9/6/2023 football Edit

NFL Knights: Former Rutgers Football players set for 2023 NFL season

Richie O'Leary • TheKnightReport

Publisher

Cut day has come and gone for NFL franchises and currently 10 former Scarlet Knights players have made the active roster and several others on practice squads.

With that being said, The Knight Report takes a quick look at each former player in the league.

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GUS EDWARDS -- BALTIMORE RAVENS

A little over a year removed an ACL injury, Edwards returned to Baltimore midway through the season last year in week seven and finished the year third on the team in carries with 87 attempts for 433 yards and three touchdowns.

Now although the Ravens are expected to once again go with a running back by committee for their offense, the team did list Edwards as the clear cut starter on the depth chart to start the season so as long as he's healthy this could be a sneaky good year for the former back.

ISAIH PACHECO -- KANSAS CITY CHEIFS

The Super Bowl winning running back, had quite the rookie year rushing for 830 yards and five touchdowns and another in the big game. Now Pop is already hyping himself up to the media for this season, calling himself one of the top five running backs of all time.

Now that's quite the statement, but Pacheco is opening the season as the Chiefs RB1 so let's see if he can live up to it.

MICHAEL BURTON -- DENVER BRONCOS

Another former Scarlet Knight who won the Super Bowl last year was Michael Burton, who is one of a only a select few fullbacks still in the league as only a few teams use them.

Now this offseason, Burton made a move and signed with the Broncos where he will reunite with HC Sean Payton who he spent May 2019 to August 2019 with the New Orleans Saints.

TE TYLER KROFT -- MIAMI DOLPHINS

Kroft didn't do a whole lot with the San Francisco 49ers last season, only hauling in four receptions for 57 yards throughout 11 games last season, but this offseason he made a move to the Dolphins this offseason.

He actually was cut by the Dolphins after not doing much in the preseason, but was resigned by the franchise about a day later and is currently on the active roster to start the season.

DT SEBASTIAN JOSEPH-DAY -- LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Year one was quietly a good one for Joseph-Day on the Chargers, registering 56 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, six QB hits, two sacks, an interception and a safety last season.

If the Chargers want to have another double digit win season, then it will be behind Joseph-Day and the rest of the stout Chargers defense.

LB OLAKUNLE FATUKASI -- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Fatukasi has had quite the interesting journey in the NFL thus far, as he made the Buccaneers roster last season to start the year and played in 13 games with six special teams tackles. He was then released in December 2022 and signed to the Broncos practice squad to finish the year.

This offseason he signed with the Chiefs in mid August before being placed on the IR earlier this week.

CB TRE AVERY -- TENNESSEE TITANS

Not only did Tre Avery make the 53 man roster for the Titans last season, but he made some serious noise throughout the year as one of the team's top ranked defensive players.

This year he's back with the Titans again, however he's listed as a backup cornerback so he will once again have to earn his playing time, but he's done it once, no reason he can't do it again.

CB CHRISTIAN BRASWELL

Drafted early in the sixth round by the Jaguars this offseason, Braswell has made the Jaguars 2023 active roster and will be one of a select few cornerbacks that they decided to keep on board.

This preseason, Braswell was stellar as only allowed four receptions on eight targets for 28 yards along with an interception. It will be interesting to see if he can keep that up in the regular season.

S CHRISTIAN IZIEN -- TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

For the second year in a row, an undrafted Scarlet Knight has made Tampa Bay's active roster and not just the roster, Izien is the Buccaneers starting nickel defensive back to enter the season.

LS ANDREW DEPAOLA -- MINNESOTA VIKINGS

For the fourth season in a row, DePaola will be the Minnesota Vikings long snapper. He has bounced around a bit in his now 11-year NFL career, but the Vikings appear to love him and expect him to remain there for as long as he can.