game with the Bears in 2022, which was his last regular season appearance in the NFL.

Since then, Ojemudia has spent time with the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals, but never on an active roster. He will now get an opportunity to revive his football career in the UFL this spring.

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Dolphins shut down ex-Broncos pass rusher Bradley Chubb for season

The Dolphins will leave Bradley Chubb on the reserve/PUP list for the rest of the 2024 season.

Bradley Chubb’s season is over.

Chubb suffered a brutal knee injury in Week 17 last season and he spent the first 16 weeks of the 2024 campaign on the physically unable to perform list. His deadline to be activated from the PUP list arrived this week and the Dolphins opted to leave Chubb on the reserve list for the rest of the season.

Miami has a slim chance of making the NFL playoffs. If the Dolphins somehow reach the postseason, Chubb won’t be able to play.

Chubb, 28, was picked by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft out of N.C. State. The Broncos later traded Chubb and a fifth-round draft pick to the Dolphins in 2022 in exchange for a first-round pick in 2023, a fourth-rounder in 2024 and running back Chase Edmonds.

Chubb has played in 24 games with Miami, totaling 34 quarterback hits and 13.5 sacks. He has 92 QB hits and 39.5 sacks in 73 career games in the NFL.

Elsewhere on the ex-Bronco front, the Minnesota Vikings worked out defensive lineman Adam Gotsis and cornerback Michael Ojemudia earlier this week. Denver picked Gotsis in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft out and Ojemudia in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Additionally, the Cleveland Browns placed former Broncos defensive lineman Shelby Harris on injured reserve, ending his season.

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Panthers cut ex-Broncos defensive lineman

The Panthers cut ex-Broncos defensive lineman Jonathan Harris on Monday.

The Carolina Panthers waived defensive lineman Jonathan Harris on Monday, a move that was made in part to open up a spot for an inside linebacker.

Harris (6-5, 295 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Lindenwood with the Chicago Bears in 2019. After being waived by the Bears in October of his rookie season, Harris was picked up by the Denver Broncos.

Harris went on to spend five years in Denver, totaling 80 tackles, six quarterback hits and one sack in 31 games (nine starts) with the Broncos. Harris played all 17 games last fall and posted a career-high 43 tackles and one sack.

Denver opted to let Harris walk during NFL free agency this spring and he signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins. After failing to make Miami’s 53-man roster, Harris was signed to their practice squad.

The Panthers signed Harris off the Dolphins’ practice squad to their active roster in October. He appeared in seven games before being cut. If he clears waivers, Harris might be a candidate to return on Carolina’s practice squad.

Elsewhere on the ex-Bronco front, the Minnesota Vikings worked out defensive lineman Adam Gotsis and cornerback Michael Ojemudia. Gotsis was picked by Denver in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft and Ojemudia was a third-round pick in 2020.

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33 ex-Broncos players cut by NFL teams this week

Thirty-four former Broncos players were cut this week, including Caden Sterns, Kareem Jackson, KJ Hamler, Mike Purcell and Brett Rypien.

After more than 1,000 transactions over the last few days, NFL teams set their initial 53-man rosters on Tuesday afternoon.

Leading up to Tuesday’s roster deadline, 33 former Denver Broncos players were cut by NFL teams. Here’s a quick list of those players.

  1. QB Ben DiNucci (Buffalo Bills)
  2. QB Brett Rypien (Chicago Bears)
  3. RB Mike Boone (Carolina Panthers)
  4. RB Nate McCrary (Minnesota Vikings)
  5. FB Andrew Beck (Houston Texans)
  6. TE TE​ Eric Saubert (San Francisco 49ers)
  7. WR KJ Hamler (Buffalo Bills)
  8. WR Tyrie Cleveland (Indianapolis Colts)
  9. WR Seth Williams (Jacksonville Jaguars)
  10. WR Kaden Davis (Detroit Lions)
  11. OL OL Elijah Wilkinson (Arizona Cardinals)
  12. G Zack Johnson (Cleveland Browns)
  13. OL John Leglue (Atlanta Falcons)
  14. OL Sebastian Gutierrez (San Francisco 49ers)
  15. OL Henry Byrd (Minnesota Vikings)
  16. DL Mike Purcell (New England Patriots)
  17. DL Marquiss Spencer (Pittsburgh Steelers)
  18. DT McTelvin Agim (Houston Texans)
  19. DL P.J. Mustipher (Philadelphia Eagles)
  20. DL Jonathan Harris (Miami Dolphins)
  21. DL Haggai Ndubuisi (Washington Commanders)
  22. DE Justin Hollins (Washington Commanders)
  23. OLB Randy Gregory (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
  24. CB Essang Bassey (Detroit Lions)
  25. CB Lamar Jackson (Carolina Panthers)
  26. CB Faion Hicks (Cleveland Browns)
  27. CB Delonte Hood (Arizona Cardinals)
  28. CB Michael Ojemudia (Arizona Cardinals)
  29. CB Mac McCain (New Orleans Saints)
  30. CB Mike Ford (Houston Texans)
  31. DB Kareem Jackson (Buffalo Bills)
  32. DB Caden Sterns (Philadelphia Eagles)
  33. P Corliss Waitman (Chicago Bears)

Some of the players listed above could return to the team that cut them on the practice squad. Later today, we will track Denver’s own practice squad signings after waiver claims are processed on Broncos Wire.

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6 ex-Broncos will face Denver in Week 3 of NFL preseason

Six former Broncos players will return to Empower Field at Mile High to play against their former team on Sunday.

