Cougars in the NFL: Week 0

HOUSTON – Seventeen Houston Football greats are prepped to begin the 2024 NFL season this week with 15 former Cougars on 53-man rosters. The 17 former Coogs span 12 different teams with Josh Jones and the Baltimore Ravens kicking off the NFL season Thursday night.

Seven of the 18 Cougars will play for new teams in 2024 with second-round draft pick Patrick Paul the lone 2023 Cougar to make an NFL roster.

Matthew Adams | New York Giants | vs Minnesota, Sunday, Sept. 8

The New York Giants have veteran linebacker Matthew Adams on April 12. His career numbers include 98 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Adams has also appeared in four postseason games, including one last season in Cleveland.
In 2023, Adams suited up for all 17 games and led the Browns with 435 plays on special teams, where he forced a fumble on a Jets kickoff return during a Week 17 victory.

Kyle Allen | Pittsburgh Steelers | at Atlanta, Sunday, Sept. 8

The Steelers signed quarterback Kyle Allen to a one-year contract on April 1. Allen, who will be entering his seventh season in the NFL, originally signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted rookie free agent. Allen spent two seasons with the Panthers (2018-19), two seasons with the Washington Commanders (2020-21), and one season each with the Houston Texans (2022) and Buffalo Bills (2023).
In six seasons in the league he has played in 30 games, starting 19. He completed 441 of 704 pass attempts for 4,734 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also rushed for 162 yards on 65 attempts and four touchdowns.

Tyus Bowser | Seattle Seahawks | Practice Squad

The Seahawks added Tyus Bowser to their practice squad on Friday.
Bowser, a second-round pick out of Houston in 2017, appeared in 89 games over six seasons—he missed the entire 2023 season due to injury—starting 23, including all 17 games in 2021 when he had career highs in sacks (7.0), tackles (59) and tackles for loss (eight). That career-best season ended, however, with a torn Achilles in Baltimore's final game, limiting him to nine games with four starts in 2022. Bowser then missed the 2023 season due to a knee injury.

Tank Dell | Houston Texans | at Indianapolis, Sunday, Sept. 8

Tank Dell was one of the stars of the Texans offense during their 2023 run in the playoffs. Dell excelled during his first NFL season catching 47 passes for 709 yards and seven touchdowns.

Art Green | New York Giants | Practice Squad

Art Green signed to the Giants practice squad on August 29.
Green enters his second season in the league with a new team after spending the 2023 season in Denver.

Logan Hall | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | vs Washington, Sunday, Sept. 8

Logan Hall enters his third season in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Hall totaled 22 tackles and 0.5 sacks over 543 snaps as a starter in 2023. Hall appeared in 16 regular-season games with 13 starts. The former Houston standout played nearly 50% of all defensive snaps while predominantly lining up as Todd Bowles' 5-technique.

Josh Jones | Baltimore Ravens | at Kansas City, Thursday, Sept. 5

The Ravens signed veteran offensive tackle Josh Jones to a one-year contract on March 21.
Jones played with the Houston Texans last season and made three starts. He has started 24 games over the past three seasons, playing both tackle positions and right guard. Jones will add depth and experience to the offensive line.

Marcus Jones | New England Patriots | at Cincinnati, Sunday, Sept. 8

As a rookie in 2022, Marcus Jones was named The Associated Press first-team All-Pro punt returner after showing he was one of the NFL's most dynamic players with a football in his grasp.
Jones could have a breakout season as a return specialist with the new kick-off rules after missing most of 2023 with a torn labrum.

Case Keenum | Houston Texans | at Indianapolis, Sunday, Sept. 8

Case Keenum enters his 12th season in the NFL and his fifth season overall in Houston, now in his third stint with the Texans.
The veteran quarterback will start the season on the Injured Reserve list and may have to spend the full season on the IR.

Ed Oliver | Buffalo Bills | vs Arizona, Sunday, Sept. 8

Ed Oliver enters his sixth season with high expectations after a standout 2023 performance.
In 2023, Oliver recorded career highs: 51 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits, and 9.5 sacks.
Oliver is currently on a four-year, $68 million contract

Gervarrius Owens | New York Giants | Practice Squad

Gervarrius Owens is looking to stay healthy in 2024 after playing in just three games in his rookie season with the Giants in 2023.

Elandon Roberts | Pittsburgh Steelers | at Atlanta, Sunday, Sept. 8

Elandon Roberts will stay in Pittsburgh after signing a free agent contract with the team he had a career-best season for the Steelers in 2023.
Roberts ended 2023 with 103 tackles, tying a career-high with 10 tackles for loss.
The inside linebacker is poised to lead the Pittsburgh defense for the second consecutive season.

Patrick Paul | Miami Dolphins | vs Jacksonville, Sunday, Sept. 8

The second-round pick played the most offensive snaps on the team in Miami's final preseason game with 63.
Paul is currently the second-string left-tackle behind Terron Armstead.

Grant Stuard | Indianapolis Colts | vs Houston, Sunday, Sept. 8

Grant Stuard made the Indianapolis Colts 53-man roster entering his fourth NFL season and third in Indianapolis.
The linebacker is the second-string SAM linebacker.
Stuard has played in 15+ games in each of his three NFL seasons.
The Grant Stuard story

Clayton Tune | Arizona Cardinals | at Buffalo, Sunday, Sept. 8

Clayton Tune won the back-up quarterback role in his second season with the Arizona Cardinals.
In 2023-24, Tune made seven appearances (one start), completing 12 of 21 passes for 62 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, rushing eight times for 30 yards and one TD and fumbling twice (one lost).

Nick Thurman | Carolina Panthers | at New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 8

The Panthers listed Nick Thurman as the back-up defensive tackle before Week 1 games get started on Thursday.
In 2023 Nick Thurman surprisingly turned out to be perhaps the team's winner of the "highest production versus lowest cap hit" award.
Last year was his age 28 season and heading into the year he had appeared in just eight career games with 11 total tackles. But Thurman defied expectations in 2023 by appearing in all 17 Panthers games (no starts) with 31 tackles and two tackles for loss. He played 367 defensive snaps, 35% of the team's total.
Thurman's PFF grade of 63.4 in 2023 ranked second among Carolina interior defensive linemen.

Payton Turner | New Orleans Saints | vs Carolina, Sunday, Sept. 8

Hoping to stay healthy for a full season for the first time in his career, Payton Turner says he is "feeling healthy right now."
Turner slots as the second-string left-defensive end for the Saints.

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