According to a report, the Kansas City #Chiefs are set to add ex-Cincinnati #Bengals RB Samaje Perine to their active roster.
According to a report from NFL Insider Mike Garafolo, the Kansas City Chiefs are expected to sign former Broncos’ running back Samaja Perine to their active roster.
Perine was a fourth-round selection in the 2017 NFL draft out of the University of Oklahoma, where he won Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and was a two-time All-Big 12 player. After starting his career in Washington, Perine bounced around the league, singing with four teams before landing on the Chiefs’ roster.
With Perine’s addition to the team’s active roster, the Chiefs are adding depth behind fan-favorite running back Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and breakout rookie Carson Steele.
The #Chiefs are signing veteran RB Samaje Perine to their active roster, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
Though the former Sooner is not expected to push Pacheco for a starting spot on Kansas City’s depth chart, fans expect him to see the field in a secondary or tertiary role when the Chiefs need a running back who can catch, or carry the ball out of the backfield.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed former New England Patriots QB Bailey Zappe to their practice squad.
According to a report, the Kansas City Chiefs signed former New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe to their practice squad on Wednesday.
Zappe was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Western Kentucky, where he was named Conference USA MVP in 2021. After a disappointing season under center with the Patriots in 2023, Zappe was released on Tuesday after he failed to win a spot behind first-round pick Drake Maye ahead of the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline.
With this move, the Chiefs are adding more depth after waiving quarterback Chris Oladokun on Tuesday following his less-than-stellar preseason performances.
Zappe’s addition to the practice squad gives the Chiefs much-needed insurance behind MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Super Bowl champion Carson Wentz.
Though the former Patriot is not expected to be added to the active roster, look for Zappe to be a valuable addition to the team as he brings his experience to the practice field.
Following roster cuts, here is our (projected) depth chart for the Broncos.
After setting an initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, the Denver Broncos have not yet released an updated depth chart. So we’re doing it for them.
This is our best guess of how the depth chart will shake out following roster cuts. Denver is thin at guard, but center Alex Forsyth and tackle Matt Peart can both fill in there if needed. Right now, we have Josh Reynolds penciled in as the No. 2 receiver across from Courtland Sutton, but we’ll see how coach Sean Payton handles it.
There aren’t really any question marks on defense because the team’s roster cuts (and injuries) helped sort out the position battles. So here is our predicted depth chart for Denver ahead of Week 1.
Keep in mind that this is a projection, not an official depth chart from the team. We will publish the official depth chart when the Broncos release it.
Broncos offensive depth chart
WR
Josh Reynolds
Marvin Mims
Troy Franklin
LT
Garett Bolles
Matt Peart
LG
Ben Powers
C
Luke Wattenberg
Alex Forsyth
RG
Quinn Meinerz
RT
Mike McGlinchey
Alex Palczewski
Frank Crum
TE
Adam Trautman
Greg Dulcich
Lucas Krull
WR
Courtland Sutton
Devaughn Vele
RB
Javonte Williams
Jaleel McLaughlin
Audric Estime
Blake Watson
FB
Nate Adkins
QB
Bo Nix
Jarrett Stidham
Zach Wilson
Broncos defensive depth chart
DE
Zach Allen
Jordan Jackson
NT
D.J. Jones
Malcolm Roach
DE
John Franklin-Myers
Eyioma Uwazurike
SLB
Jonathon Cooper
Jonah Elliss
WLB
Baron Browning
Nik Bonitto
ILB
Alex Singleton
Justin Strnad
ILB
Cody Barton
Levelle Bailey
LCB
Pat Surtain
Levi Wallace
RCB
Riley Moss
Tremon Smith
NCB
Ja’Quan McMillian
Kris Abrams-Draine
S
P.J. Locke
JL Skinner
S
Brandon Jones
Devon Key
Keidron Smith
Broncos special teams depth chart
PK
Wil Lutz
KO
Wil Lutz
P
Riley Dixon
H
Riley Dixon
LS
Mitchell Fraboni
KR
Marvin Mims
Tremon Smith
Jaleel McLaughlin
PR
Marvin Mims
Tremon Smith
Jaleel McLaughlin
The Broncos will now turn their attention toward preparing to go on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 of the 2024 regular season on Sunday, Sept. 8. Denver is considered a five-point underdog.
Spencer Rattler’s preseason finale was broken down by former Saints QB J.T. O’Sullivan. Coach’s film reveals some dangerous flaws in the rookie’s game:
Former New Orleans Saints quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan has launched a successful career as a media analyst with his “The QB School” YouTube channel, and he’s circled back to Spencer Rattler after reviewing the rookie’s preseason debut against the Arizona Cardinals. It was largely positive.
