More than two dozen former Illini vying for NFL roster spots
Aug. 6—The New York Jets and Cleveland Browns kicked off the 2023 NFL preseason Thursday in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. The bulk of the preseason action starts next week, and Illinois beat writer Scott Richey breaks down every former Illini in the NFL:
Allegretti will at least spend the coming season with the Chiefs — his fifth with the organization — after signing a one-year deal in March. The first four were rather successful. Allegretti has played on two Super Bowl-winning teams and has 12 starts in 57 career games mostly as a backup guard/center.
Tony Adams
New York Jets
The Jets haven't released an official depth chart yet, but don't be surprised when Adams is the No. 1 free safety when it happens. New York coach Robert Saleh said the former Illini defensive back and undrafted free agent "made it impossible" to cut him last season after totaling 17 tackles in 11 games.
Calvin Avery
Counting stats are hard to come by as a nose guard in the Illinois defense. But Avery's breakthrough 2022 season, mostly occupying blockers, opened the door to sign with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent. He faces an uphill climb, however, behind guys like Khyiris Tonga, Jaquelin Roy and Sheldon Day.
The door is wide open for Brown to wind up Joe Mixon's primary backup at running back. The fifth-round draft pick already had that kind of opportunity after his 1,600-yard season at Illinois last fall, but a training camp ankle injury to Trayveon Williams only pushed Brown closer to the top of the depth chart.
It didn't take long for Brown establish himself as a real option in the Philadelphia secondary. The former Illinois safety started training camp getting strictly third-team reps, but within a week, was running with the second team. Right now, he projects as the backup strong safety behind five-year pro Terrell Edmunds.
Owen Carney Jr.
Cincinnati Bengals
Carney is starting the 2023 season where he ended the 2022 season. Signed by Cincinnati last November after a stint with the Miami Dolphins, he spent the final six weeks of the regular season and the postseason on the Bengals' practice squad. Carney has several defensive ends to pass on the depth chart.
Kody Case
Case turned a rookie minicamp invite into a training camp roster spot. All without taking a single snap in one season at Illinois, as injury issues kept the former South Dakota wide receiver sidelined. Case has already snagged a couple highlight-reel worthy passes, but he's still likely well down the depth chart.
Tommy DeVito
New York invested $160 million in a new four-year deal for quarterback Daniel Jones. Sort of indicates what the Giants are thinking at the top of the depth chart. There's also Tyrod Taylor to pass to wind up as Jones' backup, but it wouldn't be crazy to think Devito could wind up on the practice squad.
Eifler returns to the Commanders in 2023 after signing a one-year extension in February. The former Illinois linebacker spent some time on injured reserve in 2022 but started and finished the season on Washington's active roster. This will be Eifler's third season in D.C. after ending 2021 on the practice squad.
Green couldn't have had a better start to his NFL career. The Peoria native and former Illinois offensive lineman started 15 games at guard in 2021. Then, the Steelers moved him to center ahead of the 2022 after he lost out to Kevin Dalton in a position battle at left guard. Green was active for all 17 games in 2022 but did not play.
New York Jets
Hardee is coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2022. The former Illinois wide receiver turned NFL cornerback has carved out a niche as a star on special teams. He had 14 tackles and a forced fumble last season for New York and, NFL kickoff rule changes aside, will be back in that role for the Jets this coming season.
The least surprising roster news last year was Hansen winding up on the Lovie Smith-coached Texans. The former Illinois linebacker played in 11 games and had 21 tackles to go with one forced fumble (of course) and one fumble recovery. Smith might be gone, but Hansen is back with Houston as a backup linebacker.
Where Hobbs winds up in the Oakland secondary this coming season, not if, is the question. The former Illinois cornerback lined up primarily in the slot as a rookie and spent year two all over the Raiders' defensive backfield. A broken hand partially derailed his 2022 season, but he still had 72 tackles and four pass breakups.
