Tag: tryouts

Broncos worked out 3 wide receivers before training camp

The Broncos worked out WRs Michael Bandy, Josh Hammond and Justin Marshall on Tuesday. Bandy and Hammond played in the XFL this spring.

The Denver Broncos worked out three wide receivers Tuesday ahead of the start of training camp.

The Broncos brought in Michael Bandy, Josh Hammond and Justin Marshall, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson. Two of those receivers — Bandy and Hammond — played in the XFL this spring.

Bandy totaled five receptions for 35 yards in two games with the Houston Roughnecks this spring. He played college football at the University of San Diego and went undrafted in 2020. Bandy then spent 2021-2022 with the Los Angeles Chargers. He dressed for 11 games and caught 10 passes for 89 yards with the Chargers.

Hammond played in 10 games for the DC Defenders this spring and totaled 34 receptions for 331 yards and one touchdown. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2020. Before playing in the XFL, Hammond spent time with three NFL teams from 2021-2022.

Marshall signed with the Atlanta Falcons this spring as an undrafted free agent out of Buffalo. He was cut by the Falcons on June 16.

At the time of this writing, none of the three WRs who worked out for the Broncos have been signed. They will likely be kept in mind for down the road if any injuries happen during training camp.

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Saints host multiple offensive and defensive linemen for pre-training camp tryouts

The New Orleans Saints hosted multiple offensive and defensive linemen for pre-training camp tryouts, so what are their stories?

The New Orleans Saints hosted a small crowd of offensive and defensive linemen for pre-training camp tryouts this week, ultimately signing several of them — veteran guards Trai Turner and Max Garcia, as well as, you know, tight end Jimmy Graham. So who else was part of this workout? Why did they catch New Orleans’ interest? Could the Saints still sign them?

Let’s take a quick look at the lineup:

Saints work out former Jets DE Kyle Phillips at pre-training camp free agent tryouts

The New Orleans Saints worked out former New York Jets defensive end Kyle Phillips at their pre-training camp free agent tryouts:

This is interesting. The New Orleans Saints worked out former New York Jets defensive end Kyle Phillips as a pre-training camp free agent tryout, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Phillips started 8 of the 29 games he appeared in for the Jets from 2019 to 2021 (as a teammate with Nathan Shepherd, one of the big free agent defensive tackles the Saints signed this year), though he was out of the NFL in 2022.

Phillips fits the athletic prototype the Saints value at defensive end, weighing in at a listed 6-foot-4 and 277 pounds with a Relative Athletic Score of 8.3. He played college football at Tennessee, where the Saints have often looked to for talent — including players like Alvin Kamara, Alontae Taylor, Shy Tuttle, Marquez Callaway, Bryce Thompson, Ethan Wolf, and wide receivers coach Kodi Burns. In short, he’s their kind of guy.

We’ll see if a deal materializes. Phillips has an injury history. He went down at midseason in 2020 with an ankle injury, and he didn’t see the field until November in 2021 while on the physically unable to perform list (PUP). The Saints could use more depth along the defensive line. He’d likely be competing with guys like Jabari Zuniga and Niko Lalos for a spot on the practice squad, but maybe he’s learned some things that could give him an edge.

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Along with QB Alex McGough, Packers also worked out WR Malik Flowers, 2 others

The Packers reported tryouts for four players on Tuesday, including QB Alex McGough, who is expected to sign, and returner Malik Flowers.

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In addition to quarterback Alex McGough, who is expected to officially sign with the team on Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers worked out three other players, including receiver Malik Flowers.

The full list, via Aaron Wilson:

QB Alex McGough
WR Malik Flowers
WR Justin Marshall
DB Christian Morgan

McGough, the USFL’s MVP in 2023, is expected to compete for a backup job behind Jordan Love at quarterback.

No other signings from the tryout were expected.

Flowers, an undrafted free agent from Montana, originally signed with the New Orleans Saints. A three-time FCS All-American, Flowers set the NCAA record with seven kickoff return touchdowns. The Saints releaased him in June.

Marshall, an undrafted free agent out of Buffalo, caught 58 passes for 719 yards and eight scores during his final collegiate season. He spent time with the Atlanta Falcons.

Morgan, an undrafted free agent out of Baylor, played 56 games at the school over five seasons. It was initially announced that he signed with the Packers following the draft in May but the deal never finalized.

