JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Cut day in the NFL meant some former area stars were on the move on Tuesday, with several players with area ties released by their teams by the 4 p.m. deadline. Players who cleared waivers were eligible to be re-signed to practice squads, which is something that happened Wednesday. Eight players who were released in initial cuts have been re-signed to practice squads. NFL teams can carry up to 16 players on practice squads.
Practice squad players make $12,000 per week or $216,000 for a full NFL season of 18 weeks. That number jumps to $16,100 per week for players with more than two years experience. Practice squad players can be signed by any other NFL team during the season as long as they are being signed to the active 53-man roster. For instance, a practice squad player can’t be signed from one practice squad to another.
Recommended Videos
Local players who were cut Tuesday
- Pos., Player, Local tie, Team
- WR Shemar Bridges, Potter’s House, Ravens
- C Brad Cecil, Bartram Trail, Lions
- LB Andrew Farmer, First Coast, Chargers (signed to practice squad)
- DL Trysten Hill, Suwannee, Browns (signed to practice squad)
- LB Dequan Jackson, Riverside, Jaguars (signed to practice squad)
- RB DeWayne McBride, Bradford/Fleming Island, Vikings (signed to practice squad)
- LB Tyler Murray, Baldwin, Bengals (signed to practice squad)
- QB Nathan Peterman, Bartram Trail, Bears
- K Jack Podlesny, Glynn Academy, Vikings
- LB Ryan Smenda, Fleming Island, Rams
- LB Andre Smith, Trinity Christian, Falcons (signed to practice squad)
- CB Kevin Toliver, Trinity Christian, Colts (signed to practice squad)
- DB Chris Westry, Oakleaf, Browns
- WR Javon Wims, White, Panthers
- QB John Wolford, Bishop Kenny, Buccaneers (signed to practice squad)
Those moves mean that seven of the eight players with ties to the area who were selected in last April’s NFL draft made their teams’ initial 53-man roster. Another good story was that of offensive lineman Ricky Lee III made the Panthers’ 53-man roster. Lee, who graduated from Riverside High (Lee High), was an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina A&T.
Chamarri Conner (Trinity Christian/Chiefs), Stetson Bennett (Pierce County, Ga./Rams), Will Mallory (Providence/Colts), Warren McClendon (Brunswick/Rams), Xavier Hutchinson (Bartram Trail/Texans), Demario Douglas (Mandarin/Patriots), Ameer Speed (Sandalwood/Patriots) and Cooper Hodges (Baker County/Jaguars) all made their teams’ 53-man roster. So, too, did Isaiah Bolden, who spent his first two years in high school at Bartram Trail. Bolden was placed on New England’s injured reserve.
Another former area star, ex-Trinity Christian receiver Isaiah Ford, was placed on injured reserve by the Bears.