Tryouts
After several weeks of inactivity, spring football players were back on the workout circuit prior to week 10. On Tuesday, LB Garrett Nelson (Brahmas) had a tryout with the Buffalo Bills. They had two practice squad openings, but did not fill either with Nelson, at least for now. With Los Angeles Chargers LS Rick Lovato suddenly retiring, the team brought in LS Peter Bowden (Panthers) to work out on Tuesday as well. He was the lone snapper they had that day.
With second-year K Joshua Karty struggling, the Los Angeles Rams took a look at some potential competition on Wednesday in the form of K Harrison Mevis (Stallions) and K Rodrigo Blankenship (Battlehawks). The two also worked out together in June for the New York Jets, a competition for a training camp roster spot that Mevis won.
Transactions
A missed extra point loomed large last weekend as Atlanta lost to New England by a point. It ended up costing K Parker Romo (Brahmas) his job, as he was released on Tuesday, replaced by veteran Zane Gonzalez. This despite Romo making nearly 80% of his field goals for the Falcons in 2025.
The Chargers indeed signed LS Peter Bowden (Panthers) to the practice squad on Wednesday, the 62nd UFL 2025 graduate to sign with an NFL team during the spring league’s off-season. L.A.’s regular long snapper, Josh Harris, ended up coming off IR prior to their game on Sunday night, making Bowden a short-term insurance policy. Just like in June, K Harrison Mevis (Stallions) won the kicker tryout over Rodrigo Blankenship, signing to the Rams’ practice squad to push Joshua Karty in practice and potentially replace him on game day.
Before Denver’s Thursday intra-division battle with Las Vegas, the team promoted WR Michael Bandy (Roughnecks) to the active roster, with WR Marvin Mims still dealing with a concussion. It’s a nice reward for Bandy, even if it might not last long, as he has spent most of the last three seasons on the team’s practice squad.
One of the more inspiring stories out of the UFL this year has been the comeback of former first round draft pick CB Damon Arnette (Roughnecks). Arnette performed well enough in the UFL in 2025 to get signed by the Houston Texans. He made the practice squad and on Saturday was signed to the team’s active roster.
While not transactions in the traditional sense, three spring football players currently on injured reserve have returned to practice with an eye toward activation at some point soon. They have a 21-day window when they begin to practice where they can be activated. If that 21-day window closes and they haven’t been activated, they remain on IR for the rest of the season. Those players are Dallas Cowboys DT Perrion Winfrey (Stallions), Atlanta Falcons OT Storm Norton (Wildcats) and New Orleans Saints OT Barry Wesley (Stallions). While Wesley got in a full week of practice this week, Norton suffered a setback and now may not return this year after all.
XFL
*Aside from a blocked punt, Las Vegas Raiders P A.J. Cole had a strong day, limiting the performance of WR Michael Bandy (Roughnecks) on punt returns for Denver. Cole placed two punts at the one yard-line and Bandy’s lone return went for negative one yards when he tried to stretch it wide to no avail. Bandy participated in just one snap on offense, with the other eight snaps played coming on special teams.
*Despite a two-sack performance last week, and despite the release of Ta’Quon Graham, previously ahead of him on the depth chart, this week, DT LaCale London (Battlehawks) was inactive in Atlanta’s overseas overtime battle against Indianapolis. An injury could explain his absence: He got in a limited practice all week and was labeled “questionable” with a shoulder injury. We should get clarification on his role moving forward next week.
*Inactive for Tampa Bay this week was DT C.J. Brewer (Roughnecks).
*In Baltimore’s 27-19 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, LS Nick Moore (TB Vipers) performed all long snapping duties for the Ravens.
*Chicago eked out a 24-20 win over the New York Giants and in doing so, LS Scott Daly (NY Guardians) handled the long snapping.
*With QB Jayden Daniels suffering a gruesome elbow injury last week, Washington turned to Marcus Mariota as their starter, with QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) backing him up. Down 44-22 at the end of the game, the Commanders pulled Mariota, allowing Johnson to play an offensive series that turned into a three-and-out. With the game out of reach, Washington didn’t want to risk losing their backup, so Johnson is no threat to take Mariota’s job. This was Johnson’s first game action of 2025.
*Miami upset Buffalo in South Florida on Sunday. For the Dolphins, S Elijah Campbell (Defenders) made his only tackle on punt coverage, playing 64% of the snaps on special teams.
*It was a perfect snap from LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) that was part of the operation leading to Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell hitting a 59-yard field goal on Sunday night. Kuntz also snapped for punts and extra points.
