Poaching players from NFL roster cut downs: the NFC West

This series will involve scouting - electronically - the 90 man rosters of the other 31 teams in the league for players who might get left behind at final cut downs, who could potentially provide value as the 52nd or 53rd man on the Redskins’ roster.

This edition takes a look at the NFC West, home of the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks.

Read other articles from this series:

Poaching players from NFL roster cut downs: the AFC East

Poaching players from NFL roster cut downs: the AFC South

Poaching players from NFL roster cut downs: the AFC North

Poaching players from NFL roster cut downs: the AFC West

Poaching players from NFL roster cut downs: the NFC East

Poaching players from NFL roster cut downs: the NFC South

Poaching players from NFL roster cut downs: the NFC North

Arizona Cardinals

Caleb Wilson (TE) - This year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Wilson was a prolific pass catcher (leading all FBS TEs with 965 yards) in his final year at UCLA. He posted the second fastest combine time among TEs (4.56), but is behind 3 vets on the Cards’ TE depth chart. If he falls off their roster, he is one of several TEs the Redskins should be considering as a pick up.

William Sweet (OT) - A UDFA from UNC, Sweet is a 6’7”, 300 lb left tackle with some technique issues that probably need to be cleaned up before he’s ready for prime time. Based on his draft reviews, he’s a likely PS candidate.

Joshua Miles (OT) - Miles, a 7th rounder out of Morgan State, has played very well for the Cards’ this pre-season. The Cardinals OL is so porous, it’s certainly possible that he makes their roster, but if he happens to be stashed on the PS, he could be worth looking at.

Los Angeles Rams

KhaDarel Hodge (WR) - The Rams have incredible depth at WR, so players who happen to be at the botttom of their depth chart are worth strong consideration. Hodge, a 2018 UDFA from Prairie View A&M, is one such player. He’s impressed this pre-season and is battling for one of the last roster spots.

Kevin Peterson (CB) - Picked up as a UDFA by the Bears in 2016 from Oklahoma State, Peterson has bounced around on practice squads for the past few years. He tore his ACL in the 2018 pre-season, but seems to be fully recovered. He is a special teams player with potential CB depth upside.

Travin Howard (ILB) - A 2018 7th round pick from TCU, Howard has impressed Sean McVay with his effort this preseason. Injuries have opened the possibility that he makes the roster, but he, or another young, talented LB, like Dakota Allen, could end up being available.

San Francisco 49ers

Azeez Al-Shaair (LB) - This UDFA out of Florida Atlantic has drawn praise this pre-season for his tackling acumen (he collected 146 in one season in college). A knee injury in 2018 tanked his draft stock. Gabe Ward profiled him here for Hogs Haven. He could be worth a look.

Damontre Moore (DL) - Selected in the 3rd round of the 2013 draft out of Texas A&M, Moore has been around. He’s played for 6 NFL teams and the San Diego Fleet of the now-defunct AAF (where he was second in the league with 7 sacks). He’s had a variety of injuries over the years (including a dislocated thumb last week), but he has managed to make an impression this pre-season.

Nick Mullens (QB) - Mullens was a UDFA from Southern Miss picked up in 2017. He was a respectable back up to Jimmy Garoppolo and CJ Beathard when both went down in 2018. The Andrew Luck retirement makes this one interesting, as earlier this week Kyle Shanahan declared the intention to keep both Mullens and Beathard on the roster.

Seattle Seahawks

Jazz Ferguson (WR) - A UDFA from FCS Northwestern State, picked up after a draft in which the Seahawks took three players at WR, Ferguson is 6’5”, 227 lbs and a big-bodied redzone threat. In some respects, he could be similar to a Donald Parham. If Ferguson does make the roster, look for intriguing slot prospect John Usura to be available.

Ben Burr-Kirvan (LB) - A fifth round pick from Washington, BBK (as he is known in Seahawks’ circles) is trying to break into a fairly deep Seattle LB corps. Word is, he and Shaquem Griffin could be playing for the same roster spot. If either gets cut, they could be worth a look as special teams depth.

Shalom Luani (S) - Taken by the Raiders in the 7th round in 2017, Luani was traded to the Seahawks last year. A former world cup caliber soccer player from American Samoa, he was a first team All Pac 12 safety at Washington State. On a deep Seahawks’ safety depth chart, it’s doubtful he makes the 53-man roster.

Up Next: You decide. Would you prefer to see a quick review of practice squads, once they are set, or a deep dive into how one or two of the best teams mine the practice squads of the other 30 or 31 teams? Let me know below.