Rookie return man Malik Flowers among surprising Saints roster cuts

Undrafted rookie return man Malik Flowers among surprising Saints roster cuts after minicamp: | @crissy_froyd

It’s always tough to see young players stumble as they chase their NFL dreams, but that’s an unfortunate part of the business. And the New Orleans Saints let go of several players after veteran free agents tried out during minicamp this week, including an undrafted rookie with a lot of fans. These players will hit the waiver wire and be pursuing their careers elsewhere:

Saints sign multiple free agents after minicamp tryouts

The Saints added three offensive players Thursday in a wave of roster moves after tryouts at their minicamp practices this week: | @crissy_froyd

The New Orleans Saints announced a series of roster moves on Thursday evening, noting that the team had added three new offensive players after tryouts at minicamp. They’ll have opportunities to compete for roster spots during training camp and this summer’s preseason games, but each of these players is very much on the bubble going deeper into the offseason. Get to know the newest members of the black and gold:

WR Keke Coutee among free agent tryouts at Saints minicamp

Former Texas Tech wide receiver Keke Coutee among the veteran free agent tryouts at New Orleans Saints minicamp:

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The New Orleans Saints aren’t just gathering everyone under contract for training camp — multiple veteran free agents are trying out during the three-day series of practice sessions. This was the case last year, too, when the Saints brought in running back David Johnson and some other players who later signed during the season.

Sports Illustrated’s John Hendrix first reported that offensive lineman Pat Elflein and wide receiver Keke Coutee were among the tryouts at Tuesday’s workout, which was confirmed by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. What’s the word on them?

Elflein, 28, is listed at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds and played college football at Ohio State. He’s a career center who was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round (at No. 70 overall) in 2017, having also spent time with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers while starting 64 of the 65 games he’s played in the NFL. He was college teammates with several Saints stars like cornerback Marshon Lattimore and wide receiver Michael Thomas.

Coutee, 26, weighs in at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds and was a standout at Texas Tech in college. He was picked by the Houston Texans in the fourth round (at No. 103 overall) in the 2018 draft but played for the Indianapolis Colts the last few years. He was a favorite target of Patrick Mahomes’ in Texas Tech’s wide-open passing attack, but he’s struggled to find much success in the NFL while averaging just 2.6 receptions for 29.3 receiving yards per game in his pro career.

We’ll get a better idea of which free agents the Saints are hosting for tryouts when the daily NFL transactions wire updates on Tuesday afternoon, but this is a good opportunity for veteran players to look for work and for the team to address any lingering holes on their depth chart.

Update: Hendrix and Underhill add that former Kentucky wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. was also in attendance on a tryout basis. The 25-year-old former Las Vegas Raiders third-round pick (No. 80 overall in 2020) is listed at 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds, but has bounced around the league while struggling to find his footing in the NFL. He’s also played for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots.

Additionally, Underhill reports that while the Saints are interested in bringing Elflein in for a tryout, he’s biding his time to see if an opportunity to start opens up around the league before settling for a role as a backup.

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Saints sign a familiar face out of the XFL after a tryout at rookie minicamp

The Saints signed a familiar face out of the XFL after a tryout at rookie minicamp: defensive end Niko Lalos, who also joined them for training camp last year

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The New Orleans Saints signed a familiar face out of the XFL after a tryout at rookie minicamp: defensive end Niko Lalos, who also joined them for training camp last year. Lalos played well for a few weeks before roster cuts but didn’t have enough time to make his case for a roster spot, so he’ll get another opportunity after competing in the spring league.

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Dartmouth, Lalos started his NFL career with the New York Giants in 2020 and has bounced around the league since then, including his stint in New Orleans — he joined their practice squad in mid-November and stayed there to close out the season before teaming up with the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons. He played the third-most defensive snaps for them but made more plays in run defense than as a pass rusher.

He’ll be pushing Jabari Zuniga for snaps at the bottom of the depth chart, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see either player (or both of them) brought back to the practice squad. The top five roster spots appear to be set with Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson starting, backed up by some combination of Tanoh Kpassagnon, Isaiah Foskey, and Payton Turner.

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New Orleans Saints schedule rookie minicamp tryouts

The New Orleans Saints scheduled their rookie minicamp tryouts for May 12-14, creating opportunity for many young players competing for roster spots:

There we go: the New Orleans Saints have scheduled their rookie minicamp practices for May 12, 13, and 14. This is a good opportunity for their 2023 draft class — both players who were picked and those who signed as undrafted free agents — to get on the field, go through drills, and begin to pick up the playbook.

It’s also an opportunity for dozens of other players to try out alongside their peers. Teams usually bring in a mix of first- and second-year free agents as well as a handful of NFL veterans, all of whom will be competing for a roster spot during the summer.

New Orleans currently has five vacancies on their 90-man offseason roster, having waived reserve quarterback Jake Luton and running back Derrick Gore after selecting other players at their positions during the 2023 draft (TCU running back Kendre Miller and Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener). So it’s a safe bet that some of those open roster spots will be filled by players trying out at these minicamp practices next weekend.

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Saints invite 3 XFL players to upcoming rookie minicamp tryouts

The New Orleans Saints invited several XFL players to their upcoming rookie minicamp tryouts:

The New Orleans Saints invited several XFL players to their upcoming rookie minicamp tryouts, including one familiar face who spent time with them last year. The spring-league’s rules dictate that players may not sign an NFL contract until at least May 15, which happens to fall right after the Saints close rookie minicamp (which runs from May 12-14). So there’s a good chance one of these players could earn a contract if they do well.

Here’s who has been invited to participate along with dozens of other rookies and tryout free agents: