One team loaded with former Tennessee football players was on a bye this week, which hurt the opportunities for Vols to stand out in the NFL. As a result, the number of players who had an impact was obviously reduced, and the actual production by those who did play was also a bit below what it usually is.
That meant for a light weekend of former Vols in the pros. Still, a few managed to stand out in a solid way, and while it didn’t show up in the stats sheet, it did warrant recognition. Many others had an impact on their team, win or lose, so UT’s footprint is still all over the league.
This week’s recap of Vols in the NFL will include pages for stars of the week, those who played significantly and those who saw limited action. We’ll close out with those who didn’t play, including the long list of players who were off. Let’s start, though, with some player movement that made news from Tennessee football.
Lots of former Volunteers in the pros had bye weeks this past weekend, making for light production from Tennessee football.
News of the week
Kendal Vickers signs with Buffalo Bills after being released by Las Vegas Raiders
He had been inactive with the Las Vegas Raiders since early November, and this past week, Kendal Vickers was finally released by them. Funny enough, Vegas was behind the New Orleans Saints in terms of teams with the most former Vols in the pros. Now that title belongs to the Seattle Seahawks, even though two of their three are inactive.
Anyway, Vickers immediately landed on his feet, as he signed with the Buffalo Bills. It’s unclear how soon, if ever, Vickers will see the field for the Bills, but it’s good news for him to sign with them. Heck, he could find himself in Super Bowl contention, which is probably totally unexpected.
Vickers’ signing follows fellow Tennessee football quarterback Josh Dobbs being released by the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago after the return of Deshaun Watson and then signing with the Detroit Lions. Veteran Vols from the Butch Jones era continue to find spots on rosters, and it’s helping with the program’s overall numbers in the pros.