5 practice team players who should be on an NFL roster
An NFL practice team can have 16 people on it, a rule that was implemented in 2020 due to COVID-19. That rule was then extended into 2021. As a result, there are going to be more big names on practice teams than we've been accustomed to in the past.
The NFL required teams to finalize their 53-man rosters Tuesday. Since then, there have been many pickups and players pushed into different practice teams. Here are five practice team players that should be on an NFL roster.
5 practice team players that should be on an NFL roster
#1 - Karl Joseph
Karl Joseph has a very solid pedigree. That's one of the things that makes him the best player on this list. Joseph was the 14th overall pick in 2016 by the Las Vegas Raiders. He was a safety whom the Pittsburgh Steelers had an eye on in that draft.
Joseph is a box safety who's best known for playing near the line of scrimmage. He was also known for being a hard hitter during his time with the Raiders. He's best suited to strong safety rather than free safety. His passing coverage leaves something to be desired, though.
That issue could be masked by lining him up all over the field with a reliable free safety next to him.
He has 303 tackles in five seasons and could help a team that needs a good tackler. He's the top safety across all 32 practice teams and might have a short stay there, especially if the Steelers promote him to their 53-man roster and experiment with him at slot cornerback.
#2 - Keke Coutee
It wasn't long ago that Keke Coutee was a rising prospect for the Houston Texans. Since injuries mounted, however, his stock has fallen. He's played in 23 of 48 games in his three-year career, averaging an impressive 11.3 yards per reception.
Coutee has 4.43 speed and uses it well for getting separation. He's also capable of making some tacklers miss with some nice jukes. Coutee is coming off his best season, catching 30 balls on 82.5 percent of his targets. Coutee won't be on the Indianapolis Colts practice team for long when a team needs help at wide receiver.
#3 - Nickell Robey-Coleman
Nickell Robey-Coleman is a surprising name on the Detroit Lions practice team. Granted, Coleman is coming off an abysmal season with the Philadelphia Eagles, but from 2017 through 2019, Coleman was one of the top nickel cornerbacks in the NFL.
Coleman has lightning speed and good instincts. A bad season doesn't mean your career is over. Xavier Rhodes is a perfect example after a disastrous 2019 but he somehow rebounded in 2020.
Good nickel cornerbacks are hard to find with how fast slot wide receivers are in the NFL. Coleman is a low-risk, high-reward option for a team looking for help at nickelback.
#4 - Travis Fulgham
Travis Fulgham has the least amount of experience on this list, but he was as hot as any wide receiver in the NFL in the first five weeks of 2020. He caught four touchdowns for 435 yards and was a spark plug the Philadelphia Eagles needed.
His ten receptions for 152 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers showed Fulgham's potential. When Alshon Jeffrey returned, though, his targets were diminished. Fulgham shockingly didn't make the roster and is on the practice team. All it takes is a team rewatching his highlights from early last year for him to be off the practice team.
#5 - Jabaal Sheard
Jabaal Sheard's not going to blow you away with excitement. But he's had a productive career since entering the league in 2011. He's forced 14 fumbles and batted down 28 passes. Sheard's last standout year was 2018, but he might still have some gas left in the tank.
Sheard would be more of a rotational piece at this stage of his career. But he's a man with 53 career sacks and 406 career tackles. He'd be a valuable mentor to a team of younger edge rushers. If Sheard cuts some weight, he can regain some of the quickness that he used to dip below and shed blockers.
He's just 32, the same age as former teammate Justin Houston, who made the Baltimore Ravens' 53-man roster. A team in need of a pass rusher should consider taking a flier on Sheard. Until then, he'll play for the Miami Dolphins practice team.