Preseason Week 3 Preview
The release of running back Kenyan Drake by the Las Vegas Raiders was the biggest transaction of the week among former Alabama football players, as NFL teams had to reduce their rosters to 80 players.
The reason why the Raiders elected not to wait until the final round of cuts to waive Drake is often twofold, to get the other players extra time to get ready to fill their roles (and get the necessary reps), and to give veterans a better chance of signing with another team before the start of the regular season.
In that respect, Las Vegas might have been doing him a small favor.
Drake was coming into the final season of the two-year, $11 million deal he signed with the Raiders during the 2021 offseason.
Meanwhile, the move answered any lingering questions about the crowded backfield as the Raiders signaled that they’re now set. Although there were some trade rumors, Josh Jacobs is the starter heading into his contract year.
The Raiders also like Zamir White and Brittain Brown, who are both having good camps.
Of course, the risk in letting Drake go is that both backups are rookies. But Las Vegas didn’t want to keep four running backs and went with the cheaper, younger option.
Every NFL team must get down to 53 players by next Tuesday, after the final weekend of preseason games.
As for other moves regarding former Crimson Tide players:
• Ravens: Undrafted wide receiver Slade Bolden was released with an injury designation, and he didn’t waste any time in telling everyone why:
[Update: On Thursday, the Ravens added Bolden after he cleared waivers. He was placed on the reserve/injured list, meaning he’s back with the team but does not count against the roster limit.]
• Titans: Defensive back Shyheim Carter was waived with an injury settlement. He was signed to the practice squad last year.
• Giants: Over the weekend, wide receiver Robert Foster was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury during practice. The Giants picked up Chris Owens after he was released by the Steelers. He might be a practice squad candidate.
• Lions: Linebacker Shaun Dion-Hamilton was released, while wide receiver Jameson Williams was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, meaning he’ll miss the first four games of the season.
The move was expected as Williams, who was selected 12th overall by the Lions in the 2022 NFL Draft, is coming off knee surgery.
• Texans: In another expected move, John Metchie III was placed on the reserve/non-football illness. More on him later on …
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
What We’re Hearing
And now for some good news regarding former Crimson Tide players:
Eagles: Undrafted cornerback Josh Jobe is making a real push to make the final roster.
Lions: Isaiah Buggs is fourth on the depth chart among interior defensive linemen. That may get him on the 53-man roster.
Browns: It appears that Cleveland is looking to keep three tight ends, with Miller Forristall in the mix. There’s more on Forristall below …
Patriots: The SI site Patriots Country has updated its 53-man projections and has both linebacker Anfernee Jennings and defensive lineman LaBryan Ray making the team. Both have had a good training camp.
As for what may happen with Drake, don’t be surprised if he’s not available for long. One team that that is reportedly already interested in him is the Ravens, although they too have a crowded backfield.
Per Ravens Country, J.K. Dobbins is working his way back from a knee injury, while Mike Davis, rookie Tyler Badie and Justice Hill are looking to earn roster spots, but none of them have been able to lock down the backup role.
Last season, Drake had 545 yards rushing and three touchdowns in 12 games before suffering a broken right ankle with the Raiders, but was also a receiving threat out of the backfield with 30 catches for 291 yards and one touchdown.
In 2020, Drake ran for 1,092 yards from scrimmage with the Cardinals.
Surprise!
Metchie, who is undergoing treatment for a form of leukemia, visited practice for the first time on Tuesday.
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Offensive lineman Tytus Howard told reporters that his visit “pumped us up.”
“Practice does have a little different feel when you have a special guest come back,” head coach Lovie Smith said. “We have been praying for John and just watching him deal with a tough illness. But it is good for the team to see him back in the fold.”
“That special smile that he has, it was good for everybody to see it today.”
The second-round draft pick is expected to miss the entire season after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia in July.
Washington Enjoying The Sims
You may have missed this sequence last weekend in the Commanders game at the Chiefs. It was on the first possession by Washington’s second-team offense, and on second-and-13 wide receiver Cam Sims got absolutely drilled by Kansas City safety Deon Bush.
Sims left the field for two plays. he came back and caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke.
The following day Sims told reporters: “The only thing I could think about was my daughter seeing me on the ground so I had to get back up”
Tide-Bits
• Giants tackle Evan Neal had a quick response to reporters when asked about some of the negative social media about him, including criticism that he was too top heavy. “I don’t really listen to that,” Neal said. “I’m definitely not a finished product, but I’m getting better and better every day. I belong here, I belong in this league, and like I say, I’m just going to take it day by day.
“I like to listen to the opinions that matter,” he added.
• Per the Bama in the NFL Database there are 65 former Crimson Tide players who are active on NFL rosters heading into the final weekend of the preseason. BamaCentral’s initial projection at the start of training camps was that there would be somewhere near 61 players make final rosters (depending on injuries). Three players to keep an eye on with next week’s cuts:
- Deonte Brown, G, Panthers
- Ross Pierschbacher, OL, Jets
- Saivion Smith, DB, Lions
Corey Perrine/USA Today Network
• If you don’t know the story behind the photo, Forristall was the starting quarterback at Cartersville High School in Georgia when a young quarterback Trevor Lawrence came along. That’s how Forristall became a tight end.
• As part of the buildup to Saturday’s Eagles at Dolphins game, the teams will practice against each other this week. Not only will that reunite quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts, but wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.
“We knew (Smith) as ‘Slim Reaper,” said Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, who assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers when Hurts and Smith were drafted. “That dude is awesome. I really respect his game, how he goes about his business. I’ve always had an intrigue with guys that can be on the slimmer side and play the game physically. He’s a cool player.
“Jalen, yeah, I’ve seen him coming out, know his path. I think he wasn’t a first-round draft pick and that bothered him. And he did the best thing that you can do as a player and that’s prove other teams wrong. I think he’s really developing in his pass game, like he’s always been able to throw real well, but as far as the timing and how he competes in that way. And then they do a great job featuring him in the run game as well.
“So both players – were very, very interested in when they came out. We just specifically, the ‘Slim Reaper,’ we knew we weren’t going to have an opportunity to draft him, but we thought it’d be cool if we could.”
Fantasy Projections and Rankings
Note that these will be updated before the start of the regular season:
Also: Best and Worst Fantasy Playoff Schedules
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