Rattler’s final preseeason action with the Tennessee Titans obviously excited a lot of Saints fans. He threw a beautiful touchdown pass and led several scoring drives. But it wasn’t perfect, and O’Sullivan found some dangerous flaws in this game after studying the coach’s film.
He says Rattler needs to do a better job protecting himself and his teammates. Tight end Michael Jacobson was roundly criticized for dropping an early pass from Rattler, but after reviewing the play from multiple angles O’Sullivan said that the inexperienced quarterback put his receiver in a bad spot with multiple defenders closing in.
“The arm talent, it’s an impressive throw, ripping it down the middle. But the decision is bad,” O’Sullivan explained, highlighting three Titans defenders ready to crash down on Jacobson at the catch point, “And this is how people get hurt. And I don’t love it. I don’t want to see it on film, ever. This can be an absolute death shot.”
He says Rattler should recognize the threat of the deep safety given where the route combination positions each defender. The collision jarred the ball loose for an incomplete pass, but it could’ve been worse. He added, “This is just one of those things, I’m telling you, in a locker room with perimeter players, wide receivers, tight ends and backs, they don’t want to see this stuff. Dangerous.”
It isn’t just his receivers Rattler needs to watch out for. He needs to keep his head and be aware of how he’s putting himself in danger out in the open field. Rattler has been eager to prove he has the mobility to make plays outside the pocket, and he did have some positive scrambles in the preseason. But he needs to understand when it’s time to tuck and run.
“Just run full speed out of bounds man. That’s a low football IQ, that’s an unsafe play. Protect yourself, get out of bounds. Preseason, you take an unnecessary shot,” O’Sullivan chided. “Go full speed out of bounds or slide and protect yourself, full speed. Boom. Bench press in the back, he hits him, it’s in bounds and he hits him, that’s a dumbass play by the quarterback.”
Everyone makes mistakes. O’Sullivan was clear about where this criticism was coming from. He wants to see Rattler enjoy a long, productive career and develop into a star quarterback. That isn’t going to happen if he’s getting blasted by linebackers in exhibition games because he wasn’t situationally aware. And while Rattler has the arm talent to make any throw, that doesn’t necessarily mean he should try every throw. There are times when it’s better to live another down and not put his receivers in danger. The rookie has a lot of room to grow and if he can learn from these mistakes, he’ll have time to meet that potential.
As the New Orleans Saints continue to make their roster cuts ahead of the cutdown deadline, the team made the decision to release wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, brother of Lions’ receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported the release.
The decision to cut St. Brown comes after a productive preseason outing versus the Tennessee Titans where he caught three of his four targets for 43 yards and a touchdown.
St. Brown made waves early on in minicamp before sustaining an injury that put him out for a good portion of training camp. At 6-foot-5, St. Brown was a potential answer for the Saints need for a physical pass catcher but unfortunately wasn’t dealt much of an opportunity due to injury.
With that being said, as a veteran St. Brown is likely to find his way onto the practice squad tomorrow since he does not have to go on waivers. It’s a similar situation to safety Johnathan Abram, who was just released earlier Tuesday.
As far as his potential impact with the team in 2024 if brought back? St. Brown will likely serve as a practice squad elevation on game days as the team’s fifth receiver, being utilized as a good depth piece for the team. But a high-end pickup either through free agency or a trade could make him expendable. Stay tuned.
According to a report, the Kansas City #Chiefs decided to release promising ex-rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit on Tuesday.
Among the players cut by the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday was Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, who was among the team’s most heavily publicized players during training camp.
Signed as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program in the 2024 offseason, Rees-Zammit showed promise in all three of Kansas City’s preseason games, but his inexperience showed.
Despite the Chiefs’ decision to move on from him, Rees-Zammit is still a prospect who should be on the radars of football fans around the country, who only got a first glimpse of what he is capable of over the last few weeks.
Though his time in Kansas City has come to an end for now, Rees-Zammit is likely to be a candidate to sign with the Chiefs’ practice squad if he isn’t offered a deal on another team’s 53-man roster in the next few days.
Stay tuned to see where Rees-Zammit lands after his release on Tuesday.
Former Wisconsin linebacker surprisingly makes Bengals 53-man roster
Former Wisconsin linebacker Maema Njongmeta is in line to make the Cincinnati Bengals’ 53-man roster entering the 2024 season, according to TheDraftNetwork’s Justin Melo.
Njongmeta has been a breakout player this preseason after signing with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL draft.
