Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The last 11 players selected with the No. 29 overall pick may help forecast what’s in store for the New Orleans Saints, assuming they stay put:
If the New Orleans Saints stay put in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, they’ll be picking at No. 29 overall. Here’s a quick look at the last eleven players taken at that slot:
The #49ers announced the final player in their first series of roster cuts.
The 49ers on Tuesday announced their final piece of the first set of roster cuts. They released veteran defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche right at Tuesday’s 1:00pm Pacific Time deadline.
Teams were required to get their rosters from 90 to 85 players in the first series of cuts. The next round is Aug. 23 at the same time and will get the roster to 80.
Nkemdiche, a former 1st-round pick of the Cardinals, joined the 49ers during training camp after injuries knocked out DL Arik Armstead, Hassan Ridgeway and Maurice Hurst. Hurst is out for the year, but Armstead and Ridgeway appear to be on track to return soon which eliminated the club’s need for an additional defensive lineman.
Nkemdiche joined CB Darqueze Dennard, WR KeeSean Johnson, FB Josh Hokit and DL Tomasi Laulile as the five players let go by San Francisco. The other four were announced Monday.
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The #49ers signed former 1st-round DL Robert Nkemdiche.
49ers general manager John Lynch on Tuesday announced the team will sign former first-round pick DL Robert Nkemdiche following a workout Monday. The team later made the signing official.
Nkemdiche was a first-round pick by the Cardinals out of Ole Miss in the 2016 draft. The talented defensive tackle has struggled to put it together in six seasons as a pro. He spent three years with Arizona and notched only 4.5 sacks, all of which came in the 2018 season. He also joined the Dolphins for the 2019 campaign and the Seahawks last year.
In five seasons with the team he’s played in just 38 games with six starts. Since 2019 he’s only played in 11 games, and was suspended in 2019 for two weeks.
The 49ers will hope Nkemdiche can harness some of the talent that made him a Round 1 selection and work his way onto a roster that could use some depth at defensive tackle. They also had DL TJ Carter and DL Tomasi Laulile in for workouts Tuesday.
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Seahawks DT Robert Nkemdiche, the former Cardinals first-round pick, is one of four players between the two teams that played for the other.
The Arizona Cardinals face NFC West rivals this weekend, taking on the Seattle Seahawks on the road. It is the first of two games they will play this season against one another.
The two teams are familiar foes, having faced one another twice a season since 2002. They both have players who spent time on the other team’s roster.
Between the two teams, there are four player connections, two on each roster.
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The Seahawks announced a few roster moves ahead of Week 4, signing DT Robert Nkemdiche off the practice squad and waiving QB Jake Luton.
The Seattle Seahawks made a number of personnel moves on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
First, Seattle announced the signing of defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche from the practice to squad to the active roster. Nkemdiche had been a key contributor over the last two outings for the Seahawks.
To make room for Nkemdiche on the 53-man squad, Seattle waived quarterback Jake Luton.
The Seahawks also pulled off a couple of practice squad moves as well, signing tight end Jace Sternberger and releasing wide receiver Connor Wedington, wide receiver De’Quan Hampton and tight end Michael Jacobson.
The Seahawks have an off day Tuesday but return to the practice field Wednesday morning.
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The Seattle Seahawks have elevated two players from their practice squad to the 53-man roster ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Minnnesota Vikings.
The Seattle Seahawks have elevated two players from their practice squad to the 53-man roster ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Minnnesota Vikings.
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche is getting called up for the second time this season, which means he has to go on the roster permanently. His elevation is a bit interesting considering that Bryan Mone is expected to play tomorrow. Wide receiver Cody Thompson is also being elevated. Seattle is thin at this position with Dee Eskridge missing his second straight game with a concussion. Eskridge is expected to return next week though, so Thompson is on borrowed time.
If that’s not the case or depth issues at DT and WR continue, it’s probably worth mentioning that defensive tackle Geno Atkins and wide receiver Josh Gordon (who has been reinstated) are both on the market and the Seahawks have more than enough salary cap room to sign them.
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The Seahawks have ruled out rookie wide receiver Dee Eskridge for tomorrow’s home opener against the Titans.
The Seahawks have ruled out rookie wide receiver Dee Eskridge for tomorrow’s home opener against the Titans. Eskridge suffered a concussion in the season opener against the Colts and did not practice this week. He had been listed as doubtful to play.
Taking his place on the 53-man roster will be defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who has been elevated from the practice squad.
Nkemdiche is a former first-round pick by the Cardinals in 2016 who’s had trouble finding his footing in the NFL. He has only started six of the 29 regular season games he’s played in. Nkemdiche suffered a torn ACL in 2019 and was not on a roster last year.
This news could be related to the Seahawks’ injury report, which indicates the interior of their defensive line could be a bit thin on Sunday. Nose tackle Bryan Mone was limited at practice all this week with an elbow injury and is listed as questionable. Poona Ford (shoulder) was also limited at one point, so he may not be 100%.
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Seattle coach Pete Carroll provided an updated look at the Seahawks players’ injury situation following the win to close out the preseason.
The Seattle Seahawks wrapped up their summer with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers and are now preparing for the regular-season opener with an extra week to get ready. The additional time should benefit a few of the players who are banged up and on the mend.
Coach Pete Carroll provided the latest injury updates after the game on Saturday night.
Cornerback Tre Brown (knee): “Nothing that warrants any work or any of that kind of stuff, just a mild sprain,” Carroll said. “He feels good already. We might have been able to play him if we had to, but we didn’t. Right now, all of those decisions we would make to the conservative right now and not push any of those guys knowing we have two weeks to get ready. He’ll be ready to go.”
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche (groin): “He had a groin thing, then in pass rush two days ago, he tweaked something a little bit different,” Carroll explained. “It showed up on an MRI, it was slight, but what he felt was enough to keep him out of the game. Unfortunately, he didn’t a chance to play, we really didn’t get to see much of him . . . Should be a week or so, it isn’t a major injury at all, but what he felt showed up, so we just have to take care of him.”
Running back DeeJay Dallas: “He had a little something that was just nagging him a little bit,” Carroll told reporters. “He was just dying to play tonight, I told him three different times, ‘No, you don’t get to play.’ He was dying to get out there. But he’s had a pretty good camp now. He made a very clear statement that he belongs.”
Center Ethan Pocic (hamstring) and tackle Cedric Obguehi (biceps): “Both guys practiced this week, we just thought it would be better if we didn’t expose them, so that now we have them to compete for the opener,” Carroll confirmed. “It’s unfortunate for both those guys, because both those guys were in really markedly obvious head-to-head competitions and I really kind of had fun with giving those guys a chance to battle, and neither one of them had the chance to really make their statement on the field. They’re different—Ethan’s played a lot of football for us, and we know how he plays; Cedric didn’t get as much of an opportunity, but still, I can’t tell you what’s going on with that right now.
Tight end Colby Parkinson (foot): “He’s trying. He’s making a bid for it. He’s on-ground running this week for the first time,” Carroll said. “He’s been on all the equipment, the AlterG and all that kind of stuff, making really good progress. He’s been really hopeful about it. So we’re going to keep our fingers crossed that he has a chance to get back and compete to be on the team.”
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Pete Carroll says Seahawks had no new injuries vs. Chargers.
There was a lot to like about the Seahawks’ dominant 27-0 win over the Chargers on Saturday night. Seattle’s defense was on-point from the start, their offense looked much-improved and in general the team displayed a lot more energy than during their first two preseason games.
Best of all, the Seahawks did not suffer any new injuries, according to coach Pete Carroll.
Pete Carroll said there were no new injuries tonight. Said it's a mild knee sprain that's kept CB Tre Brown out but that the rookie fourth-round pick will be ready by the opener. DT Robert Nkemdiche will be out about a week after tweaking something Thursday (didn't specify what).
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) August 29, 2021
As far as the lingering issues go, tight end Colby Parkinson has a foot injury that won’t require surgery but will keep him out for a while.
Cornerback Tre Brown has a knee sprain but Carroll expects him to be able to play Week 1 against the Colts. That’s one of the reasons they traded for John Reid.
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche did not suit up against the Chargers and will be out a while longer. However, it’s hard to see where he fits in on the 53 man roster right now.
Teams have until Tuesday to make the cuts to get down to that number.
The former first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals now has the right mindset in what is likely his last shot in the NFL.
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, the Arizona Cardinals’ first-round draft pick in 2016, was one of their most disappointing picks in recent history. He dealt with injuries, mental mistakes on the field, bad practice habits and off-the-field issues. After tearing his ACL, he showed up to training camp in 2019 overweight and out of shape.
It led to his release. He played two games with the Miami Dolphins and logged no stats in 16 snaps and was not on a team after that until he signed with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.
Nkemdiche appears to have changed his attitude toward the game of football and has a second chance to make it in the league.
“I have a newfound respect for the game, because I got to be away from it, so I’m probably overly excited, a lot more excited than these guys who have been out here,” Nkemdiche told reporters after Wednesday’s minicamp practice, via Seahawks Wire. “I never want the opportunity to be taken away again. I’ve been away from the game for some time, so I’m just so happy to have the opportunity to have the ball in my court.”
For Cardinals fans, those words might not sit well because he had a chance and the thought of him turning things around with a division rival is maddening. However, even his former teammates hope he gets another shot.
Corey Peters said last offseason he hoped Nkemdiche would get another shot.
“One thing about Robert, Robert is a good guy, a great guy, a person you want to have as a friend, but he has to grow up some,” Peters said last year. “People warned him about what was coming and what would happen.
“I talked to him recently and now I think that he has a better understanding and he seems to be working hard and doing things to make amends and trying to get back into the league. I hope he gets another opportunity.”
Nkemdiche now has that opportunity. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll thinks “he’s going to be a factor.”
It will be great for him if he can become even a fraction of the player he has the talent to be. It won’t make Cardinals fans feel better, though.
May he make the Seahawks and play well, except for the two games the Cardinals face him.
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