Tryouts
No tryouts were recorded on the NFL wire relating to spring football players this week.
Transactions
A quiet week for tryouts was also a quiet week for transactions. Just two on Tuesday, where the San Francisco 49ers released DT Bruce Hector (Renegades) from the practice squad, making this an eight-day stint for Hector. The Denver Broncos signed LB Garrett Nelson (Brahmas) to the practice squad. Nelson was in training camp with the Broncos this year before spending some time on the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad.
XFL
*In a Thursday night upset loss to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) handled all long snaps, as per usual, for the Steelers, without incident.
*Though QB Jayden Daniels suffered a hamstring injury versus Dallas that led to backup Marcus Mariota entering the game, Washington QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) remained on the sidelines as the emergency third QB.
*Listed as a DNP all week at practice, S Elijah Campbell (Defenders) missed his second game in a row with a quad injury.
*Snapping to new kicker Jake Moody for the second consecutive week as starting kicker Cairo Santos nurses an injury, LS Scott Daly (NY Guardians) played a part in Moody going four-for-four on field goals for Chicago.
*Green Bay was able to steal the win away from Arizona near the end of the game. P Daniel Whelan (Defenders) punted three times for the Packers and averaged 58 yards per kick with a net of 47. One of his punts went for a touchback.
*Despite getting in a full week of practice after missing last weekend’s game with an injury, DT LaCale London (Battlehawks) was on the inactive list for Atlanta’s Sunday night game against San Francisco, making him a healthy scratch.
*For Atlanta, K Parker Romo (Brahmas) was good from 38 yards out as well as on his lone extra point try. Worth noting, Romo does not kick off for the Falcons; rather, punter Bradley Pinion handles that duty.
*Once again on the inactive list despite being healthy for Tampa Bay on Monday night was DT C.J. Brewer (Roughnecks).
USFL
*After a few weeks of short field goals, K Brandon Aubrey (Stallions) got to display his strong, accurate leg once again for Dallas. He was good on three attempts, from 47, 61, and 29. He also nailed all five extra point attempts. Aubrey now has field goals of longer than 60 yards in all three of his Cowboy seasons, and he has hit five field goals from 50 yards or more already this year.
*Returning after a two-game injury absence was Dallas WR KaVontae Turpin (Generals). On 30 Dak Prescott pass attempts, Turpin saw just one target, catching it for 17 yards. He returned two punts for four yards and three kickoffs for 80 yards (26.7 average). Turpin seemed to be eased back into things, playing only 30% of offensive snaps (fourth among receivers), with an additional 28% of snaps on special teams.
*DT LaBryan Ray (Stars) played on 21% of defensive snaps (13 total) but did not record any stats in Carolina’s victory over the New York Jets.
*Denver scored 33 points in the fourth quarter to defeat the New York Giants. LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) was part of that comeback, snapping on extra points and a lone field goal, in addition to six punts.
*Though he didn’t start this week, DE Jalen Redmond (Renegades) made four tackles (two solo, two assist) and one tackle for loss as Minnesota came up just short against Philadelphia. Despite not starting, he played a more significant share of the snaps on defense (74%) than starters Dallas Turner (60%) and Javon Hargrave (36%).
*In a battle of 1-5 teams, LS Rex Sunahara (Brahmas) and the Cleveland Browns bested the Miami Dolphins. Sunahara made an assisted tackle on punt coverage.
*Opening the scoring for Cleveland, K Andre Szmyt (Battlehawks) was good from 30 yards out in the first quarter, his only field goal attempt on the afternoon. He was also a solid four-for-four on extra points.
*Registering two tackles and his first sack of the season was LB Dondrea Tillman (Stallions), one of two tackles (one solo, one assist) he had on defense in playing 45% of the snaps. Tillman added an assisted tackle on special teams as well, where he played 70% of the snaps.
*Joining Brandon Aubrey in making field goals from 61 yards in week seven was Green Bay K Lucas Havrisik (Renegades), kicking once again for Brandon McManus, who sat for the second consecutive week with a quad injury. McManus did not practice all week. Havrisik also made a field goal from 31 and hit on three extra points. The 61-yard field goal was his career long (as well as a Packers franchise record long) and was attempted just before the end of the first half. This week was the only week in NFL history in which multiple 60+ yard field goals were made – both by spring football vets.
*QB Adrian Martinez (Stallions) was active but did not play as the backup to Mac Jones in San Francisco.
*After missing an early 54-yard field goal wide left, K Jake Bates (Panthers) was left one-for-four on field goals of beyond 50 yards on the season for Detroit. He made up for it later, drilling one from 58 yards, tying his NFL career long. He also made all three extra point attempts.
*Back returning kickoffs was RB Jacob Saylors (Battlehawks) on Monday night for the Lions. He took back two for 54 yards. Saylors also contributed a special teams tackle in playing 75% of the snaps on that unit.
*In his fifth career NFL game, CB Nick Whiteside (Battlehawks) had himself an evening. In the national spotlight on Monday night and with Detroit’s secondary decimated by injuries, Whiteside rose to the occasion to the tune of one defensive tackle and three passes defensed. Included in the latter stat was a full-extension layout in the end zone to bat a pass down that would’ve been a touchdown. Whiteside also made a tackle on special teams. He was Pro Football Focus’s highest-graded defender for the Lions. He played 58% of defensive snaps and 46% on special teams. The performance by a host of reserves in holding Tampa Bay to just nine points was called by ESPN’s Troy Aikman, “one of the best defensive efforts I’ve ever seen.”
*All of the contributions from WR Malik Turner (Panthers) came on special teams, where he made three tackles. One was a takedown of returner Jamal Agnew – had he gotten past Turner, he may have taken it to the house for an Atlanta score. Turner played 55% of special teams snaps for the 49ers, as well as 15% on offense. This was Turner’s third practice squad elevation, meaning he’ll have to be added to the 53-man roster or released, pass through waivers, and re-signed in order to be eligible to play in another game.
Byes: Baltimore Ravens LS Nick Moore (TB Vipers)