*In a low-scoring affair as was the case on Monday night, field position becomes a premium. For Green Bay, P Daniel Whelan (Defenders) had another solid day in terms of gross punting average – 47.8 yards per kick on five punts – but two touchbacks lowered his net to just 33.6. He landed his first punt inside the 20, forcing Philadelphia to start their drive at their own nine-yard-line.
USFL
*Though Denver P Jeremy Crawshaw had a rough go of it on Thursday night, even getting booed by the Broncos fans in attendance, LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) was effective in getting snaps back to him in a timely manner.
*In a backup role for Carolina, DE LaBryan Ray (Stars) appeared in the game against New Orleans, playing 16% of the team’s defensive snaps, but did not record any stats.
UFL
*The beneficiary of a tipped Geno Smith pass, LB Dondrea Tillman (Stallions) once again found the ball landing in his arms for his second interception of the season in the third quarter on Thursday night. He hustled down the field for a 23-yard gain, giving Denver the ball on the Vegas side of the field. In addition to his pick, Tillman had two assisted tackles on defense in playing 37% of the snaps, while also making a special teams tackle in playing 72% of the snaps on that unit.
*Finishing second for Minnesota in tackles on Sunday was DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades). Redmond had eight total stops (five solo, three assists), a career-high, in helping limit legendary Ravens RB Derrick Henry to just 3.8 yards per carry. Redmond played 83% of the Vikings’ defensive snaps.
*In his first game as a member of Houston’s 53-man roster, CB Damon Arnette (Roughnecks) made a tackle on special teams on the opening kickoff of the second half, holding Jaguars rookie Bhayshul Tuten to a 20-yard return. It was one of the 92% of special teams snaps he played, though he played none on defense.
*For much of Sunday’s game, K Jake Bates (Panthers) had just two short field goals to his name, from 22 and 28 yards out. In the fourth quarter, he was able to show his range by hitting one from 48. He also hit three extra points after Detroit scores, though a fourth extra point attempt was blocked, something of an epidemic in the NFL these days. Bates also had a tackle on kickoff coverage, his third this year already, an unusually high number for a kicker.
*Showing up on the injury report on Wednesday was RB Jacob Saylors (Battlehawks), getting in a limited practice due to a back ailment. He was downgraded to “did not practice” Thursday and Friday and his injury designation for Sunday was “out.” Therefore, he was on Detroit’s inactive list this week. It’s unclear when the injury happened as he seemed to play the full game last week.
*A third UFL player for Detroit, CB Nick Whiteside (Battlehawks), played against Washington but was held off the stat sheet. He participated in just three defensive snaps, while he saw action on 44% of snaps on special teams.
*After playing in his first NFL game last week, QB Adrian Martinez (Stallions) was back to caddying for Mac Jones in San Francisco. Starter Brock Purdy is expected to return next week, which would move Martinez back to the third emergency QB on game days.
*Cleveland area native LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas) continued to snap for his hometown team without any issues.
*The most impressive part of the day for K Andre Szmyt (Battlehawks) was the way he and the entire special teams unit was able to rush onto the field and have a clean operation just before halftime. Szmyt hit a field goal from 45 yards out to tie the game heading into the half. He also connected on a 29-yard field goal and two extra points for Cleveland
*Though Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur has continued to throw his support behind starting kicker Brandon McManus, the team has yet to release K Lucas Havrisik (Renegades). McManus is working his way back from an injury so the Packers may believe it’s worth keeping Havrisik rostered until McManus is fully healthy. There doesn’t appear to be an actual competition between the two in practice during the week, as it’s very clearly McManus’s job, even with his recent struggles. Until McManus is deemed 100%, expect more games like Monday night, where Havrisik is a healthy scratch.
*On Friday, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay announced that recent practice squad signee, K Harrison Mevis (Stallions), would kick on Sunday over their regular kicker, Joshua Karty. Mevis did not attempt any field goals but made all six of his extra point tries. That matters, as Karty has missed three extra points this year. He also showed his leg strength with six touchbacks on kickoffs. This was Mevis’s first NFL game. On Monday, McVay announced that Mevis would kick again in week 11.
*Elevated from the New York Jets’ practice squad this week, G Kohl Levao (Brahmas) was active as an extra lineman but did not play. He’s still looking for his first NFL regular season game action.
Byes: Dallas Cowboys WR KaVontae Turpin (Generals) and K Brandon Aubrey (Stallions)