Tag: rookie minicamp

Watch: Falcons rookie minicamp highlights

WATCH: Highlights from the #Falcons’ 2023 rookie minicamp

The Atlanta Falcons wrapped up their rookie minicamp over the weekend as the team’s 2023 draft class got its first taste of practice in the National Football League.

First-round pick Bijan Robinson and the rest of the rookies took the field for the first time in a Falcons uniform. Atlanta has since signed wide receiver Slade Bolden and linebacker Andre Smith to the roster.

Since there won’t be much football to watch in the near future, check out the best highlights from Falcons rookie minicamp below.

Bucs add two players, cut two players after rookie minicamp

The Bucs will have to maintain a 90-man roster throughout the beginning of the offseason.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed two new players from rookie minicamp, but they’ve had to make adjustments to do so.

FOX Sports’ Greg Auman reported on Monday that the Bucs signed XFL DL C.J. Brewer and Delaware S Kedrick Whitehead after rookie minicamp, the two becoming the third and fourth tryout players to sign with the Bucs. He also noted, however, that the team had to waive OT Dylan Cook and OLB Nelson Mbanasor to keep the team’s roster at the required 90-man roster at this point in the preseason.

Brewer most recently played for the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks, but had a very brief stint with the Buffalo Bills in 2022 after playing college football at Coastal Carolina. Whitehead played safety for the Delaware Blue Hens of the FCS, where he put together a decently productive season with 38 solo tackles, a forced fumble and two interceptions.

It’s likely the Bucs will do a lot more shuffling to sign and drop players as cut dates begin to arrive during preseason, but for now, the team is just at its limit on roster size.

Seahawks rookie QB Holton Ahlers has all the intangibles

Coach Pete Carroll sang the praises of UDFA QB Holton Ahlers out of East Carolina after watching him at the Seahawks rookie minicamp.

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The Seattle Seahawks added another backup quarterback to the mix when they signed QB Holton Ahlers out of East Carolina as an undrafted free agent.

Coach Pete Carroll had nothing but the highest of praise for the young signal-caller over the weekend at the Seahawks rookie minicamp.

“In his senior year in high school, he threw 61 touchdown passes,” Carroll bragged. “Come on. You never heard of anybody throw 61 touchdowns. And I think he ran for 14 or 15 too, and he’s been throwing touchdowns ever since.”

The lefty set numerous records for East Carolina, including passing yards and touchdowns, total offensive yards, passing attempts and completions, as well as rushing touchdowns.

“He seems really confident in himself and he’s got some transitions to make because our style is different than what they played,” Carroll continued. “They were coming up with plays off the sidelines all the time. No huddle and all that. But he’ll be fine with it. He’s making transitions.

“But he’s exciting because it’s kind of like the intangibles that you know are there because you’ve been successful for a long time at the position.”

Seahawks updated 90-man roster after rookie minicamp

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Colts’ updated roster following rookie minicamp

Here’s an updated look at the Colts’ offseason roster.

The Indianapolis Colts have gotten through rookie minicamp and already have made changes to the roster as the 2023 season slowly approaches. With OTAs set to begin at the end of the month, here’s an updated look at the roster, sorted by position:

*Excludes undrafted rookie free agents*

Coach Pete Carroll already impressed with rookie center Olu Oluwatimi

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll already likes what he sees from rookie center Olu Oluwatimi, selected by the team in the fifth round.

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The Seattle Seahawks selected a couple of new offensive linemen in the 2023 NFL draft, including center Olu Oluwatimi out of Michigan in the fifth round.

Coach Pete Carroll already likes what he sees from the young player at rookie camp.

“Well, we’ve always cherished the guy that can kind of be the play-caller up front in the middle, and Olu’s got that background,” Carroll told reporters over the weekend. “He jumped into the Michigan thing and, took over, overwhelmed the country a little bit with his play at center and got all those awards and acclaim and all of that. And you can see why.”

Oluwatimi has the chance to earn a starting job right from the get-go this year, a huge opportunity for a rookie at any position.

“Yeah, he’s a really bright kid,” Carroll continued. “He’s got all the physicals. He weighed in at 319. He looked terrific.”

Seahawks updated 90-man roster after rookie minicamp

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Look: Top photos from Detroit Lions minicamp

Look: Top photos from Detroit Lions minicamp from the weekend of May 13th

The Detroit Lions welcomed the rookie class of 2023 into the building for the first time over the weekend. The team’s draft picks, undrafted free agents and even some aspiring tryout candidates were in Allen Park for the Lions’ rookie minicamp.

Here are some of the top photos taken by the professionals inside the Lions training facility.

Familiarity helping Chargers’ TCU draft picks make smooth transition to NFL

The Los Angeles Horned Frogs. The TCU Chargers. Call them what you want.

The Los Angeles Horned Frogs. The TCU Chargers. Call them what you want.

The three players that L.A. drafted from the collegiate program took the field for the first time as professionals as the Bolts held their rookie minicamp this past week.

