Tryouts
On Monday, CB Keenan Isaac (Roughnecks) tried out with the Indianapolis Colts, one of several corners to work out for the team on that day. The most popular workout day is Tuesday, and this week was no exception – teams brought 75 players to their facilities for tryouts; disappointingly, none were spring football veterans. The next tryout for one of those players wasn’t until Friday, when TE Steven Stilianos (Brahmas) earned a shot with the Cleveland Browns. It was Stilianos’s third NFL workout of the year and the first since being released by the Detroit Lions at the end of training camp.
Transactions
Through two weeks, New York Jets kicker Nick Folk has made all three of his field goal attempts and has been perfect on extra points. Tuesday, the Jets cut their kicker insurance policy, K Harrison Mevis (Stallions), from the practice squad. Had the 40-year-old Folk faltered, Mevis would’ve been next in line. Instead, New York will utilize his practice squad spot at a different position.
DT Kyon Barrs (Renegades) signed to the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday. Barrs is a familiar name to the Cards as he participated in training camp for the team this summer. On Friday, it was announced that K Parker Romo (Brahmas) had once again earned the kicking job on Sunday for the Atlanta Falcons over Younghoe Koo. Mere minutes later, the Falcons announced the release of their longtime kicker, promoting Romo from the practice squad in his place.
On Saturday, final roster adjustments were made for the week three games. Among them, the New Orleans Saints signed WR Kevin Austin Jr. (Stallions) to the active roster from the practice squad. Though Austin was not elevated to the gameday roster the first two weeks of the season, he did play in eight games, starting two, for the Saints in 2024.
XFL
*There’s lots of handwringing in Miami after an 0-3 start, which includes a week three loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. Part of the reason for the slow start has been injuries in the defensive backfield, specifically at corner. Thus far, that hasn’t led to an uptick in playing time on defense for S Elijah Campbell (Defenders): He was relegated to special teams only against Buffalo, though he played 88% of the snaps on that unit.
*In his third game of the season for Atlanta, DT LaCale London (Battlehawks) made his first tackle. In fact, he made three in total, all solo stops, one for a loss. He did all of this playing 47% of the defensive snaps, likely playing more than usual in part due to Carolina’s route of the Falcons.
*Coming off a week two performance in which he went 5-for-5 on field goals, and the week that he was officially named the Falcons’ starting kicker, K Parker Romo (Brahmas) ran into some stumbling blocks against Carolina. He missed both of his attempts, though both were from long distance: He was wide right on one from 49 yards out, and wide left from 55.
*In Cleveland, Green Bay Packers P Daniel Whelan (Defenders) had his third straight game averaging more than 50 yards per punt to open 2025. Whelan’s five punts went an average of 53 yards, and his net was a respectable 46 yards, though he had one touchback.
*It was a quiet day for Pittsburgh Steelers LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades), as he snapped on four punts and three extra points without incident.
*With QB Jayden Daniels sidelined and Marcus Mariota starting in his place, QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) moved up to second on the depth chart. Johnson was active in that role but did not see game action.
*In Chicago’s win over the Cowboys, LS Scott Daly (NY Guardians) continued his long snapping duties on punts and kicks.
*A high-scoring affair on Monday night meant plenty of work for Baltimore LS Nick Moore (TB Vipers), who snapped without issue on each opportunity.
USFL
*The reliable K Brandon Aubrey (Stallions) had a ho-hum day, hitting another 50-yarder (53) as well as a field goal from 33 yards out.
*Two long catches were all the effect WR Kavontae Turpin (Generals) had in the pass game. On his first, he was blasted on the sideline and got up slowly but held on. He came back to connect with QB Dak Prescott on another long gainer later in the game. In total, he had two catches for 64 yards on three targets. He also rushed one time for four yards, had two punt returns for 28 yards, and two kick returns for 49 yards. Turpin put up his offensive numbers in playing 66% of the snaps.
*For Denver, LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) earned his second tackle of the season, a solo one, in making a stop on a punt return.
*Also for the Browns, WR Kaden Davis (Panthers) made his 2025 debut as a practice squad elevation. He returned the opening kick 28 yards for his only touch of the game. Davis also got in on an assisted special teams tackle. He didn’t play at all on offense but played 61% of special teams snaps.
*Cincinnati turned the ball over five times in their loss to Minnesota. Vikings DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades) played a part in one of those, as he was credited with a forced fumble on RB Samaje Perine in the second quarter. He also had two solo tackles in playing 61% of the defensive snaps, a season-high to this point.
*Four tackles (two solo, two assist) and a quarterback hurry were the stats for Broncos LB Dondrea Tillman (Stallions). He was in on 43% of defensive snaps in a reserve role, in addition to 34% of special teams snaps.
*Down 10-0 late in the fourth quarter, the Browns came back to stun the Packers on the leg of K Andre Szmyt (Battlehawks). He made a field goal from 35 yards out to make it 10-3, then tacked on an extra point after a Quinshon Judkins touchdown. Then, for the win, Szmyt hit a 55-yarder as time expired.
*It was fellow former UFL player LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas) who sent the snap back on Szmyt’s game-winner, as well as on other field goals, extra points and punts in the game for Cleveland.
*In line to kick the longest field goal in NFL history, K Jake Bates (Panthers) let a 67-yard kick go wide left just before the half. He was a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points and also banged home a 45-yard field goal in the second half. Kickoffs were a mixed bag: He made a nice tackle on one return, but then sailed one out of bounds later in the game.
*With Sione Vaki returning from injury this week, there was the thought that RB Jacob Saylors (Battlehawks) would become a gameday inactive, being the fifth running back on the depth chart. As Lee Corso would say, “not so fast my friend.” Saylors was active over another special teams ace at the position, Craig Reynolds. He brought three kickoffs back for 80 yards (26.7 average), including the opening kickoff where ESPN’s Joe Buck (a longtime St. Lous native) name-dropped the UFL and St. Louis Battlehawks. Saylors played one snap on offense – the final kneel-down – and 60% of the snaps on special teams.
*Called up from the practice squad for the second week in a row, QB Adrian Martinez (Stallions) served as the backup to Mac Jones. Jones again started in place of Brock Purdy, who is expected back next week. Good news for the 49ers, as Jones suffered a PCL injury, though he did not miss any time. Martinez did not play.
*With two wide receivers inactive for San Francisco, WR Malik Turner (Panthers) joined Martinez as a gameady elevation with the 49ers in week three. He saw slightly more action than Martinez: One snap on offense and seven on special teams.