Several former Oregon Ducks found new NFL homes on Monday, landing on practice squads after teams trimmed rosters to the 53-player limit a day earlier.
The biggest move among the group was Patrick Herbert, who reportedly did not go back to Jacksonville after being waived Sunday. Instead, the second-year tight end has reportedly signed with the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad, where his older brother, Justin Herbert, plays quarterback.
Houston made a pair of moves involving Ducks alumni, signing rookie running back Noah Whittington and third-year linebacker Jamal Hill to its practice squad after both were released on Sunday. Indianapolis also kept an Oregon product close, bringing back nine-year veteran tight end Pharaoh Brown on the practice squad.
Jacksonville re-signed second-year defensive back Jabbar Muhammad, while Denver added sixth-year offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton back to its practice squad. Throckmorton had spent the previous two seasons with the Broncos and appeared in 10 games last season. Denver also added rookie long snapper Luke Basso.
Elsewhere, Pittsburgh brought back second-year guard Steven Jones, and the Chargers added second-year cornerback Nikko Reed to their practice squad as well.
One Ducks defender, though, is headed in the opposite direction. Defensive back Dontae Manning, who was released by Chicago with an undisclosed injury designation, was placed on injured reserve Monday.
Unless an injury settlement is reached, he will miss the entire 2026 season. In two preseason games, Manning totaled 11 tackles and two passes defended.
Not every former Oregon player has found a landing spot yet. Third-year defensive tackle Casey Rogers was waived by New England, veteran cornerback Ugo Amadi was waived by the New York Giants, Seattle reached an injury settlement with defensive back Brandon Johnson before waiving him, and second-year wide receiver Traeshon Holden was released by Dallas two weeks ago.
Among the rookies who already made 53-man rosters, New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq went in the first round, Chicago safety Dillon Thieneman also went in the first round, Jacksonville guard Emmanuel Pregnon went in the third round, Indianapolis linebacker Bryce Boettcher went in the fourth round, Kansas City defensive back Jadon Canady went in the fourth round, Los Angeles Chargers offensive lineman Alex Harkey went in the sixth round, and Las Vegas wide receiver Malik Benson went in the sixth round.
In Other News...
Former Oregon QB Austin Novosad Faces Another Uncertain Turn
Austin Novosads path has taken another twist since leaving Oregon, where he had slipped to third on the Ducks quarterback depth chart before transferring to Bowling Green. What looked like a clean chance to reset with a fresh start now comes with a familiar dose of uncertainty, as the former Duck arrived with expectations of competing for the job right away.
Bowling Green coach Eddie George instead went in another direction, naming Jay Kastanin the starter and leaving Novosad in a backup role. For a quarterback who transferred in search of opportunity, the latest development only adds to the questions surrounding where Novosad fits next and how much runway he will have to prove he can still be the answer under center. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Alum Patrick Herbert Just Got An NFL Chance To Prove Himself
Patrick Herberts NFL path is taking him from one West Coast stop to another, and now it comes with a familiar family connection. The former Oregon tight end was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars during roster cuts, then quickly found a landing spot on the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad, putting him back in the mix as he tries to carve out a role at the pro level.
For Oregon fans, the most interesting part is the reunion waiting in Los Angeles. Patrick will be around his brother Justin Herbert, the Chargers starting quarterback, while he works to turn a practice-squad opportunity into something more permanent. For a player trying to prove he belongs, it is the kind of chance that can lead to a bigger one if he can keep pushing toward the active roster. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Fans Have Another Staff Shakeup To Worry About Already
Oregon is heading into 2026 with a new-look staff under Dan Lanning, and the Ducks already know they will have different voices running both sides of the ball. Drew Mehringer is in as offensive coordinator, while Chris Hampton has taken over the defense and quickly emerged as one of the more intriguing coaches on the roster because of his track record and the immediate progress Oregon has made in the passing game since his arrival.
For Ducks fans, the larger concern is not just whether the staff can keep the program on a championship track, but how long it can hold together if the success continues. Hampton has already started to draw attention as a possible future head coach elsewhere, and that kind of buzz can be a compliment and a warning at the same time for a program trying to build stability in the middle of coaching turnover. [Read more 🡒]