Wide receivers Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis caught passes from their college teammate, quarterback Max Duggan, who is set to compete with Easton Stick for the backup spot behind Justin Herbert.

“It was fun. I’m excited to be here,” Duggan said. “It’s a good opportunity. There are great people around here, it’s a great organization. Obviously, I have some familiarity with Q [WR Quentin Johnston] and D.D. [WR Derius Davis] coming here. It was fun.”

Johnston, the team’s first-round pick, got his reps on the outside. He was selected to bring an explosive element to stretch the field vertically and pick up yards after the catch.

“Almost feels identical,” Johnston said. I go out there and see the same guy lined up next to me and the same guy in the backfield; it feels like we’re back in Fort Worth again.”

Most of Davis’ work came in the slot. While he primarily participated in offensive drills, Davis is expected to contribute on special teams as the team’s return specialist after he had five punt return touchdowns and one kickoff return for a score during his college career.

“Max, he’s been my quarterback ever since he got to TCU,” Duggan said. “It was just great to get back out there, to run routes with him. We know we already have a connection, so the timing was really on. To have Q [Johnston] out there working beside me — we were kind of winded, so we were out there joking about it. It was good to be out there with those guys.”

Broncos signing XFL RB Jacques Patrick after tryout

The Broncos are adding more depth to the backfield by signing XFL running back Jacques Patrick.

The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms on contracts with two of the three XFL players who tried out for the team this weekend.

In addition to getting a deal done with Seattle Sea Dragons quarterback Ben DiNucci, the Broncos also plan to sign San Antonio Brahmas running back Jacques Patrick, according to the Denver Gazette‘s Chris Tomasson.

Tomasson also reported that Denver is not expected to sign pass rusher Trent Harris, the third XFL player who tried out for the team this weekend.

Patrick (6-2, 234 pounds) will have to pass a physical on Monday before the deal can become official. The Broncos will also have to make a corresponding move to make room for Patrick on the 90-man offseason roster.

Patrick ranked second in the XFL this spring with 443 rushing yards and five touchdowns in 10 games.

After playing college football at FSU, Patrick started his professional career with the XFL’s Tampa Bay Vipers in 2020 before going on to spend time with the Bengals, 49ers, Panthers and Ravens from 2020-2022. He returned to the XFL this spring and will now get another opportunity in the NFL.

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Bucs sign former Seahawks wideout David Moore

The Bucs continue to address their WR depth.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are adding another wide receiver to the fold after rookie minicamp.

FOX Sports’ Greg Auman announced on Sunday that the team is signing veteran wideout David Moore, who was a veteran tryout player at the team’s rookie minicamp over the weekend. Moore is most known for his time in Seattle with the Seahawks, but he’s played for five different teams since 2021. Moore becomes the 90th Buccaneer on the roster, the preseason limit for NFL teams.

Moore played for the Seahawks from 2017-20, where he was a sporadic starter. His best season came in 2018, when he caught 26 passes for 445 yards and 5 touchdowns. In his career, he’s caught 78 passes 1,163 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Moore has been largely unable to stick on a roster since is 2020 season in Seattle, and he’s bounced around to the Panthers, Raiders, Broncos, Packers and Bears from 2021 onward. He did not play for the Bears in 2022 due to a knee injury he suffered in August.

Moore acts as receiver depth for the Bucs should he make the team, as the roster behind the starting three of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage has been a point of emphasis in the offseason.

Brodric Martin: Rookie DT ‘blessed’ to be in a Lions uniform

Lions rookie DT Brodric Martin feels “blessed” to be at Detroit’s rookie minicamp and in the NFL

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Rookie minicamp is the first chance for the team’s draftees to get a taste of being a Detroit Lions player. It’s a new feeling that Brodric Martin doesn’t take for granted.

The third-round nose tackle from Western Kentucky was something of a surprising selection that high in the 2023 NFL draft. Martin himself admitted as much on Saturday, relating the story of being caught off-guard when head coach Dan Campbell called him to let him know he was going to be drafted.

The big man flashed an easy smile and jovial nature in his first meeting with the Detroit media, coming immediately after Saturday’s session of rookie minicamp in Allen Park.

Martin was asked how the reality of being in a Detroit Lions uniform compared to the dream of being an NFL player.

“Way better than what I thought,” Martin said earnestly. “It’s like I’m blessed now. This is surreal — I still don’t believe it. Like, I walked up (into the Lions training facility) and seen the locker with my name on it and just, I ain’t going to lie, I about shed a couple of tears because this is like actually here. It’s happening.”

Martin concluded the thought with a nice quip,

“I come in here smiling and I ain’t frowned yet. I’m just smiling. It’s a blessing.”

Martin projects as an important part of the Lions’ defensive line rotation right away. He figures to rotate with veteran Isaiah Buggs as the nose tackle, as well as providing more bulk in short-yardage situations.