Tag: Quintez Cephus

Rams sign 13 players to reserve/future contracts, including former 5th-round WR

The Rams signed 13 players to reserve/future contracts, including Quintez Cephus – a former 5th-round pick by the Lions

One of the first tasks for a team after their season ends is signing players to reserve/future contracts. Doing so allows that team to bring back players on the 90-man offseason roster, typically keeping players who were on the practice squad during the season.

The Los Angeles Rams checked that box following their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, signing these 13 players to contracts this week.

  • OL AJ Arcuri
  • WR Quintez Cephus
  • ILB Tony Fields II
  • CB A.J. Green
  • DT Jack Heflin
  • S Tanner Ingle
  • CB Shaun Jolly
  • CB Cam Lampkin
  • ILB Elias Neal
  • DT David Olajiga
  • WR Drake Stoops
  • OLB Keir Thomas
  • CB Charles Woods

All of those players were on the practice squad at the end of the season, so the Rams wanted to keep them around heading into the offseason. They’ll get a chance to compete for a regular-season roster spot this summer, provided they remain with the team for the duration of the offseason.

Acruri is the only player who was previously drafted by the Rams, while Cephus was a former fifth-round pick by the Lions.

Los Angeles Rams sign former Wisconsin wide receiver to practice squad

Los Angeles Rams sign former Wisconsin wide receiver to practice squad

The Los Angeles Rams signed former Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus to their practice squad on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Cephus’ acquisition is somewhat notable considering the Rams’ recent wide receiver woes. All-world pass-catcher Cooper Kupp (ankle) and 2023 rookie sensation Puka Nacua (knee) are projected to miss extended time.

That means Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford will turn to wide receivers Jordan Whittington, Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson and Tutu Atwell during the Rams’ Week 3 against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 22.

Cephus, who most recently played with the Houston Texans’ and Buffalo Bills’ practice squads this summer, could join the fold if any of those playmakers go down.

Prior to the stop in California, Cephus was released by the Texans during training camp as the team finalized its 53-man depth chart for the 2024 season. He caught six balls for 40 yards in three preseason appearances with Houston before his release.

The former Badger was previously drafted No. 166 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2020 NFL draft. He went on to register 35 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns from 2020-21 before suffered an injury in 2022, then getting suspended for the entire 2023 campaign for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.

Cephus played for three years at Wisconsin (2016, 2017, 2019) and totaled a career-best 59 receptions for 901 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019.

Rams sign former Lions WR Quintez Cephus to practice squad

With Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp out, the Rams are bringing in a wide receiver who’s played with Matthew Stafford before

Even though the Los Angeles Rams opted not to put Cooper Kupp on injured reserve, they still need help at wide receiver. Kupp is going to miss multiple games and depth is getting thin with Puka Nacua also sidelined.

On Wednesday, the Rams signed wide receiver Quintez Cephus to the practice squad. Cephus was a fifth-round pick by the Lions in 2020 so he played with Matthew Stafford in Detroit.

He’s been limited to only 22 games in the last four seasons and has just 37 career catches for 568 yards, but the Rams will take any help they can get.

Cephus played at Wisconsin and comes in at 6-foot-1 and 208 pounds. The 26-year-old receiver isn’t a burner (4.73 speed) but he’s a physical player with the ball in his hands, which is a trait the Rams like in a receiver.

Houston Texans release former Wisconsin wide receiver

Houston Texans release former Wisconsin wide receiver

The Houston Texans released former Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus on Tuesday. The roster move comes as the Texans trimmed their roster to the required 53 players to enter the 2024 season.

Cephus signed with the Texans in July after being released by the Buffalo Bills earlier in the offseason. He spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Detroit Lions (2020-2023) after being a fifth-round selection in the 2020 NFL draft.

Related: Every former Wisconsin Badger to make an NFL 53-man roster entering 2024 regular season

The former Badger excelled in limited action during the Texans’ 2024 preseason, catching a total of six passes for 40 yards in three games of action.

