Week 8 brought a mixed bag for Syracuse’s NFL alumni, with a few players getting real run, a couple turning in productive outings, and several others stuck on the sideline or practice squad.
The biggest stat line of the week came from Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden, who caught 5 passes for 52 yards in the loss to the Rams. On the other side of that same game, Marlowe Wax was active in multiple phases, finishing with four tackles while seeing time on defense and special teams.
Cleveland kicker Andre Szmyt stayed steady against the Steelers, drilling both of his field goal tries. That pushed him to 16-for-18 on the season for the Browns.
There was also meaningful special teams work for a few former Orange defenders. In Dallas’ loss to Arizona, Justin Barron recorded two special teams tackles and Alijah Clark added one, while both also saw snaps on defense. In New York, Andre Cisco logged snaps on defense and special teams against the Raiders and finished with one tackle.
Elsewhere, Garrett Williams was limited to 8 snaps in Arizona’s win over Dallas. Matthew Bergeron had a tougher team result with Atlanta, but still posted a PFF grade of 68.9 in the Falcons’ monsoon game at Tampa Bay.
A few others were either inactive or didn’t get on the field. Jackson Meeks did not play for Detroit against the Vikings, while Zaire Franklin missed Green Bay’s game against Carolina because of injury. Kyle McCord was out for Miami against New England, Tommy DeVito did not play for the Patriots against the Dolphins, and Fadil Diggs did not play for New Orleans against the Steelers.
There were also several roster-status notes around the league. Jawhar Jordan’s Texans had a bye.
LeQuint Allen saw snaps on offense and special teams in Jacksonville’s win over the Colts, while Trebor Pena remains on the practice squad. Dan Villari is on the Rams practice squad, and Cruz, Jr remains on the practice squad in San Francisco.
Kingsley Jonathan is on injured reserve for the Jets.
In Other News...
Syracuse Already Has A Quarterback Problem For 2027
Syracuses offense left Clemson with more questions than answers after an 18-13 loss, and the quarterback situation is already shaping up as one of the programs bigger long-term issues. Steve Angelis afternoon reflected the uneven season he has had, with flashes of production mixed with the kind of mistakes and durability concerns that have pushed Syracuse into a rotation with Amari Odom and Malachi Nelson.
Looking ahead to 2027, the Orange may not have the luxury of a clean reset at the position. Eligibility rules, possible portal movement and the way Fran Brown manages the room will all matter, because the current depth chart does not exactly point to a settled future. Even with time still on the clock before that season arrives, Syracuse is already staring at a quarterback competition that could define how quickly the program stabilizes. [Read more 🡒]
Former Syracuse Coordinator Suddenly Lands In A Stunning Michigan Situation
Michigans decision to move on from offensive coordinator Jason Beck has quickly turned into a major financial story, with a report saying he could be owed as much as $10.1 million for the early end to his contract. The buyout reportedly includes nearly $7 million in salary and another $3.1 million in retention bonuses, with any final figure still subject to offset and mitigation depending on what comes next for him.
For Syracuse fans, Beck is a familiar name because he previously coached there before moving on to New Mexico and then joining Michigans staff this offseason. His abrupt exit from Ann Arbor adds another layer to a coaching career that has already taken a few sharp turns, and it leaves one of the sports most closely watched programs dealing with both a staffing change and a potentially massive financial obligation. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Freshman Suddenly Looks Like A Real Backcourt Factor
Ryan Moesch looked far more settled in Syracuses second game of the season, giving the Orange a much steadier hand in the backcourt after a rough debut. The freshman guard finished with six points, seven assists and a noticeable defensive impact as Syracuse rolled to a convincing win, a much better showing for a player who had clearly been trying to find his footing early.
Gerry McNamara did not hide the fact that Moesch had struggled in his first outing, but the head coach also made it clear he sees real upside in the freshmans game. For Syracuse, that growth matters, especially with Indiana up next and the Orange looking for more consistency from the guards as the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]