In the past week the NFL have announced the players who will be part of the 2008 International Practice Squad Program.
The International Practice Squad Program (IPSP), setup in 2004, has seen a total of 22 players join the practice squads of various NFL teams for one season.
While practice squad players are ineligible to partake in regular season games, the experience gained is invaluable to the player's development (even more so now NFL Europa has ceased operations).
Rolando Cantu is currently the only player from the program to go on and feature in a regular season game after the Arizona Cardinals signed him from their practice squad on 29th December 2005. His one and only appearance came in the last game of that season against the Colts. Having retired from the game he now is the Cardinal's Manager of International Business Ventures.
For 2008 a record number of 16 players from 7 countries will join up with teams from across the league.
United Kingdom (5)
Jermaine Allen - New Orleans Saints
The 24 year old, 6'0, 230lb Running Back previously spent the 2007 season on the Chicago Bears' practice squad.
Scored a 33 yard TD run for the Hamburg Sea Devils as they won World Bowl XV. Spent 2006 and 2007 with the Sea Devils recording a total of 179 rushing yards for 4 Touchdowns. Spent 2006 with the Amsterdam Admirals.
Marvin Allen - Pittsburgh Steelers
25 year old 5'10, 185lb Wide Receiver returns for his second spell at the Steelers having spent the 2006 season there.
Spent 2007 with the Miami Dolphins in 2007, Four NFLE seasons - 2005 and 2006 at the Frankfurt Galaxy and 2006 and 2007 with the Rhein Fire.
Jason Brisbane - San Diego Chargers
24 year old 238lb Linebacker was the 2004 British American Football League player of the year.
Holds numerous London Blitz records including Longest Int return (88 yards) and 7 blocked kicks.
Aden Durde - Kansas City Chiefs
28 year old 6'1, 240lb Linebacker spent 2005 as member of the Carolina Panthers but left after testing positive for a banned steroid on August 1st 2005.
Five seasons in NFLE - 2003 and 2004 at the Scottish Claymores while 2005, 2006 and 2007 at the Hamburg Sea Devils.
Shaun Smith - Carolina Panthers
26 year old Linebacker has spent two years in NFLE, 2006 for the Rhein Fire and 2007 for the Berlin Thunder.
Mexico (5)
Eduardo Castañeda - Arizona Cardinals
25 year old 6'2, 248lb Linebacker out of Tecnológico de Monterrey (four of the five Mexican players come from the same college).
Spent 2007 on the Houston Texans' practice squad. Assigned to the Rhein Fire for the 2007 NFLE season.
Mauricio Lopez - Oakland Raiders
28 year old 6'1, 329lb DT.
Spent the 2007 pre-season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Spent 2005 with the Amsterdam Admirals and 2006 and 2007 for the Cologne Centurions where he recorded one sack for a nine-yard loss.
Manuel Padilla - Denver Broncos
24 year old 6'3, 245lb Middle Linebacker. Two-time Mexican All-Star selection.
Ramiro Pruneda - San Francisco 49ers
25 year old 6'6, 317lb OT.
Named best offensive lineman by the Mexican ONEFA three times, won four National Championships with Tecnológico de Monterrey, five-time selection to the Mexican All-Star team which partakes in the Aztec Bowl.
One season in NFLE with the Cologne Centurions but was forced to miss the season after a knee injury. Spent 2007 on the practice squads of the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
Salomon Solano - Baltimore Ravens
22 year old (will turn 23 in Sept) 6'3, 321lb DT, the only Mexican player in this years class to not come from Tecnológico de Monterrey - College was Tamaulipas.
Spent 2007 with the Detroit Lions. One season with the Rhein Fire included one sack for a six-yard loss.
Germany (2)
Samuel Gutekunst - Seattle Seahawks
24 year old 6'6, 317lb OT.
Spent 2006 with the Ravens and 2007 with the Jaguars. Spent 2005 and 2006 with the Frankfurt Galaxy and 2007 with the Berlin Thunder.
Christian Mohr - Cleveland Browns
28 year old, 6'6, 265lb DE.
Spent 2004 with the Seahawks and 2006 with the Eagles. A 3 year period (2004-2006) with the Berlin Thunder resulted in nine sacks while his 2007 season with the Rhein Fire resulted in three.
France (1)
Sébastian Sejean - St. Louis Rams
24 year old 6'2, 223lb Safety. Attended the Université Laval in Quebec City, Canada.
Russia (1)
Sergey Ivanov - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20 year old 6'2, 193 lb Safety/Corner.
Spent 2005 and 2006 with the Berlin Thunder and 2007 with the Amsterdam Admirals.
Sweden (1)
Carl-Johan Björk - Cincinnati Bengals
26 year old 6'0, 253 lb Linebacker.
Spent 2006 with the Dallas Cowboys and 2007 with the Green Bay Packers. Spent three seasons in NFLE all with the Amsterdam Admirals.
Japan (1)
Noriaki Kinoshita - Atlanta Falcons
25 year old, 5'10, 179lb Wide Receiver will be a Falcon practice squad player for the second year running.
Was the only one out of the nine Japanese players invited to IPSP trials to make the final sixteen. In three seasons in the NFLE, all with the Amsterdam Admirals, has clocked up 37 receptions for 568 yards and two Touchdowns, 46 kick returns for 1155 yards and 15 punt returns for 233 yards and two Touchdowns.
Thursday 26 June 2008
One in the eye for Jason Peters
The Buffalo Bills have announced they have finally re-worked the contract of one of their standout offensive linemen.
But it's not Jason Peters.
Guard Brad Butler has put pen to paper on a new deal today, and while no information regarding the terms of the deal are available as yet, it is likely that Peters will feel slightly aggrieved that his Pro-Bowl performance last season has yet to be rewarded with a new deal.
Peters is seeking parity with fellow linemen Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker, who are both scheduled to make almost double Peters this season. At 26, he is tied into a contract well below his open market value that he signed in 2006, and it is perhaps understandable that he feels his performances merit another look at the deal.
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