Gopher Football: Gophers in the NFL--Preseason Update Edition

This season there are 18 former Gophers in NFL training camps as the NFL preseason games begin Thursday night. Lets take a look at all of them after a week and a half pf preseason action and their updated chances of making the final 53-man rosters.

We start with the 2016 NFL Rookies:

Eric Murray-DB Kansas City Chiefs

Murray did not get much defensive action in the Chiefs opener, but made a great special teams tackle. Murray may not see the field a lot on defense early in the year, but could be a special teams stud for KC.

95 % 100% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Briean Boddy-Calhoun-DB Jacksonville Jaguars

BBC did not appear in the participation report for the Jags first preseason game. Thats not a good sign. Things are not looking good for him to make the 53-man roster.

25 % 5% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

De'Vondre Campbell-LB Atlanta Falcons

Campbell impressed in the first preseason game for Atlanta with four tackles including one for a loss. He added two more in the second game Thursday night. He is catching the attention of the Atlanta media as well including this nice feature in the Falcons SB Nation Blog.

100 % Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

KJ Maye-WR New York Giants

Maye saw a little action at WR in the Giants opener and returned one punt for 15 yards before it getting wiped out for a penalty. Its still a long uphill climb for KJ to make the final roster.

10 % Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Peter Mortell- P Green Bay Packers

Mortell has has a pretty good preseason so far for the Packers. He had a 44 yard average on his three punts in the Packers first preseason game including all three inside the 20. In the second game Thursday night, Mortell was even better with two punts over 50 yards, while his competition Tim Masthay had a punt blocked. Even if Mortell does not make the Packers, he is looking really good at having a shot to sneak into another job after cut day.

40 % 55% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Theiran Cockran--DE Minnesota Vikings

Cockran has yet to record a stat in either of the Vikings first two preseason games. I don’t even think he makes the cut down to 75 men.

2% 0% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Next is the class of 2015:

Maxx Williams-TE Baltimore Ravens

Maxx caught two balls for 15 yards in late first and second quarter action in Baltimore’s preseason opener. His competetion also fared well, so maxx still had work to do to solidify his roster spot.

90 % Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Damien Wilson--LB Dallas Cowboys

Wilson did not play in the Cowboys first preseason game after still reocvering from his eye injury. He needs to pick up the pace here or Dallas might not wait for him to get back to health.

90 % 65% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Cedric Thompson-S New England Patriots

Thompson looked good in the Patriots opener recording two solo tackles and combining for another two. He did not show up in the stats for the second preseason game Thursday night though. He still has a tough road but may have a good solid lock on a practice squad spot.

5 % Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

David Cobb--RB Tennessee Titans

Cobb has been having a great camp, but came down with a slight hamstring injury and missed the first preseason game for the Titans. Thats not good when in a tough roster battle for one or two spots. while deserved or not, Cobb has started to get an injury prone reputation in Tennessee, and his chances of making the roster get slimmer and slimmer the more time he misses.

55 % 33% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Issac Fruechte--WR Minnesota Vikings

Fruechte caught two passes for ten yards in the opener against the Bengals but did not add anything in the second game Thursday aganst the Seahawks. Issac still looks like hes on the outside looking in.

2 % Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

The older guys round out the rest:

Ra'Shede Hageman--DE Atlanta Falcons

Hageman didn’t have a great debut in his first game at defensive end for Atlanta. The same was true in game two where he did not record a stat. I don’t think he gets cut, but his playing time chances looks worse and worse every week.

100 % 90% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Marqueis Gray--TE Miami Dolphins

Gray missed the Dolphins opener with his leg injury he suffered, and has not returned to practices since. He will need to recover quickly, or Miami will most likely move on.

30 % 15% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Brock Vereen-DB-- New England Patriots Kansas City Chiefs

Vereen had a rather interesting week. Abruptly after practice on Monday, it was announced that Vereen had told the Patriots he was retiring. Then on Tuesday, he unretired and tried to come back with New England. Apparently Bill Belicheck wanted nothing to do with that, so the Patriots waved him on Tuesday, and he was picked up by Kansas City on Wednesday. Vereen so far has not commented on any of this weeks events, so noone really knows whats going on. Either way his chance of making KC’s roster probably is not good, but if he can get a practice squad spot somewhere he might be able to sneak on a roster midseason.

10 % 2% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Eric Decker--WR New York Jets

Yeah...don't need to say much here. Yep.

1000000000 % Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Troy Stoudermire--WR Minnesota Vikings

Stoudermire is making a good impact on the Vikings on special teams. In the first preseason game he returned two kickoffs for a 27.5 yard average and returned two punts for 12 yards. Thursday night in the second preseason game Troy returnedon e kickoff for 31 yards and three punts for 4 yards. Offensively Stoudermire is a non factor. If he will make this team it will be on special teams exclusively. Unfortunately for Troy, his former Gopher teammate below probably still has the inside track on the return jobs for the Vikings.

3 % 5% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Marcus Sherels--CB/PR Minnesota Vikings

Sherels missed the Vikings first preseason game to be with his brother MIke during his health scare back in the Twin Cities. He returned to the team this week, and while some people thought that Sherels could be in danger of being one of the last guys out, his performance Thursday night put those questions to rest. Sherels returned one kick for 28 yards, one punt for 14 yards...and oh yeah took back a Trevon Boykin pass for a game-winning pick 6. Mike Zimmer gushed about Sherels after the game. He’s a lock.

90 % 100% Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

Tramaine Brock-CB San Francisco 49ers

Brock played limited time in San Fran’s opener, but its because he has a spot locked down to start. He’s going nowhere.

100 % Chance To Make The Final 53-Man Roster

So there are a few players who may not make the cut down to 75 man rosters on August 30th. We will have another update after that cut and see who is left to fight for a spot on the final 53-man rosters.