Tag: Oday Aboushi

Veteran OL Oday Aboushi hints at a return to the Lions

Aboushi played for the Lions in 2019-2020 and is a free agent

Could an old friend on the offensive line be heading back to the Detroit Lions?

That appears to be the case. Free agent lineman Oday Aboushi declared on his Twitter account on Saturday that he’s heading to Detroit for a “potential reunion with the boys in blue”, and used the Lions’ OnePride hashtag to cap it off.

Aboushi played for the Lions in 2019 and 2020, starting 10 games between right guard and right tackle. The 32-year-old played in 15 games, with four starts at right guard, for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022. He’s started 51 games across stints with seven NFL teams since being a fifth-round pick out of Virginia in 2013 by the New York Jets.

Aboushi could help the Lions offensive line depth. While Graham Glasgow has looked strong and healthy in his own return to Detroit, presumptive starting RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai has dealt with recurring back issues in camp. Fifth-round rookie Colby Sorsdal and young Kayode Awosika have had some positive moments as reserve guards, but they lack the big-game experience and veteran presence Aboushi can bring.

Aboushi could also help at tackle, where the depth behind starters Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell remains questionable.

The NFL’s best available free agents as training camps begin

As training camps begin, and the preseason is nearly upon us, here are the best free agent players left in the NFL.

Rookies and veterans are reporting to training camps around the NFL, which means that our long national nightmare of life without professional football is nearly over. Yay, but for a lot of veterans in the league, there’s still an element of waiting by the phone to hear from their agents regarding interests from NFL teams.

Not every veteran — even veterans who are still playing at a high level — have homes when training camps start. A lot of the players listed below will find those homes before preseason games begin in early August, and some will have to wait longer. (Yes, there are veterans who would prefer to eschew training camp entirely, and that has something to do with it).

So, as we head into the pre-preseason, here are the best players who, at this point, are still looking for their new NFL destinations.

PFF believes Vikings should target offensive lineman

With uncertainty on the offensive line, Pro Football Focus believes the Vikings should target the interior offensive line.

One benefit of the dead period is finding out where those on the outside see the deficiencies in your favorite team. PFF recently released an article where they outlined one more off-season move for every team in the NFL before training camp starts. This move could have been a free agent signing, extension, or trade. It is just one more off-season move to solidify the roster before getting ready for the season in mid-July.

For the Minnesota Vikings, PFF analyst Brad Spielberg decided to address the trenches. More specifically, the offensive guard position. Spielberg wants the Vikings to sign guard Oday Aboushi. Drafted by the New York Jets in 2013, Aboushi has been a journeyman since 2015. 

At guard, 2020 second-round pick Ezra Cleveland is entering a contract year and 2022 second-round pick Ed Ingram earned a 44.4 pass-blocking grade as a rookie that ranked 66th out of 71 guards with at least 250 pass-blocking snaps. Aboushi has been a reliable depth piece at either guard spot everywhere he goes, most recently with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell’s former team in the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. Aboushi has three straight seasons earning grades above 65.0, with grades of at least 60.0 as a pass blocker and run blocker each year.

With a relative unknown in Ed Ingram on one side and Ezra Cleveland mostly underachieving since being drafted in 2020, maybe depth in the interior of the offensive line isn’t such a bad thing. On the other hand, there are so many holes that the Vikings can look to fix, whether adding another pass-rusher or more depth in the cornerback room. 

Either way, this team is still unfinished. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should be looking for one more move to solidify this roster before veterans report to training camp on July 25th. 

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Oday Aboushi was impressed by the way Sean McVay handled adversity in 2022

Oday Aboushi shared what it was like to play for Sean McVay last season, showing appreciation for how he handled adversity

Oday Aboushi joined the Los Angeles Rams early last season, helping provide some depth along the offensive line. They needed it because all but one starter missed time due to injury, thrusting Aboushi into a starting role by Week 8.

