Just as the Syracuse Orange completes the soccer depth table in 2021, former Syracuse players are also learning about their respective fates in the NFL. After years of seemingly declining levels of Orange football players at the professional level, it finally seems like those numbers are rising again.
Below is a short list of the Syracuse players you are likely to see on the field this year, as the NFL teams reduced their roster to 53 teams less than two weeks before the 2021 regular season began.
Arizona Cardinals
- Roster created: DE Chandler Jones, OT Justin Pugh
- Editor: OT Koda Martin
The cards have quietly gone to “Syracuse West” as Arizona had three Orange players in the preseason and is apparently reduced to two, with Koda Martin potentially cut. Chandler Jones filed for a trade back in July, but TBD if that results in the elite pass rusher actually going elsewhere.
Atlanta Falcons
- Editing: P Sterling Hofrichter, DT Chris Slayton
Unfortunately Syracuse was 0v2 with the Falcons. Hof was cut on the weekend, in an affront to Punter U. Slayton was cut on Tuesday morning. Hopefully Hof can get his way somewhere as punting is always a necessity and the teams will try to fill this role with the cheapest option.
Denver Broncos
- Abandoned / injured: OT Cody Conway
Unfortunately, Conway’s season ended about a month ago due to an ACL injury.
Detroit Lions
- Created roster: CB Ifeatu Melifonwu
After Iffy was selected in the third round this spring, he made the list of Lions and will be on the corner. It’s a fairly young group for the Lions, so there is a long-term chance for him to establish himself in Detroit.
Indianapolis Colts
- Created squad: LB Zaire Franklin
No wonder a Colts captain was added to the list. Franklin is a captain of the special teams, but now he also gets more opportunities on the defensive. That kind of climb is what we have to expect from Zaire, who has consistently overcome long quotas to make a big impact.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Drafted roster: S Andre Cisco
As you can see above, Cisco has already made its presence known at the NFL level, and like Iffy, he’ll have an early chance to be a big part of a young defense here. It’s already in the mix to start, so hopefully Jags fans will have their sisqo gifs ready for the first week.
Los Angeles Rams
Jackson made it to the shock of some Rams watchers last year, but wasn’t so lucky this time. Perhaps the weird thing about 2021 was that injured rookie recipient Ben Skowronek was basically added to the list instead.
Miami dolphins
- Drafted roster: DB Trill Williams
After the saints claimed the waivers, it seemed like an uphill battle for Trill in Miami, given the number of DBs on the list. And yet, even though the Phins have 12 on the team, he’s one of them. Should have known when he was included in last week’s Spider-Man video …
Saints of New Orleans
Cooney’s stint with the Saints ended last week, but there’s still a chance he’ll catch up somewhere. Although you’d think court is probably the more experienced option when teams are looking for a player.
New York Giants
- List created: P Riley Dixon
Punter U can keep at least one. Dixon returns to the Giants and won’t have a backup on the team. So it’s his job as long as he does well enough to avoid a mid-season free agent replacement (or injury).
Seattle Seahawks
- Squad created: DE Alton Robinson
Robinson has put on a solid show this preseason, and Seahawks watchers all seem pretty confident he’s part of the long-term solution to Seattle’s pass rush. Expect to see a lot of him this year after looking good as a rookie in the spurts.
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Congratulations to all of the SU players who made roster cuts and hopefully those who didn’t make it elsewhere and / or as an addition to the practice team.
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