That strong performance was not enough to earn him a spot on the team’s 53-man roster entering the season. Instead, the Texans opted for a wide receiver room of Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, Xavier Hutchinson, Robert Woods, John Metchie III and Steven Sims.

Cephus played for three years at Wisconsin (2016, 2017, 2019). His best season came in 2019 when he and quarterback Jack Coan connected for 59 receptions, 901 yards and seven touchdowns.

The former Badgers’ NFL career has been a roller coaster up to this point. He performed well in his first two seasons with the Lions (2020, 2021), totaling 35 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns. An injury then derailed his 2022 season before his career came to a halt when he was among several Lions suspended for all of 2023 for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.

Cephus is still searching for his next opportunity after missing most of the last two seasons. He signed with the Buffalo Bills in April, though was soon released. The Texans were the next to give the talented former Badger an opportunity.

The wide receiver will likely start the 2024 season on the Texans’ practice squad. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility that he’s back on the active roster at some point this year.

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Former Wisconsin WR one of highest-graded players in Houston Texans’ 2024 preseason opener

Former Wisconsin WR one of highest-graded players in Houston Texans’ 2024 preseason opener

Former Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus was one of PFF’s highest-graded Houston Texans in their preseason-opening win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cephus caught all three targets during the contest for 18 total receiving yards. All three catches came on the same drive early in the fourth quarter, the first going for -2 yards and the next two for 15 and five yards respectively. PFF gave him an 81.0 overall grade for the contest.

Related: Every former Wisconsin Badger currently on an NFL roster entering 2024 training camp

The former Wisconsin wide receiver signed with the Texans in July after spending three of the first four years of his NFL career with the Detroit Lions.

Cephus was originally a fifth-round pick of the Lions in the 2020 NFL draft. He began with a strong debut season in 2020, recording 349 yards and two touchdowns on 20 total receptions. He then missed most of 2021 with a shoulder injury, missed most of 2022 with an injury and then was ineligible to play in 2023 due to a gambling suspension.

The former Badger signed with the Buffalo Bills in April, 2024 before being released in mid-May. He then signed with the Texans in July, where he is currently battling to make the 53-man roster.

Fourth quarter snaps in a preseason game usually mean a shaky position on the roster. That is the case with Cephus given his late signing, though his strong debut may lead to more earlier snaps in future contests.

Cephus is currently listed as a fourth-string wide receiver on the Texans depth chart entering the second week of preseason action.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Former Wisconsin wide receiver signs with Houston Texans

Former Wisconsin wide receiver signs with Houston Texans

Former Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus signed with the Houston Texans on Tuesday, according to a recent post from SportsTrust Advisors.

After spending three seasons in Detroit, the Lions released the former Badger in 2023 following an indefinite suspension due to violating the NFL’s gambling policy. After being reinstated, Cephus signed with the Buffalo Bills in April before his release in May.

Cephus appeared in 22 games as a Lion and registered 568 yards, 15.4 yards per reception and four touchdown passes. His 349-yard, two-touchdown output in 2020 marked the best performance of his career thus far.

Before being drafted No. 166 overall by Detroit in the 2020 NFL draft, Cephus enjoyed a productive career as a Badger. At Wisconsin, the 6-foot-1, 208-pounder appeared in 37 games and caught 93 passes for 1,496 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Cephus led the Badgers with59 receptions for 901 yards during his 2019 campaign en route to a consensus All-Big Ten honorable mention honor.

Cephus seemed to shine the brightest in the Badgers’ most critical games. He caught a career-best seven passes for 122 yards in Wisconsin’s Big Ten Championship loss to Ohio State on Dec. 7, 2019, and tallied 59 yards and one score touchdown vs. Justin Herbert’s Oregon Ducks in the 2020 Rose Bowl.

