Week 2 kept the NFL moving, and it also added another name to the Gophers-in-the-league list. Veteran Tyler Johnson has joined the New York Jets practice squad after the team lost some wide receiver depth to injuries.
Johnson is back with a group he already knows well, since he played in 12 games for the Jets last season. For now he’s on the practice squad, but his familiarity with the roster, coaching staff, and playbook makes him a natural candidate for a call-up if New York needs another receiver on the 53-man roster.
Baltimore also got a much bigger day from Rashod Bateman after he was held without a catch in Week 1. With Zay Flowers and promising rookie Ja'Kobi Lane sidelined by injuries, Bateman became the focal point of the passing game against the Ravens’ Week 2 opponent. He was targeted nine times and finished with seven catches for 88 yards and a touchdown, making him Baltimore’s top receiver on the day.
The Jets move wasn’t the only roster note for former Gophers. For the second straight week, Faalele was listed among the Jaguars’ inactive players as a healthy scratch.
In Houston, Ersery had a rough follow-up to his strong opener. The Texans offensive line struggled across the board, and Ersery was charged with five quarterback pressures and a sack. The run game never got going either, with Houston’s backs carrying 14 times for just 18 yards.
On the defensive side, Boye Mafe kept building on his strong start in Cincinnati. The Bengals held the Texans to only two field goals in a 20-6 win, and while Mafe finished with just two tackles, he tied for the game high with seven quarterback pressures.
Danny Striggow also logged another backup role for Jacksonville in the Jaguars’ loss to Denver. He had one tackle and was on the field for about 20% of the Jaguars’ defensive snaps.
Blake Cashman was busy for Minnesota in a wet, rainy win over the Bears. He led the Vikings with 10 tackles and added a sack, though he did leave briefly in the second half with an injury before returning to finish the game.
Jack Gibbens turned in another strong outing for Arizona, finishing with nine tackles, one pass deflection, and one quarterback hit. Pro Football Focus gave him an 84.6 overall grade and an 87.9 grade in pass coverage. His performance has already locked down a starting linebacker role, and he may soon be asked to lead more of the defense after Mack Wilson Sr. suffered a thumb injury in the Cardinals’ 31-7 loss to Seattle.
There was a bigger role for Kallerup in Seattle’s 31-7 win over the Cardinals. After being a healthy scratch in Week 1, he was active and played 19 offensive snaps and 15 special teams snaps. Seattle did not trim the workload of its other tight ends much, which pointed to a heavier personnel approach in the game plan.
Spann-Ford also saw his snap count rise in Week 2, though Dallas didn’t target him in its 37-20 win over Washington. Dak Prescott threw to only five players, but Spann-Ford still made his presence felt on special teams. He delivered a standout hit on punt coverage in the second quarter and finished with three special teams tackles.
Kieft was active on special teams for Tampa Bay against Cleveland, logging 15 special teams snaps. He didn’t record any stats, and according to The Football Database, he did not play an offensive snap.
Justin Walley had one of the more dramatic nights of the week for Indianapolis against Kansas City on Sunday Night Football. Early on, he made a strong play by coming on the blitz for an impressive pass deflection.
But the coverage numbers were rough: Next Gen Stats credited him with allowing seven receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Walley has had a difficult first two weeks in his slot-corner role, though that assignment has put him across from Zay Flowers and Travis Kelce.
He also saw some time at outside corner later in the game after the Colts’ starting corners got banged up, which could open the door to more chances at his more natural position.
St-Juste, meanwhile, was inactive for Green Bay after playing just one snap on defense the week before.
Antoine Winfield Jr. had a quieter performance than usual for Tampa Bay, finishing with four tackles and one quarterback hit in the Buccaneers’ loss to Cleveland. The pass defense never really bothered Deshaun Watson, who completed 24 of 30 passes, and Winfield was among the defenders who missed a tackle on Denzel Boston’s 55-yard game-tying touchdown late in the third quarter.
Eric Murray was part of Jacksonville’s 20-13 loss as well, while Nubin and the Giants are set to face the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football.
The week’s remaining Gophers in the NFL list included QB Max Brosmer with the Minnesota Vikings, WR Tyler Johnson with the New York Jets, DT Esezi Otomewo with the Pittsburgh Steelers, DT Deven Eastern with the Seattle Seahawks, DT Kyler Baugh with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and CB Terell Smith with the Washington Commanders.
In Other News...
Gophers Enter Big Ten Opener With One Huge Question Still Looming
Minnesota heads into its Big Ten opener at Washington at 2-1, and the Gophers are carrying a little momentum after a 41-7 win over Akron. Coach P.J. Fleck said the team has handled the longer buildup well, with the late kickoff giving Minnesota extra time to prepare for a cross-country conference trip that already feels like an early test of where this group stands.
The biggest lingering question, though, is the status of running back Darius Taylor. He sat out against Akron because of an injury, and the next injury report should offer a clearer picture of whether Minnesota will have one of its most important offensive pieces available when league play begins. After bouncing back strongly from a previous loss, the Gophers now have to wait on Taylors availability before their opener becomes fully defined. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesotas 2026 Commits Are Making Serious Noise On Friday Nights
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David Mack, Roy Price and Greg Hargrow were among the prospects who stood out, each making meaningful impact in his own way while the rest of the class showed similar signs of progress. For Minnesota, the appeal is obvious - these are not just future names on a commitment board, but teenagers already showing they can affect games on both sides of the ball, which makes every Friday night a little more worth watching from a distance. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Just Earned A Chance To Change Their Early Season Mood
A third week of Big Ten football brought a fresh reset to the conference conversation, and Minnesota found itself part of the early sorting that comes with it. After a stretch of results that has already started to separate the contenders from the teams still searching for an identity, the Gophers now have a clearer sense of where they stand as the league schedule begins to sharpen the stakes.
Minnesotas next chance matters because the mood around an early season can turn quickly once conference play starts to carry more weight. With several Big Ten teams showing both signs of growth and familiar flaws, the Gophers are in the same race as everyone else to prove the first few weeks were only a starting point, not a verdict. [Read more 🡒]