NFL Wolverines: Several Preseason Notes
Michigan has several players on preseason NFL teams, young and old, and it's a list that continues to grow. One — Dallas Cowboys rookie end Taco Charlton — struggled in the Hall of Fame game, playing only two series a week ago, but he rebounded with a sack, three tackles, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry in the first quarter alone of a 13-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
"It felt good to finally get one and start down a road to many more, I hope," Charlton told Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News.
Rookie corner Jourdan Lewis has missed both preseason games with a hamstring injury.
Notes on some of the other Wolverines in action, by team (those like New England's Tom Brady, for example, won't be listed because they didn't play or played sparingly, but all rookies are included):
Baltimore Ravens: Rookie DE Chris Wormley notched one tackle for loss and rookie punter Kenny Allen kicked three times for a 47.3-yard average (long of 57), dropped one punt inside the 20 in a 23-3 win over Washington.
From the Baltimore Sun:
Rookie third-round defensive end Chris Wormley has had a relatively quiet training camp, but he blew up a running play early in Monday’s workout. He got inside his blocker, shot the gap and touched down Buck Allen before the running back had a chance to reach the line of scrimmage.
Cincinnati Bengals: Rookie defensive tackle Ryan Glasgow notched one tackle in a 23-12 win over Tampa Bay.
Cleveland Browns: Rookie Jabrill Peppers notched one punt return for 13 yards on three opportunities and one kick return for 27 yards. He took 16 snaps at safety, four on special teams. Rookie corner Channing Sribling played only on special teams.
Denver Broncos: Jake Butt is still recovering from ACL surgery, but rookie safety Dymonte Thomas notched two solo tackles in a 24-17 win over Chicago.
Detroit Lions: Graham Glasgow played a lot about both guard and center in a 24-10 win at Indianapolis.
Houston: Rookie Matt Godin notched two tackles (one solo) on 16 snaps in a 27-17 loss to Carolina.
Jacksonville: Chad Henne, the Jaguars' backup, went 5-for-6 for 139 yards and a score in a 31-24 win over New England.
Kansas City: Rookie Jehu Chesson returned three kicks 78 yards (26-yard avg., long of 39) and was targeted only once during 13 snaps in a 27-17 loss to San Francisco.
Miami: Rookie De'Veon Smith notched 12 yards on 7 carries with a long of five yards on 10 total snaps in a 23-20 win over Atlanta.
Minnesota: Rookie linebacker Ben Gedeon notched six tackles, five solo, on 32 snaps (plus 12 on special teams) in a 17-10 win over Buffalo. The coaches have called him a 'very instinctive football player' and like what he brings to the table both at MLB and OLB.
“He’s playing both right now, and a lot of those guys are kind of playing different spots,” head coach Mike Zimmer said. “I thought he had a good day [Tuesday]. He’s a guy that finds the football, he’s getting physical off of blocks, he did a good job of coverage yesterday – which, that will be the thing he’s going to have to work on, because it’s a little different being outside than it is inside.”
Pittsburgh: RB Fitz Toussaint carried six times for 19 yards in a 20-12 win over the Giants.
San Francisco: Rookie Erik Magnuson saw 41 snaps in a 27-17 win over Kansas City.
Seattle: Rookie safety Delano Hill notched one tackle in a 48-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Washington: Rookie guard Kyle Kalis took 25 snaps in a 23-3 loss to Baltimore.