Cephus also joins fellow former Badger Dare Ogunbowale on Houston’s 90-man roster. He will battle for a depth WR spot behind newly-acquired Stefon Diggs, rising star Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Noah Brown, John Metchie III, Robert Woods and Ben Skowronek.

Texans to sign former suspended Lions WR Quintez Cephus ahead of training camp

The Texans are adding another pass-catcher before the start of training camp on Thursday.

Another pass-catcher is joining the Texans to begin training camp.

Houston agreed to terms with former Lions receiver Quintez Cephus, his agency SportsTrust Advisors announced on social media Tuesday afternoon. The details of the contract have not been released as of this time.

Cephus was reinstated to the NFL in April, one year after being suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s gambling policy while in Detroit, along with several other players, including defensive back C.J. Moore and Demetrius Taylor.

The former fifth-round draft pick out of Wisconsin initially signed with the Bills earlier this offseason but was released in May.

During his time with the Lions, Cephus played in 22 games, totaling 37 catches for 568 yards and four touchdowns.

The Texans enter 2024 with one of the deepest receivers in the NFL after trading for All-Pro Stefon Diggs and Ben Skowronek. Houston already featured two standouts in Nico Collins and Tank Dell, who are expected to build off their success heading into C.J. Stroud’s second season.

Cephus, 26, will compete with Skowronek, Noah Brown, Robert Woods, and Steven Sims, along with former second-round pick John Metchie III and second-year standout Xavier Hutchinson for reps at receiver.

The Texans begin training camp on Thursday.

Ex-Lions WR Quintez Cephus released by the Bills

Ex-Lions WR Quintez Cephus released by the Bills just days after Buffalo signed him

Former Detroit Lions wideout Quintez Cephus was recently in the news for signing a contract with the Buffalo Bills. Alas, Cephus’s time in Buffalo was a brief one.

The Bills released the one-time Lions sixth-round pick (2020) just days after signing him and before any on-field padded action took place. Buffalo dumped Cephus to add safety Dee Delaney.

It’s been a rough go in the NFL for Cephus since a somewhat promising start to his Lions career. After a rookie campaign when he caught 20 passes for 352 yards, Cephus began the 2021 season on fire. He hauled in 15 passes in the first five games before suffering a season-ending foot injury.

The Lions pulled the plug on Cephus in the ensuing offseason when the Wisconsin product was one of several Detroit players suspended for a year by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy. Buffalo was his first attempt at getting back since being reinstated.

Ex-Lions WR Quintez Cephus signs with the Bills

Ex-Lions WR Quintez Cephus signs with the Bills after being reinstated from his gambling suspension

Former Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus has found a new NFL home. The ex-Lion has signed with the Buffalo Bills.

Terms of Cephus’s deal in Buffalo are not disclosed. He was recently reinstated from a one-year gambling suspension, one of four Lions players who were punished last offseason.

A 5th-round pick in 2020, Cephus caught 37 passes in two seasons in Detroit. He was expected to compete for a depth role in 2023 before he was suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy.

Former Wisconsin wide receiver gets second chance with Bills

Former Wisconsin wide receiver gets second chance with Bills

Former Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Quintez Cephus and the Buffalo Bills have reached an agreement on a contract. Cephus missed the entirety of the 2023 NFL season serving a suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy.

The wide receiver was caught gambling on NFL action and received a rather significant penalty as a result. He was reinstated by the league last week and will now look to turn over a new leaf in Buffalo.

Cephus was selected by the Lions in the fifth round (166th overall) of 2020 NFL Draft, reeling in 20 receptions for 349 yards and two scores in his rookie campaign. In total, he finished his Lions career with 37 catches for 568 yards and four touchdowns over three campaigns in Detroit before being suspended and released ahead of the 2023 season.

With Stefon Diggs no longer in Buffalo, the Bills selected Keon Coleman (Florida State) in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft. Unlike Coleman, Cephus will likely have to compete to make the roster.

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