Tag: NFL Buffs

Former Colorado linebacker signs with Miami Dolphins practice squad

The Miami Dolphins signed a former Colorado linebacker to their practice squad

Numerous former Colorado Buffaloes are suiting up for the first NFL weekend of the regular season. While linebacker Derrick McLendon isn’t, he took a step in the right direction by signing with the Miami Dolphins practice squad on Tuesday.

McLendon arrived in Boulder as a graduate student ahead of CU football head coach Deion Sanders’ first season with the Buffs. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound linebacker played in all 12 games in 2023, racking up 14 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. After transferring out of Florida State, he came to CU with two years of eligibility but decided to forego his remaining eligibility after last season.

McLendon didn’t hear his name called in the 2024 NFL draft. However, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers and participated in their training camp.

Former Colorado wide receiver Xavier Weaver is the only Buff from last year’s team that made a 53-man roster, doing so with the Arizona Cardinals.

Unless an injury occurs, McLendon likely won’t make his NFL debut this year. Former Buffs tight end Brady Russell cracked the Seattle Seahawks’ 53-man roster this year after spending last season on their practice squad, though, so McLendon is pushing in the right direction.

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Former Colorado WR Xavier Weaver in strong position to make Arizona Cardinals’ 53-man roster

Xavier Weaver could become the Buffs’ first Coach Prime era player to make an NFL roster

After going undrafted this spring, former Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Xavier Weaver is well-positioned to make the Arizona Cardinals’ 53-man roster.

Weaver, who led the Buffs in receptions (68) and receiving yards (908) last season, has been predicted to make the team after signing an undrafted free-agent contract in late April. The Cardinals signed him for the most guaranteed money out of all their undrafted free agents at $225,000 for 2024, signaling that the organization wants Weaver to stick around.

This NFL preseason, Weaver has helped prove his worth. He has reeled in four passes for 39 yards through two games and has made some plays as a return man.

Weaver will look to leave no doubt about his place on the roster this Sunday against the Denver Broncos. The Cardinals’ final preseason matchup will kick off at 1:30 p.m. MT on CBS.

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Former Colorado tight end Brady Russell enjoying strong preseason with Seattle Seahawks

Former Colorado standout Brady Russell is balling this preseason

Fighting for a spot in the NFL, former Colorado Buffaloes tight end Brady Russell is a few days away from finding out if he has made the Seattle Seahawks’ 53-man roster.

Russell has caught five passes for 47 yards and a touchdown through two preseason games and is expected to survive head coach Mike Macdonald’s final roster cuts. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Colorado native has reportedly stood out during Seattle’s training camp, even with all three TEs ahead of him healthy.

Russell, who hails from Fort Collins, already has a heartwarming story, playing linebacker and tight end for CU’s scout team as a walk-on before earning a scholarship. That scholarship quickly turned into Russell being named a team captain. While the Buffs won only one game during his final college season in 2022, Russell signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after going undrafted in 2023. He then joined the Seahawks midway through last season.

But, Russell’s path is what has kept him around in the football world. Instead of celebrating, Russell has consistently worked for his next opportunity.

“I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone, I’m just trying to do whatever is asked of me at the time and do my job to the best of my ability,” Russell told Seattle media. “But (my path) definitely formed my work ethic into what it is now, and what it’s had to be in order to get to where I’m at now.”

Russell and the Seahawks play their final preseason game on Saturday against the Cleveland Browns at 8 p.m. MT on NFL Network.

Check out Russell’s physical touchdown reception in Seattle’s first preseason game earlier this month:

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PFF labels former Colorado WR Xavier Weaver as undrafted free agent to watch

Xavier Weaver shouldn’t be slept on entering his rookie season in Arizona

Following the 2024 NFL draft, former Colorado football wide receiver Xavier Weaver was a hot commodity on the undrafted free agent market before landing with the Arizona Cardinals.

While many fans liked Arizona’s decision to pick up the Buffaloes’ top receiver from 2023, Pro Football Focus contributing writer Thomas Valentine believes Weaver is the Cardinals’ top undrafted free agent to watch this upcoming season.

Here’s what Valentine wrote on Weaver:

Weaver was one of the top undrafted free agents on the board and is a potential coup for a Cardinals team lacking a certain amount of depth at the wide receiver position. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the obvious gem for the Cardinals in their 2024 draft class, but Weaver caught 68 passes for 908 yards and four touchdowns while earning a solid 69.2 grade in 2023.

The former South Florida star joined long snapper Joe Shimko (NC State) and defensive tackle Myles Murphy (North Carolina) in Arizona’s undrafted free agent signing class. Still, Weaver’s value at the receiver position stands out among the three.