The two-year starter at Wisconsin totaled 29 tackles over three preseason games, 18 of them solo tackles. He also added two pass deflections and some strong special teams performance.
Njongmeta will enter the 2024 season as the Bengals’ third-string inside linebacker behind starters Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt and backups Joe Bachie and Akeem Davis-Gaither.
BREAKING: #Bengals UDFA LB Maema Njongmeta is present at today's meetings and appears to have made the initial 53 man roster, source said.@The_Maema has been OUTSTANDING throughout the preseason and has been rewarded.
The former three-star recruit is the next in a long line of recent Wisconsin inside linebackers to make it to the NFL. He is taking the same path as Badger great T.J. Edwards, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a undrafted free agent in 2019 and is entering his sixth NFL season.
Njongmeta totaled 158 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 6 1/2 sacks, one interception, two pass deflections and three fumble recoveries during his time with the Badgers. He was one of the best players on Jim Leonhard’s 2022 defense before taking a step back under Luke Fickell and Mike Tressel in 2023.
Check back after roster cuts are finalized for a complete list of former Badgers to make NFL rosters for the 2024 regular season.
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The New Orleans Saints waived rookie draft pick Josiah Ezirim, a prime practice squad candidate. The young offensive lineman needs more reps:
One of the New Orleans Saints’ first roster cuts on Tuesday was Josiah Ezirim, who they just drafted back in April. The former Eastern Kentucky offensive lineman was selected late in the seventh round at No. 239 overall. NFL insider Josina Anderson reports that Ezirim “is being waived with the expectation to return to the team’s practice squad.”
The 23-year-old needs more reps. Ezirim only lined up on offense for a few years in college (starting two seasons at right tackle) after being recruited to EKU as a defensive tackle. When he joined the Saints, they flipped him to the left side of the line. He’s a gifted athlete and should develop well with more time.
Still, it’s never great to see a draft pick let go before they’ve taken a single snap in the regular season. This is a good reminder that there’s little difference between late-round draft picks and undrafted players. In many cases those prospects are graded the same by scouts and they’re only drafted at all because a coach or someone in the personnel department stood up on a table for them. We’ll see if Ezirim clears waivers and stays in New Orleans.
Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Saints were featured on the trendy “Art But Make It Sports” page after their preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans. And to make it worse, it’s because of an impressive play from Louisiana native Tyjae Spears.
The account, managed by New York Knicks fan and part-time art historian LJ Rader, has gone viral on social media — closing in on 500,000 Twitter followers while regularly earning thousands of impressions online. And it’s a great bit, drawing comparisons in color and composition between the work modern sports photographers do and what can be found in masterpieces at museums around the world.
Unfortunately, the Saints wound up on the wrong side of this one. Spears, of course, hoped the Saints would draft him last year. Rader likened this photo to “The Ascension,” a French painting created by an unknown artist in the late Sixteenth Century. The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, which exhibited the piece from 2011 to 2012, describes it as such:
The subject may represent the Ascension in the spirit, an appearance of Christ to his disciples during his supernatural life after the Resurrection. Christ is represented nude, clad only in a loincloth and a flowing mantle, and showing his wounds. The twelve apostles, who manifest various expressions of astonishment and rapture, are distinguished only by their age. They bear no attributes. In the background one sees a town and a mountain ridge.
The figure of Christ seems to have been inspired by that in a painting, The Doubting Thomas, executed in 1551, by Léonard Limosin for the church of Saint-Pierre-du-Queyroix in Limoges. Today this is in the museum at Limoges and was restored in 1963. On the other hand, Léonard Limosin may have used for his painting a figure of Christ designed by Jean Pénicaud II for his workshop.
So there’s some art history for you. It’s a shame the Saints passed on Spears in last year’s draft, but good on him for making a great play. And big respect to Rogers for snapping such a great photograph. Hopefully the next time the black and gold are featured by this social media trend it’s because of a great moment they’ve created.
Check out this video of New England #Patriots QB Drake Maye completing a pass after losing his shoe against the Washington #Commanders.
The New England Patriots drafted Drake Maye because of his ability to make big plays, and he has already impressed fans after a successful preseason.
There is a lot of pressure on Maye to excel in a rebuilt Patriots lineup, and he has big shoes to fill as New England’s newest quarterback prospect.
Maye is competing with Jacoby Brissett for the starting role in the Patriots’ offense and showed why he should get the gig against the Washington Commanders over the weekend.
Check out this bizarre play that was featured by the NFL’s official Twitter account, where Maye loses his shoe and still completes a pass:
No shoe, no problem. Maye still completed the pass 😂