Three interceptions off Aaron Rodgers, including his last ever pass as a Green Bay Packers quarterback, were the highlight of Joseph's rookie season. The former Illinois safety played in all 17 games, broke into the starting lineup in Week 4 and finished his first year with 82 tackles, eight pass breakups and four interceptions.
Cincinnati Bengals
The center-quarterback exchange in Cincinnati, for the moment, is between Karras and Trevor Siemian. At least until Joe Burrow is recovered from his calf injury in training camp. The former Illini offensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl winner with the New England Patriots is in his eighth season in the NFL and fifth as a starter.
Minnesota Vikings
While Lowe spent most of his rookie season on the Vikings' practice squad, he was on the active roster for the final four games of the year. The regular season finale against Chicago provided his longest look on the Minnesota offensive line, and he enters year two as a potential backup to right tackle Brian O'Neill.
Washington Commanders
Martin's versatility helped him thrive at nickel back to close out his Illinois career. That success led to him winding up a second-round draft pick, and that investment from the Commanders might see him start in a similar position in the Washington secondary along with first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes.
James McCourt
Jacksonville signing free agent kicker Brandon McManus in May after he spent the last nine seasons with the Denver Broncos doesn't bode well for McCourt. The former Illini kicker spent the entire 2022 season on the Jaguars' practice squad, and it will take quite the training camp performance to make the active roster.
McLaughlin signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay in late May, and the former Illini projects as the Buccaneers' starting kicker. McLaughlin made 30 of 36 field goals and all 21 extra-point attempts in 2022 for the Indianapolis Colts. He's appeared in 47 games the last fours seasons playing for seven different teams.
Alex Palczewski
Denver Broncos
Palczewski turned his six-year Illinois career into an undrafted free-agent opportunity with the Broncos. Palczewski signed with Denver following the draft in April and will have to turn some heads during training camp to make the 53-man roster. He currently projects as the Broncos' third-string left tackle.
Del'Shawn Phillips
Phillips' efforts in pass defense in the early days of training camp might help him stick on the Baltimore roster. The former Illinois linebacker's role likely leans toward special teams, which is what kept him active with the Ravens in 2022 and the New York Jets in 2021, but everything helps when fighting for a roster spot.
Alex Pihlstrom
Pihlstrom is looking to turn his one season as starting center at Illinois into an NFL job backing up Erik McCoy in New Orleans. That task looked within reach when veteran center Billy Price was released in late July, but the Saints went on to sign free agent Max Garcia to a one-year, $1.165 million deal.
Kendall Smith
Washington Commanders
Smith was ready to leave Illinois after the 2021 season, but pulled out of the transfer portal and finally had his breakout season in year six in Champaign. Five interceptions and 39 tackles later, he signed with the Commanders and now has to emerge from the back end of the depth chart to make the roster.
Dawuane Smoot
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars brought Smoot back on a one-year deal right before camp started. A last-minute move mostly related to his recovery from an Achilles injury in Week 16 last season. Smoot's entire six-year NFL career has played out in Jacksonville, and he has 123 career tackles, 60 quarterback hits and 221/2 sacks.
Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis signed Turner in February after he spent the 2022 season with the Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers. The former Illinois wide receiver, who is one of 13 in camp for the Colts, has 29 career receptions for 414 yards and four touchdowns since his NFL debut in 2018 with the Seattle Seahawks.
New York Giants
Ward started 11 of 17 games at outside linebacker for the Giants last season and racked up 43 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks. The eight-year pro hadn't started that many games since his NFL debut in 2016 with the then-Oakland Raiders, and he's competing for more of the same for this season.
Devon Witherspoon
Seattle Seahawks
Witherspoon was the last 2023 NFL draft pick to sign when he inked his four-year, $31.86 million deal with a $20.17 million signing bonus from the Seahawks. Now that his holdout is finished, the former Illinois All-American and No. 5 overall pick can assume his status as one of Seattle's starting cornerbacks.
