Spartans in the NFL 2016

[Sbee]

Long list of NFL players, good to see Jerel Worthy on a roster

Notable players on 2016 rosters

* Kirk Cousins enters his second season as the Washington Redskins starter, making him the only one of four former Michigan State quarterbacks on rosters to enter the year as a starter. He signed a one-year contract in the offseason for nearly $20 million.

* Jeremy Langford enters his second season with the Chicago Bears, and following the offseason departure of Matt Forte becomes the team's featured back this year. He ran 148 times for 537 yards as a rookie last year.

* Le'Veon Bell doesn't technically start the season on a 53-man roster, as he is under suspension to start the year, but will join the Steelers after three games. He was suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

* Darqueze Dennard suffered a severe shoulder injury late in the 2015 season and a sprained ankle during fall camp and missed the entire preseason. But he returned to practice this week, made the Bengals' 53-man roster and could potentially start in the team's opener.

* The award for the longest-tenured former Michigan State player in the NFL belongs to former defensive tackle Domata Peko. He is entering his 11th season with the Bengals, and has 155 games with 140 starts under his belt.

Notable late cuts

* Jack Allen made it late into New Orleans Saints camp as an undrafted free agent offensive lineman, but was among the team's late cuts. He earned a spot on the team's practice squad, though, as did recent former Spartans Marcus Rush (San Francisco) and Dan France (Cleveland).

* Keshawn Martin was a late cut by the Patriots, after playing nine games for them last year. He hasn't signed with another team, making the four-year veteran wide receiver a free agent to start the season.

* Linebacker Taiwan Jones made the active roster of the New York Jets late in 2015 as an undrafted rookie, but was a late cut this fall and as of late Monday hadn't been signed to a practice squad as of Monday evening.

Former Michigan State players on 2016 NFL Rosters
Aaron Burbridge, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Bennie Fowler, WR, Denver Broncos
Brian Hoyer, QB, Chicago Bears
Connor Cook, Oakland Raiders, QB
Darqueze Dennard, CB, Cincinnati Bengals
Dion Sims, TE, Miami Dolphins
Domata Peko, DT, Cincinnati Bengals
Drew Stanton, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Garrett Celek, TE, San Francisco 49ers
Jack Conklin, OT, Tennessee Titans
Jerel Worthy, DT, Buffalo Bills
Jeremy Langford, RB, Chicago Bears
Joel Heath, DT, Houston Texans
Keith Mumphrey, WR, Houston Texans
Kellen Davis, TE, New York Jets
Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins
Lawrence Thomas, DE, New York Jets
Max Bullough, LB, Houston Texans
Shilique Calhoun, LB, Oakland Raiders
Tony Lippett, DB, Miami Dolphins
Trae Waynes, CB, Minnesota Vikings
William Gholston, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

 

[Spartanmack]

hmmm, no Johnny Adams - that's so surprising...seems he's playing up in Canada after peaking as a practice squad player. Nobody saw that coming, or did someone?

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

I watched a Dolphins preseason game and Lippett looked awful as a DB. Got completely spun around a few times. Twitter ripped him apart. Trae Waynes has struggled a bit too with penalties. I think Jeremy Langford will have a huge year!

 

[Spartanmack]

I still think people were crazy when they said Waynes was the best corner we've had. The only edge he had over Dennard was speed - Dennard was way more physical, more of a ball hawk and a better cover guy. Waynes was a great #2 guy in the backfield with Dennard but when he was the guy, he wasn't as effective as Dennard. He should have tried returning punts or kicks in college because I don't think he's going to make it for very long as starting corner. I hope for his sake I'm wrong, but I'd take Dennard over him any day of the week.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Good to see Lawrence Thomas make a roster.

Cousins named team captain of the Skins.