2023 Practice Squad

[Sparkey]

TE Austin Allen
CB Corey Ballentine
LB Keshawn Banks
WR Grant DuBose
C James Empey
S Innis Gaines
QB Alex McGough
WR Bo Melton
LB Arron Mosby
*LB Kenneth Odumegwu (int'l exemption)
FB Henry Pearson
S Benny Sapp III
DL Chris Slayton
RB Patrick Taylor
T Kadeem Telfort
CB Kiondre Thomas

Still room for one more player.

[Joemailman]

Chris Slayton over Jonathan Ford a bit of a surprise.

[Sparkey]

Making room for tight end Ben Sims and safety Zayne Anderson whom they claimed off waivers. Anyone know anything about either player ?

[Fritz]

Chris Slayton over Jonathan Ford a bit of a surprise.

I'll say.

[Sparkey]

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2023/02/who-is-zayne-anderson-buffalo-bills-ink-speedy-safety-to-two-year-deal.html

Zayne Anderson, uber athletic FS with a RAS of 8.24 in 2021 coming out of BYU.

[Sparkey]

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-udfa-profile-baylor-te-ben-sims

TE Ben Sims of Baylor

" sub-4.6 speed, a quick first step, and an explosive lower body, he has the athletic tools to potentially stick around in the NFL, even with average size and below-average strength and agility."

[Joemailman]

Packers had Sims in for a pre-draft visit and wanted to sign him as an UDFA. Reputation as good blocker.

Anderson was a core ST player for Chiefs. Never had defensive snaps in 2 years.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Chris Slayton over Jonathan Ford a bit of a surprise.

Ford made the initial roster. They waived him today when they signed Sims/Alexander. He has to clear waivers. Once he does that, he could be signed to PS. Same for Tariq Carpenter. I would imagine they hope to get both guys back on the practice squad.

[Fritz]

Ford made the initial roster. They waived him today when they signed Sims/Alexander. He has to clear waivers. Once he does that, he could be signed to PS. Same for Tariq Carpenter. I would imagine they hope to get both guys back on the practice squad.

It's still weird to me that they kept Ford on the 53 all of last "all in" year, without him ever playing a snap. It seemed to indicate he was a work in progress, but one woth keeping and one they feared would be snapped up if they tried to get him to the PS.

Then they cut him this year. It just seems weird.

I would've thought they'd have just put Wicks on IR - it sounds like there'll be a lot of two-tight-end sets, which means fewer receivers needed.

But I'm just a-watching from afar. I don't know much.

[texaspackerbacker]

I'm hoping they just gave opponents a bunch of film of the two TE stuff, and once the real games start, they don't use it much. I'd rather see more WRs on the field.

I wanted 4 RBs on the 53. I'm just glad they didn't end up losing Patrick Taylor. Even if both Jones and Dillon stay healthy, I wish they'd do more rotating at RB.

[Bretsky]

Patrick Taylor is a good guy (unlike Grayson Allen) but there are both....J.A.G.S.

[Fritz]

Any word if Carpenter and/or Ford have cleared waivers?

[Joemailman]

Any word if Carpenter and/or Ford have cleared waivers?

They did.

[bobblehead]

Thats a good mix of potential and game day activations. Glad they kept Ballentine.

[Fritz]

Thats a good mix of potential and game day activations. Glad they kept Ballentine.

I'm a little puzzled they haven't gotten Ford onto the PS. But then again, so far at least no one else has come knocking on his door.

I am not sure how the new PS rules work, but apparently you can call up guys on game day? If so, that could be really helpful for ST. Someone like Patrick Taylor might play more than Emmanuel Wilson this year, even if the latter has a roster spot and the former is on the PS.

[Joemailman]

I'm a little puzzled they haven't gotten Ford onto the PS. But then again, so far at least no one else has come knocking on his door.

I am not sure how the new PS rules work, but apparently you can call up guys on game day? If so, that could be really helpful for ST. Someone like Patrick Taylor might play more than Emmanuel Wilson this year, even if the latter has a roster spot and the former is on the PS.

You can call a PS player up to the game day roster, and the return him to the PS the next week 3 times. the 4th time he has to become part of the 53 man roster.

I thought Ford started fast, but tailed off late. I didn't think he played well at all against Seattle.

[Fritz]

You can call a PS player up to the game day roster, and the return him to the PS the next week 3 times. the 4th time he has to become part of the 53 man roster.

I thought Ford started fast, but tailed off late. I didn't think he played well at all against Seattle.

When you call someone up on game day, do you have to make a corresponding roster cut, or is it just an “extra” guy?

And go Chris Slayton!

[Joemailman]

Pretty sure it's just an extra guy.

Ford must have really declined, because Slayton didn't really do anything noticeable all summer.

[Joemailman]

On second thought, Jonathan Ford signed to PS and C James Empey released.

[Fritz]

On second thought, Jonathan Ford signed to PS and C James Empey released.

Good. Gotta have that big body backup.

I like the PS call-up rule. If, say, a key ST guy isn’t going to be available, you have options.