23 Former Cardinals on 2024 NFL Training Camp Roster
![Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball to score a touchdown against Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball to score a touchdown against Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4684,h_2634,x_247,y_293/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/louisville_report/01j3jtzycv6mz8rz81jk.jpg)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The long offseason is nearly over, and the 2024 NFL season is just on the horizon. July 24 marked the final day in which players are to report for training camp across the league, starting the process of shaping rosters for all 32 teams ahead of the 53-man roster cut deadline on Aug. 27.
As you can imagine, there is a significant Louisville presence as teams prepare to begin their season. At the start of training camp, 23 former Cardinals are on rosters in hopes of making the final cut.
Many are guaranteed to make the final roster, while others are in need of a strong preseason. Below are all 23 former Louisville football players taking part in the NFL's training camp:
Yasir Abdullah
Position: Linebacker
Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Years at UofL: 2018-22
A year removed from being selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Abdullah didn't see much on-field time as a rookie. He played just 45 defensive snaps across five games, and logged only one tackles and a QB hit.
Jaire Alexander
Position: Cornerback
Team: Green Bay Packers
Years at UofL: 2015-17
Alexander had to miss 10 games last season due to injury, but he was still impactful in the time where he did see the field. In seven starts, he compiled 27 tackles, five pass breakups, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss.
Tutu Atwell
Position: Wide Receiver
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Years at UofL: 2018-20
In his third season in the NFL, Atwell became a full-time starter for the Rams, and had his best season in the league up to this point. His 39 receptions for 483 yards and three touchdowns were all career-highs, and all were fourth on the Rams this past season.
Mekhi Becton
Position: Offensive Tackle
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Years at UofL: 2017-19
Becton started 16 games for the Jets this past season, but New York opted not to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. The former first round pick then later signed with the Eagles as a free agent.
Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
Position: Cornerback
Team: Tennessee Titans
Years at UofL: 2022-23
Brownlee was the second of four Cardinals to be selected in April's NFL Draft, which was the most since the same were drafted in 2018. In his final season with Louisville, he logged 30 tackles, one for loss, six pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Geron Christian Sr.
Position: Offensive Tackle
Team: Tennessee Titans
Years at UofL: 2015-17
Christian started the 2023 season with the Houston Texans, but was after seing just one game of action, he was waived in mid-October. An injury-riddled Cleveland Brown signed him later that month, and started him for their final nine games of the regular season. He signed with the Titans just last month.
Kei'Trel Clark
Position: Cornerback
Team: Arizona Cardinals
Years at UofL: 2020-22
After being picked in the sixth round of last year's NFL Draft, Clark saw a fair amount of playing time as a rookie for Arizona. He played in 14 games and made seven starts, logging 43 tackles (37 solo) with two for loss and four pass break ups.
Malik Cunningham
Position: Wide Receiver
Team: Baltimore Ravens
Years at UofL: 2017-22
Cunningham originally signed with the Patriots last offseason as a UDFA, but played just six regular season snaps with New England. The Ravens signed him off the Pats' practice squad last December, playing four snaps in their regular season finale, then converted him to wide receiver in the spring.
YaYa Diaby
Position: Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Years at UofL: 2020-22
After being a top-100 NFL Draft pick last season, Diaby had an extremely impactful rookie campaign with the Buccaneers. Playing all 17 games with seven starts, he finished with 38 tackles (25 solo), 12 for loss, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and eight QB hits. Diaby finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Storm Duck
Position: Cornerback
Team: Miami Dolphins
Years at UofL: 2023
Duck might have gone unselected in April's draft, but the Dolphins were quick to sign him as an undrafted free agent. He finished second to Quincy Riley on the team in pass breakups this past season with seven. He also collected 32 tackles (23 solo), 1.5 for loss and a sack.
Dez Fitzpatrick
Position: Wide Receiver
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Years at UofL: 2016-20
Fitzpatrick signed a reserve/future contract with the Steelers last offseason, but didn't see much playing time at all during the 2023 season. He played just three special teams snaps in week four at Houston, and that was it.