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Atlanta Falcons re-sign former Buff Nate Landman

Nate Landman is locked in with the Atlanta Falcons for another season

On Wednesday, the Atlanta Falcons announced they’ve re-signed former Colorado Buffaloes football star Nate Landman to another one-year deal through the 2024 season.

The linebacker out of CU went undrafted in 2022 before being picked up by the Falcons. He appeared in seven games as a rookie in 2022 — mostly on special teams — before signing a one-year deal with Atlanta for the 2023 season.

In his second NFL season last fall, Landman stepped up in place of injury, starting 14 games at linebacker while racking up 110 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two pass deflections, two sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. He was third on the team in total tackles, fourth in TFLs and was tied for first in forced fumbles.

Landman became the first CU player to earn all-conference honors four times (two first-team, two second-team) and his 409 career tackles are tied for fifth-most in program history. Additionally, he led the Buffs in tackles in three different seasons.

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Colorado WR Xavier Weaver invited to NFL Scouting Combine

Xavier Weaver has been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine

Fresh off his lone season with the Colorado Buffaloes, wide receiver Xavier Weaver has been invited to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. Assuming he accepts the invite, Weaver will head to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the combine, which is set for Feb. 26-March 4.

The former South Florida standout is currently the only CU player who has received an invite.

This past fall, Weaver quickly became one of quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ favorite targets. In 11 games played, he led the Buffs with 68 catches and 908 receiving yards while finding the end zone four times.

Check out the best pictures from Weaver’s 2023 season:

Every former CU Buffs player to win a Super Bowl

How many Super Bowl-winning Buffs can you name?

Very few who’ve ever played the game of football know what it’s like to win a Super Bowl. For most college players, it may not be at the forefront of their minds, but securing the Lombardi Trophy remains the sport’s crowning team achievement.

As you’ll see below, the Colorado Buffaloes are in a bit of a drought when it comes to former players winning the NFL’s biggest game. Regardless, the history is rich and many legendary Buffs have contributed to championship-winning teams.

Not including former CU players who’ve won as coaches, below is a list of every former Buff to win a Super Bowl (h/t CUBuffs.com):

Nate Landman enjoying huge second season in Atlanta

All-time great Colorado linebacker Nate Landman is putting up huge numbers in his second NFL season

The list of former Colorado football players in the NFL isn’t a big one, but Mason Crosby is making some headlines this month after joining the New York Giants.

But, one of the newest NFL Buffs is linebacker Nate Landman, who went undrafted out of CU before signing a free-agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons.

With his second season in the NFL approaching its end, Langman has appeared in 14 games so far and done incredibly well. Entering Week 17, Landman has 94 total tackles (56 solo) and a pair of sacks to go with an interception. He also has a pair of forced fumbles on top of that.

His interception came last month against Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

Landman earned plenty of Pro Bowl buzz and has a decent chance of finding his way onto the roster, which would be a massive accomplishment for the undrafted linebacker.

On Dec. 20, the Falcons posted that Landman had received the second-most Pro Bowl votes at inside linebacker for the NFC.

The Falcons finish their season with road games against the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.

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Former CU Buffs kicker Mason Crosby crushes 52-yard field goal in New York Giants debut

Former Buff Mason Crosby proved that there’s still plenty left in his 39-year-old right leg

There’s still plenty of juice left in Mason Crosby’s 39-year-old right leg.

Only three days after signing, Crosby debuted with the New York Giants during their Christmas Day game and drilled a 52-yarder in his first field goal attempt. The former Colorado kicker also made both of his extra-point opportunities in the Giants’ 33-25 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Crosby, who spent the previous 16 years with the Green Bay Packers, wore No. 21 for the Giants, a jersey number that has recently taken on some meaning for Colorado fans with Deion Sanders now in Boulder.

If Crosby desires to play another year in the NFL, his impressive debut with the Giants should certainly help him land somewhere before next fall.

At Colorado, Crosby was a two-time First-Team All-American and left Boulder as the school’s all-time scoring leader (307 points).

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Seahawks add former Buffs TE Brady Russell to active roster

Former #cubuffs tight end Brady Russell is headed to Seattle

The Colorado Buffaloes don’t have too many alumni currently in the NFL, although that will change soon with the talent that is playing in Boulder now.

However, former Buffs tight end Brady Russell, who was a part of last year’s 1-11 team, signed with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday and is joining their active roster.

Russell was previously on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad.

The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar reported that Russell has made it to Seattle and is wearing No. 38, the same number he wore with the Buffs.

The former Buffs tight end went undrafted out of college but signed an UDFA deal with the Eagles and played well in the preseason, even scoring a touchdown during one of the contests before being sent to the practice squad.

Now, he will try and make some noise with the Seahawks under former USC Trojans head coach Pete Carroll. The Seahawks host the Carolina Panthers in Week 3.

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