It obviously wasn’t the season he or the Rams envisioned, going 5-12 and finishing third in the NFC West, but Aboushi enjoyed his time with Sean McVay – despite the challenges everyone in Los Angeles faced.

During an appearance on “Good Morning Football” Thursday, Aboushi spoke about playing for McVay and discussed the way the Rams coach handled a great amount of adversity.

“It’s always fun. He has a ton of energy, always on it, always ready to go. Super positive,” Aboushi said. “It was a lot of adversity for him, so to see how he kind of handled that and hunkered down and keep swinging at it. That’s something you gotta do in this business when the weeks don’t go the way you want. You just put your heart in it and go right back to work. I thought that was a great approach by him and I think the guys really tried to gravitate towards that. That’s kind of what kept the optimism going throughout the season. Obviously, we didn’t finish with the record we wanted but the games we did win felt really good and the opportunity to go out and compete every Sunday was huge for us.”

Last season was McVay’s first with a losing record, never finishing worse than 9-7 as the Rams’ head coach. Injuries played a huge role in the team’s struggles, particularly along the offensive line.

Aboushi helped step in as a starter for four games, but the Rams needed more than just depth up front. They needed talent across the board, both on offense and defense.

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Oday Aboushi gets 1-game suspension reduced to a fine

Oday Aboushi is no longer suspended for a game after an altercation with Randy Gregory in Sunday’s 51-14 win over the Denver Broncos.

Oday Aboushi got into a heated exchange with Randy Gregory after the Los Angeles Rams handily defeated the Denver Broncos on Christmas, leading to both players getting a one-game suspension. After the NFL and NFLPA reviewed the situation, Aboushi and Gregory have gotten their suspensions reduced to fines instead.

The altercation occurred after the game concluded as players from both teams were shaking hands and having conversations. Gregory would deliver a punch to Aboushi’s helmet when the two crossed paths after the game, which prompted Aboushi to retaliate with a punch back.

The NFL didn’t waste any time handing one-game suspensions to both players for their involvement in the scuffle. Both the Rams and the Broncos would appeal the suspensions and they successfully won their appeals.

With Aboushi now receiving a $12,000 fine for punching Gregory on Sunday, the veteran offensive lineman will now be able to suit up for the Rams in Week 17 against his former team: the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Oday Aboushi suspended 1 game for incident with Randy Gregory after Rams-Broncos

Oday Aboushi has been suspended for 1 game for an incident with Randy Gregory following the Rams’ win over the Broncos on Sunday.

Oday Aboushi was seen exchanging punches with Randy Gregory after the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Denver Broncos on Sunday and the NFL is taking action. Less than 24 hours since the incident occurred, the league has elected to suspend Aboushi and Gregory for one game each for their involvement in the scuffle.

Following the 51-14 victory at home, there wasn’t much Christmas joy between the Rams and the Broncos on Sunday. While players from both teams were conversing with each other after the game, Gregory threw a punch at Aboushi’s head and the veteran lineman swung back.

The two were seemingly exchanging words before Gregory took offense to something said and elected to hit Aboushi. Aboushi would retaliate and players from both teams had to separate them, which led to Baker Mayfield’s post-game interview being interrupted.

It remains to be seen what was said between the two, but the NFL didn’t hesitate to suspend both of them for throwing punches after the game. Aboushi will miss next week’s matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers after a stellar performance on Sunday, leaving the Rams to deploy a new offensive line combination in Week 17.

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Watch: Oday Aboushi, Randy Gregory trade blows after Rams-Broncos game

Oday Aboushi and Randy Gregory got into it on the field after the Rams-Broncos game, each throwing a punch at the other

The Los Angeles Rams absolutely steamrolled the Denver Broncos on Sunday, and Randy Gregory didn’t seem to take the loss very well. After the game, he and Rams guard Oday Aboushi got into it on the field during postgame handshakes. Gregory was in Aboushi’s ear as the two were walking among the crowd, and after Aboushi shook another Broncos player’s hand, they got in each other’s face.