Jonathan Greenard
Position: Outside Linebacker
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Years at UofL: 2015-17
Greenard had a monstrous year in what wound up being his final season as a Texan. He led the team in tackles for loss and sacks at 15 and 12.5, respectively, and also collected 52 total tackles, 22 QB hits and a forced fumble. He signed a four-year, $76 million deal with the Vikings in March.
Isaac Guerendo
Position: Running Back
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Years at UofL: 2023
Guerendo was the first Louisville player off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft, going at No. 129 overall. In his lone season as a Cardinal, he finished with 810 yards and 11 touchdowns on 132 rushes, along with 22 receptions for 234 yards to total 1,044 yards from scrimmage.
Tyler Harrell
Position: Wide Receiver
Team: New York Jets
Years at UofL: 2018-21
Following years at Alabama and Miami after entering the transfer portal, Harrell wound up signing as an undrafted free agent with the Jets after going unselected in April’s draft. On just 18 total receptions in 2021 his final year with Louisville, he logged 523 yards and a team-best six touchdowns.
Bryan Hudson
Position: Center
Team: Detroit Lions
Years at UofL: 2021-23
Hudson wound up being the second of five Cardinals from the 2023 season to ink undrafted free agent deals following the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite battling a knee injury for over half the year, Hudson he allowed just one sack, three quarterback hits in 490 pass block snaps played and 927 total blocking snaps, winning the 2023 Jacobs Blocking Trophy.
Lamar Jackson
Position: Quarterback
Team: Baltimore Ravens
Years at UofL: 2015-17
Jackson had a fantastic 2023 campaign, one which secured him his second MVP honor in just five years. His 67.2 completion percentage and 3,678 passing yards were both career-highs, and he threw 24 touchdown passes to just seven interceptions. On the ground, he ran for 821 yards and five touchdowns.
Jawhar Jordan
Position: Running Back
Team: Houston Texans
Years at UofL: 2021-23
Jordan was the fourth and final Cardinal to come off the board during the 2024 NFL Draft earlier this year. Despite being limited by a nagging hamstring injury in the second half of the 2023 season, he still ran for 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns on 181 rushes, while also catching 21 passes out of the backfield for 246 yards and a touchdown.
Eric Miller
Position: Offensive Tackle
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Years at UofL: 2023
Miller was the second of three Louisville offensive lineman to go undrafted following April's NFL Draft, but still find a team via a UDFA contract. He allowed just two sacks, one quarterback hit and 24 quarterback hurries over 482 pass block snaps and 920 total blocking snaps this past season.
Jack Plummer
Position: Quarterback
Team: Carolina Panthers
Years at UofL: 2023
Louisville's starting quarterback from this past season might have gone undrafted, but he still has a chance to earn a roster spot this fall. He completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 3,204 yards and 21 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, with his yardage mark and completion percentage both second in the ACC, while he placed third in the conference in passing touchdowns.
Sheldon Rankins
Position: Defensive Tackle
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Years at UofL: 2012-15
Rankins posted one of the best seasons of his career during his lone season with Houston Texans. He logged 37 total tackles (29 solo), 9.0 for loss, 6.0 sacks, 10 QB hits, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble for a touchdown - the first in his career. He inked a two-year $26 million deal with Cincinnati in March.
Jamari Thrash
Position: Wide Receiver
Team: Cleveland Browns
Years at UofL: 2023
Thrash was the third of the four Louisville players to be selected in April's NFL Draft, all of which came on the third and final day of the draft. He caught 63 passes for 858 yards and six touchdowns last season, all of which led the team.
Willie Tyler IV
Position: Offensive Tackle
Team: New York Jets
Years at UofL: 2023
Tyler wound up becoming the fifth and final Louisville player to sign an undrafted free agent deal after the 2024 NFL Draft. He allowed only seven sacks, one quarterback hit and 18 quarterback hurries over 476 pass block snaps and 893 total blocking snaps in his lone year as a Cardinal.
Russ Yeast
Position: Safety
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Years at UofL: 2017-20
Yeast began the 2023 season as the Rams' starting free safety, but saw his role take a significant step back in the second half of the year. He finished with 61 tackles (37 solo) and five pass breakups.
(Photo of Lamar Jackson and Sheldon Rankins: Tommy Gilligan - USA TODAY Sports)
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