NFL Roster Tracker: 27 Huskies Earn Jobs This Season

Nearly half of the former UW players are projected as pro starters.

Maintaining a strong pro-football presence, 27 former University of Washington players have earned NFL roster spots as the 53-player cutdown day came and went on Tuesday — which is one fewer Husky than made it a year ago. 

An ample 13 of them are projected as starters, which is actually four higher than last season at this time, and doesn't include the injured Nick Harris, who was pegged to open at center for the Cleveland Browns but was injured in his preseason opener and lost for the season.

Former Husky defensive tackle Danny Shelton, who had recently signed on with the Kansas City Chiefs, might have been the biggest surprise among those who didn't survive the roster trimming. A seven-year veteran and starter of 72 of 100 NFL games, he reportedly turned in an impressive tryout and was signed right away, but he still didn't stick.

Each of the four UW draftees from April, cornerbacks Trent McDuffie (Chiefs) and Kyler Gordon (Bears), tight end Cade Otton (Bucs) and center Luke Wattenberg (Broncos), have roster spots, as do the four Huskies who were drafted in 2021 in outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (Bucs), defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike (Lions), and cornerbacks Elijah Molden (Titans) and Keith Taylor (Panthers). Onwuzurike, however continues to have back issues and sat out Detroit's exhibition games.

It should be noted that six of the most recent eight NFL-drafted Huskies are defensive players. 

Three teams have three former UW players on their rosters. The Bucs will turn to defensive tackle Vita Vea, Tryon-Shoyinka and Otton; the Cardinals depend on safety Budda Baker, cornerback Byron Murphy and special-teamer Zeke Turner; and the Panthers now rely on linebackers Shaq Thompson and Cory Littleton and Taylor. 

One-time Husky quarterbacks didn't fare so well, with Jake Browning (Bengals) and Jacob Eason (Seahawks) ending up as cutdown casualties.

One player who simply won't go away is ex-Husky running back Dwayne Washington, who is back for a seventh season with the Saints, greatly valued for his special-teams play. He started just two of 71  games he's played in his NFL career. 

Nearly a dozen former UW players are free agents and didn't go to training camp with anyone, with cornerbacks Kevin King and Desmond Trufant and wide receiver John Ross among the most notable. 

Following is a breakdown of all the pro football comings and goings, plus their NFL experience, involving one-time Huskies:

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HUSKY NFL TRACKER:

Salvon Ahmed, RB, Miami Dolphins — 2-year veteran, starter in 4 of 18 games; made 53-player roster, backup.

Andre Baccellia, WR, Arizona Cardinals — practice squad player in 2020 and 2021; released by Cardinals on Aug. 30.

Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals — 5-year veteran, starter in 68 of 78 games; made 53-man roster, starter.

Josiah Bronson, DT, Dallas Cowboys — 1-year veteran, played in 6 games for Browns and Saints; released by Cowboys on Aug. 30.

Jake Browning, QB, Cincinnati Bengals — practice squad player in 2020 and 2021; released by Bengals on Aug. 30.

Myles Bryant, CB, New England Patriots — 2-year veteran, starter in 2 of 21 games; made 53-player roster, backup.

Will Dissly, TE, Seattle Seahawks — 4-year veteran, starter in 36 of 41 games; made 53-man roster, starter.

Jacob Eason, QB, Seattle Seahawks — 2-year veteran, played in 1 game for Colts; released by Seahawks on Aug. 30.

Aaron Fuller, WR, Seattle Seahawks — practice squad player in 2020 and 2021; released by Seahawks on Aug. 30.

Greg Gaines, DT, Los Angeles Rams — 3-year veteran, starter in 13 of 43 games; made 53-man roster, starter.

Myles Gaskin, RB, Miami Dolphins — 3-year veteran, starter in 17 of 34 games; made 53-man roster, backup.

Kyler Gordon, CB, Chicago Bears — second-round draft pick; made 53-man roster, starter

Marvin Hall, WR, New England Patriots — 5-year veteran, starter in 6 of 47 games for Lions, Browns and Falcons; released by Jaguars on Aug. 17.

Nick Harris, C, Cleveland Browns — 2-year veteran, starter in 2 of 23 games; placed on injured reserve on Aug. 11.

Sidney Jones, CB, Seattle Seahawks — 5-year veteran, starter in 25 of 47 games for Eagles, Jaguars and Seahawks; made 53-man roster, starter.

Cory Littleton, LB, Carolina Panthers — 6-year veteran, starter in 64 of 95 games for Rams and Raiders; made 53-man roster, backup.

Trent McDuffie, CB, Kansas City Chiefs — first-round draft pick; made 53-man roster, starter.

Kaleb McGary, OT, Atlanta Falcons — 3-year veteran, starter in 45 of 46 games; made 53-man roster, starter.

Jordan Miller, CB, Buffalo Bills — 3-year veteran, played in 12 games for Falcons and Saints; released by Bills on Aug. 24.

Byron Murphy, CB, Arizona Cardinals — 3-year veteran, starter in 39 of 47 games; made 53-man roster, backup.

Elijah Molden, CB, Tennessee Titans — 1-year veteran, starter in 7 of 16 games; made 53-man roster, backup.

Levi Onwuzurike DT, Detroit Lions — 1-year veteran, played in 16 games; made 53-man roster, backup.

Cade Otton, TE, Tampa Bay Bucs — fourth-round draft pick; made 53-man roster, backup.

Marcus Peters, CB, Baltimore Ravens — 6-year veteran, starter in 90 of 91 games for Chiefs, Rams and Ravens; made 53-man roster, starter.

Dante Pettis, WR, Chicago Bears — 4-year veteran, starter in 12 of 33 games for 49ers and Giants; made 53-man roster, backup.

Benning Potoa'e, DE, Tampa Bay Bucs — 2-year veteran, played in 2 games; released by Bucs on Aug. 30.

Bookie Radley-Hiles, CB, Cincinnati Bengals — undrafted free agent; released by Bengals on Aug. 12.

Taylor Rapp, S, Los Angeles Rams — 3-year veteran, starter in 32 of 41 games; made 53-man roster, starter.

Drew Sample, TE, Cincinnati Bengals — 2-year veteran, starter in 23 of 42 games; made 53-man roster, backup.

Coleman Shelton, C, Los Angeles Rams — 3-year veteran, started 2 of 43 games; made 53-man roster, starter

Danny Shelton, DT, Kansas City Chiefs — 7-year veteran, starter in 72 of 100 games for Patriots, Browns, Lions and Giants; released by Chiefs on Aug. 30.

Keith Taylor, CB, Carolina Panthers — 1-year veteran, starter in 3 of 17 games; made 53-man roster, backup.

Shaq Thompson, LB, Carolina Panthers — 7-year veteran, starter in 89 of 100 games; made 53-man roster, starter

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, DE, Tampa Bay Bucs — 1-year veteran, starter in 6 of 17 games; made 53-man roster, starter.

Ezekiel Turner, S, Arizona Cardinals — 4-year veteran, starter in 1 of 49 games; made 53-man roster, backup.

Vita Vea, DT, Tampa Bay Bucs — 4-year veteran, starter in 45 of 50 games; made 53-man roster, starter.

Tristan Vizcaino, PK, New England Patriots — 2-year veteran, played in 6 games for 49ers and Chargers; released by Patriots on Aug. 30.

Dwayne Washington, RB, New Orleans Saints — 6-year veteran, starter in 2 of 71 games; made 53-man roster, backup.

Luke Wattenberg, C, Denver Broncos — fifth-round draft pick; made 53-man roster, backup.

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