Gregory threw a punch at Aboushi’s helmet, and Aboushi retaliated with a punch of his own. The players were then separated, with Bobby Wagner and others stepping in to clean things up. The scuffle even spilled into Baker Mayfield’s postgame interview, though that was after Gregory and Aboushi were separated.

Here’s a look at what happened after the game. You can see Gregory and Aboushi in the top-left of the screen and the first punch is thrown at the 9-second mark.

And here’s a clip of Mayfield’s interview, with a snippet of Wagner trying to calm Gregory down on the field.

Not exactly the way you want to end a game on Christmas Day.

Sean McVay is glad Rams were able to sign Oday Aboushi: ‘That’s a big deal’

Sean McVay raved about the Rams signing Oday Aboushi to bolster the interior of their offensive line.

The Los Angeles Rams have experienced a multitude of injuries along the offensive line in the first two weeks of the season, leading them to sign Oday Aboushi to the practice squad last week. When speaking about the current state of the offensive line, Sean McVay raved about the Rams being able to sign Aboushi.

“That’s a big deal, to be able to get him. He’s a guy that has a bunch of starts in this league. A tough, physical competitor,” McVay said on the “Coach McVay Show.” “Really enjoyed the way he handled himself, I thought he did a nice job this past week just immersing himself into our culture and our team. He’s definitely a guy we have confidence that could step up and be available.”

Aboushi signed with the Rams’ practice squad last week, but due to the season-ending injury to Tremayne Anchrum Jr. and Brian Allen being sidelined, the team has already promoted him to the active roster. Given the lack of depth the Rams now have in the trenches, the veteran offensive lineman could find himself starting sooner rather than later.

Throughout his eight seasons in the NFL, Aboushi has played both guard spots, giving the Rams options in the interior of their offensive line. Aboushi has played with six different teams, with the latest being the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021, where he made five starts at right guard.

The positive part about signing Aboushi is that he’s made 47 starts in his career, so he’s accustomed to being a starter in the NFL. While the offensive line of the Rams has looked out of sorts to begin the season, McVay is confident that Aboushi can provide the team a much-needed boost in the interior amid all of the injuries.

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Rams make 6 roster moves: Troy Hill to IR, Oday Aboushi to active roster

The Rams made six roster moves on Tuesday, including the placement of Troy Hill on injured reserve. He’ll miss at least 4 games.

The Los Angeles Rams made a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, mostly in response to two injuries suffered in Week 2. Both Tremayne Anchrum Jr. and Troy Hill suffered injuries against the Falcons, with Anchrum fracturing his ankle and Hill straining his groin.

Both players have been placed on injured reserve; Anchrum will miss the rest of the season, Sean McVay said, and Hill is now forced to sit out at least four games.

Below is the full list of roster moves made by the Rams on Tuesday, with breakdowns of each one included.

Rams sign OL Oday Aboushi, promote Jeremiah Kolone to active roster

The Rams made a pair of roster moves on Wednesday, shuffling their offensive line once again

The Los Angeles Rams’ new-look offensive line has been decimated by injuries in the last few months, losing Logan Bruss for the year and seeing Brian Allen go down with a knee injury of his own.

They’ve rolled with the punches the best they could, continuing to tweak the group up front. On Wednesday, they made two more moves by signing Oday Aboushi to the practice squad and elevating Jeremiah Kolone from the practice squad to the active roster.

The Rams now have a full 53-man roster after placing Kyren Williams on injured reserve Tuesday; Kolone is taking his spot.

Aboushi came into the NFL as a fifth-round pick in 2013, being selected by the Jets. He’s bounced around since then, making stops in Houston, Seattle, Oakland, Arizona, Detroit and last year with the Chargers.

He’s played 70 games in his career and made 47 starts, including five with the Chargers in 2021. He played with Matthew Stafford for two years in Detroit, starting 10 games in 2019 and 2020.

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