A half-dozen ex-Denver Broncos players will return to Empower Field at Mile High to play against their former team on Sunday.

The Arizona Cardinals have six ex-Broncos on their roster — two on offense, two on defense and two on special teams. Denver is set to host Arizona in Sunday’s preseason finale.

Cardinals offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of UMass in 2017. He dressed for 45 games in four years in Denver, earning 26 starts moving between guard and tackle.

Arizona running back Tony Jones went to training camp with the Broncos last summer but did not make the squad after preseason.

Cardinals defensive back Delonte Hood spent time on Denver’s practice squad in 2022 before being released in 2023.

Arizona cornerback Michael Ojemudia was picked by the Broncos in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Iowa. He played in 21 games with 12 starts from 2020-2022 before being waived.

Cardinals long snapper Aaron Brewer landed in Denver as an undrafted free agent out of San Diego State in 2012. He spent four years as the team’s long snapper before being released in 2016.

Arizona kicker Matt Prater played for the Broncos from 2007-2014, converting a then-NFL record 64-yard field goal in 2013. Denver replaced Prater with Brandon McManus during the 2014 season.

Sunday’s game will be nationally televised on CBS.

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Cardinals sign CB Michael Ojemudia

Ojemudia had a very nice rookie season in 2020 but injuries have limited him since then.

The Arizona Cardinals have added a cornerback to their offseason roster. They announced Tuesday they signed former third-round pick Michael Ojemudia to a futures deal for 2024.

Ojemudia is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound cornerback who spent last season on the practice squad of the Los Angeles Rams.

He was a 2020 third-round pick of the Denver Broncos out of Iowa.

In his rookie season, he played in 16 games, starting 11, and finished the season with 62 tackles, six pass breakups and four forced fumbles. He was the first rookie in NFL history to record multiple games with two or more forced fumbles and just the third rookie in the last 20 years to force at least four fumbles in a single season.

Injuries limited him to only six games over the next two seasons and then he was with the Rams on their practice squad last year.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Former Falcons first-round pick Takkarist McKinley among Saints free agent tryouts

Former Falcons first-round pick Takkarist McKinley was among a crowd of Saints free agent tryouts on Tuesday, along with five cornerbacks and a 6-foot-7 tight end:

The New Orleans Saints hosted seven free agents for a round of tryouts on Tuesday, including five cornerbacks — and former Atlanta Falcons first-round pick Takkarist McKinley, a pass-rushing defensive end. With a third spot soon opening up on the 53-man roster once Payton Turner goes on injured reserve, as is expected, the Saints will have room for some new faces after elevating other players from the practice squad.

All of these players look like practice squad candidates, which isn’t unusual. The Saints churn the bottom of their depth chart often throughout the season looking for the right blend of young pros and experienced veterans. It’s interesting that there are so many defensive backs in the building but there haven’t been any major injuries to explain the interest, so maybe they’re just after improved depth or more help on special teams. Here’s what you need to know about each free agent who tried out Tuesday:

7 best Bears players who aren’t going to make the 53-man roster

With final roster cuts upon us, here are the best players who probably won’t make the Bears’ initial 53-man roster.

Preseason is in the rearview mirror, and the NFL regular season is less than two weeks away. The small amount of time between is a period of speculation, predictions, and building anticipation for a long 17-game year.

Before we reach that point however, every NFL roster has to be trimmed down to 53 players before the season starts. That means the Chicago Bears have many hard decisions to make in the next 24 hours, as Tuesday is the deadline for roster cuts.

Both the young, talented, but unproven, players and the hardened veterans of the team are not invulnerable to cut day, and players across the spectrum will be bidding Chicago farewell.

With that being said, let’s discuss the seven best Bears players who will be cut on Tuesday.

Note: This list includes players who have already been released.

Bears vs. Bills: Everything we know about Chicago’s 24-21 loss

The Bears dropped their preseason finale to the Buffalo Bills. Here’s everything we know about the loss.

The 2023 preseason is officially in the books for the Chicago Bears following their 24-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Bears were down from the start after the Bills, with quarterback Josh Allen, took their opening possession 72 yards on 12 plays to get a touchdown. Chicago never led in the game, but did cut the deficit a few times.

The Bears got touchdowns from backup quarterbacks Tyson Bagent and P.J. Walker while Cairo Santos converted all three field goal attempts. Bills backup quarterback Kyle Allen, however, kept the Bears at bay as he led three scoring drives of his own. But the Bears wouldn’t go away easy.

Walker’s touchdown to Robert Burns late in the fourth quarter and a two-point conversion got the Bears within three, but it wasn’t enough as the Bills chewed up clock to ice the game. The Bears finished the preseason 1-2, their first losing preseason since 2019.

Here is everything we know about Chicago’s preseason loss.

Chicago Bears 2023 training camp preview: Cornerback

Next up in our Bears training camp preview is cornerback, a position group they added more depth to this offseason.

Chicago Bears training camp is just around the corner, so it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest.

We’re unveiling our Bears 2023 training camp position previews, breaking down every player by position and examining the group’s biggest question.

Up next are the cornerbacks. Chicago’s passing defense ranked last in the NFL in net yards per attempt which explains why the team has drafted three cornerbacks in the last two drafts.

After suffering injuries to cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor last year, the Bears have added more depth and could possibly be getting ready for a future without Johnson.

Here’s a closer look at the Bears’ cornerbacks heading into training camp: