Tryouts
A part of the New York Jets most of the last two years, WR Brandon Smith (Defenders), after recently getting cut from the team’s practice squad, worked out for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday along with a host of other players. He was not immediately signed.
The next day, another player with UFL ties tried out in the Steel City. DE Ronnie Perkins (Stallions) was one of four defensive ends the Steelers kicked the tires on. Like Smith the day before, Perkins left Pittsburgh without a contract, though none of the other ends were signed, either.
Transactions
A couple players who’ve done a season-long roster dance with their teams were back on the transaction wire this week. On Monday, DT C.J. Brewer (Roughnecks) was re-signed to Tampa’s practice squad. He spent about two-and-a-half months on the active roster after initially beginning the season on the practice squad.
Following a one-week stint backing up Brady Cook with the New York Jets, QB Adrian Martinez (Stallions) returned to the Bay Area, re-signing with the practice squad of the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday. After tearing his ACL on Thanksgiving Day last season, CB Josh Butler (Panthers) appears finally ready to at least practice for the Dallas Cowboys, as he was designated to return from the PUP list on Wednesday. It remains to be seen if he’ll be activated before the end of the regular season.
With an open spot on the 53-man roster, New Orleans signed WR Kevin Austin Jr. (Stallions) from their practice squad. This is Austin’s third different stint on the Saints’ active roster this season. After missing last week’s game due to injury and getting limited work in practice this week, earning the “questionable” tag on Friday, Miami decided to shut down S Elijah Campbell (Defenders) on Saturday, placing him on injured reserve and ending his season.
XFL
*Despite the game going into overtime on Saturday, Green Bay’s P Daniel Whelan (Defenders) did not punt at all in the team’s loss to Chicago. He did play as the holder for field goals and extra points.
*Though K Cairo Santos has been shaky at times in recent years for Chicago, in a critical matchup against NFC North rival Green Bay, Santos made three long-distance field goals, all from the snaps of LS Scott Daly (NY Guardians).
*When Marcus Mariota left the game on the first drive of the third quarter, QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) was called upon for his first extensive action of the season. Mariota did not return, leaving the rest of the game in Johnson’s hands. He entered the game with the Washington Commanders clinging to a 10-7 lead. Philadelphia scored on their next possession to go up 14-10, but heroics were not in the cards for Johnson. On his first full drive near midfield, Johnson threw an interception to Cooper DeJean. It was all Eagles the rest of the way. Johnson finished 5-for-9 passing for 43 yards and the one interception.
*One of four down-linemen to start the game for Alanta, DT LaCale London (Battlehawks) made just one tackle, a tackle for loss, stopping RB Michael Carter three yards behind the line of scrimmage. London played 40% of the defensive snaps, adding seven additional plays on special teams.
*A snap that was a little high and inside from LS Nick Moore (TB Vipers), though safely put down by the holder, played a part in kicker Tyler Loop missing a 56-yarder short for Baltimore on Sunday night, in what turned out to be a four-point loss to the New England Patriots.
*A low snap by LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) on a late field goal caused kicker Chris Boswell to hit the post on a 37-yard try, opening the door for Detroit to nearly pull the rug out from under the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the end, a bizarre final sequence allowed the Steelers to leave Ford Field victorious. The bad snap was a rare hiccup for Kuntz, who also made a tackle in punt coverage, his second of the year.
*Up for his second elevation from the practice squad, WR Chris Blair (Defenders) played nine snaps on offense (12%) but did not record any stats.
USFL
*Connecting on his only field goal attempt, from 33 yards, K Brandon Aubrey (Stallions) also converted both of his extra point tries for Dallas.
*Finding success on the ground was WR KaVontae Turpin (Generals), who took two carries for 13 yards. He played a bigger role in the pass game than he has recently, too, seeing four targets and catching two passes for 14 yards. HIs only action in the return game came on kickoffs, taking back six kicks for 148 yards (24.7 average), with a long return of 31 yards as Dallas fell short against the Chargers. Turpin played 31% of offensive snaps for Dallas, fifth out of five receivers that saw the field.
*Denver’s 11-game home win streak came to an end at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Broncos’ LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) had a clean game despite a missed field goal by kicker Wil Lutz.
*Back on the stat sheet after a few weeks of being held tackle-less, DE LaBryan Ray (Stars) made two tackles for Carolina, one solo and one assist. His playing time sat in what has become his usual range, hitting the 20% mark on Sunday.
*With receivers Luther Burden and Rome Odunze inactive due to injury, WR Maurice Alexander (Stars) earned his first elevation of the season for Chicago. His playing time was limited to just one snap on offense and, surprisingly, none on special teams.
UFL
*What had been smooth sailing for K Harrison Mevis (Stallions) with the L.A. Rams to this point hit a snag on Thursday night. Though he had been perfect on extra points and field goals coming into the game, and he was good on field goals of 23, 28 and 41 yards against Seattle, the most important kick late in the game was missed. A 48-yarder with the game tied and just over two minutes remaining sailed wide right. The game then went into overtime, where Seattle won. On the positive side, Mevis’s extra point streak continues, and all eight of his kickoffs went for touchbacks.
*Kicking off Detroit’s scoring with a 36-yard field goal was K Jake Bates (Panthers). He also made all three extra points attempted.
*Pairing up once again with Tom Kennedy on kickoff return, RB Jacob Saylors (Battlehawks) returned two for 57 yards, an average of 28.5 per, with a long of 31. Kennedy returned three kicks. Saylors also assisted on two tackles on kick coverage. Saylors has become one of the core special teamers, playing 64% of the snaps on that unit.
*Detroit is once again experiencing injuries on the back end of their defense. Against Pittsburgh, they lost CBs D.J. Reed and Avonte Maddox due to injuries at different times in the game. That pressed CB Nick Whiteside (Battlehawks) into duty. He made two tackles on defense, one solo and one assist, in just six snaps (8%), adding four snaps on special teams.
*LB Dondrea Tillman (Stallions) had a solo tackle on defense for Denver but did most of his damage on special teams, making two tackles, one solo and one assist. Tillman played in 34% of the team’s defensive snaps and 20 total snaps on special teams, which amounted to 65%.
*An upset was in sight for Cleveland against Buffalo, but a special teams gaffe cost them at the end of the first half. A low snap by LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas) on a 47-yard field goal try to end the half could not be corralled by holder Corey Bojorquez, who had to throw the ball away. Cleveland ended up losing by just three points.
*Also for Cleveland, K Andre Szmyt (Battlehawks) was good on both field goal tries, from 24 and 41. He added two extra points on two tries.
*With two defensive tackles down, DT Perrion Winfrey (Stallions) was active for the first time this year for the Cowboys. He was in on two assisted tackles on the afternoon. Winfrey ended up playing more than half of the defensive snaps (53%) in the game.
*Now up to six sacks on the season is Minnesota Vikings DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades). Redmond took down rookie Jaxson Dart of the New York Giants on a 4th-down play in the first quarter. It was one of four tackles Redmond had (one solo, three assist). He also registered a pass defensed in playing an amazing 98% of the snaps.
*Back on the New Orleans Saints’ active roster, WR Kevin Austin Jr. (Stallions) played a role in the team’s win over the New York Jets on Sunday. In a pass-heavy game script, Austin was targeted three times, catching two passes for 18 yards with a long of 15. He played the most snaps of any Saints receiver, on the field for 86% of them.