I watched tonight's Niners @ Chiefs pre-season game hoping to see/hear some plays/news of Austin Walter (RB-49ers) and Jack Fox (P-Chiefs). But there was not much.

Austin had six carries for 19 yards, all in the 4th quarter. He looked pretty good, but the consensus is that he'll make the practice squad, at best. (The announcer did predict that he'll get quite a few carries in the Niners' final pre-season game.) (In last week's game at Denver, Austin had a nifty 30-yard run that was nullified by an unrelated penalty.)

Some links:

https://www.ninersnation.com/2019/8/24/2...-garoppolo ... (Scroll down to the question by Chris (Chris Wahl): "What will happen to my man Austin Walter?")

http://www.1077thebone.com/2019/08/20/49...s-the-cut/ -- RB: 3 // IN: Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert // OUT: Austin Walter, Brandon Wilds, Jeff Wilson Jr. // IR-return designation: Jerick McKinnon.

https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-fr...66347.html --RUNNING BACK (4): Tevin Coleman, Kyle Juszczyk, Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert // Injured reserve: Jerick McKinnon // Practice squad: Jeff Wilson Jr. // Cut: Austin Walter, Brandon Wilds

https://theathletic.com/1151447/2019/08/...ason-game/ -- Running backs: 4: In: Tevin Coleman*, Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, Kyle Juszczyk // Out: Jeff Wilson, Austin Walter, Brandon Wilds, Jerick McKinnon (IR).

From a pre-pre-season profile (https://www.ninersnation.com/2019/7/27/8...n-walter): Walter signed a three-year, $1,755,000 contract with no guaranteed money whatsoever. His salary this year is $495,000 if he makes the team, and zippo if he doesn’t. The team risks nothing. (But the rest of the article has some interesting "what if" conjectures.

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Fox and Colquit have been alternating punts during the pre-season. Tonight Colquit had #1-3-5, and Fox #2-4. They were both good, with Colquit's long one (67 yards) due to a Niner receiver's muff.

Roster Predictions:

https://theathletic.com/1151199/2019/08/...pth-chart/ : Specialists: Harrison Butker (kicker), Dustin Colquitt (punter), James Winchester (long snapper)
Analysis: All three players have performed well in camp and in the preseason. Practice-squad consideration: Undrafted rookie punter Jack Fox will continue to work on his consistency.

https://www.kshb.com/sports/nick-jacobs-...-2019-v2-0 : SPECIALISTS (3): Dustin Colquitt, Harrison Butker and James Winchester // Colquitt has been consistent with his directional punts and hang time in camp. // Butker has shown a strong leg and Winchester's consistency on long snaps is underappreciated. // Undrafted rookie punter Jack Fox has the hang time to find a roster spot in the league, but he needs to work on the distance of his directional punting to unseat a veteran like Colquitt. // Cut: Jack Fox

An interesting pre-pre-season profile: https://arrowheadaddict.com/2019/06/29/d...er-chiefs/

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I also came across several articles like this one about Vance McDonald: The Steelers like him ... but are wary of his history of injury: https://clutchpoints.com/steelers-news-v...-fichtner/

Others can provide updates on other Owls competing for NFL roster spots.

If the 49ers cut Walter, the Texans could use him with the loss of Lamar Miller tonight, but I’m not sure I’d wish that on him. XFL maybe?

Jordan Taylor gets an early release from the Vikings. Odd timing, given that most of those to be cut would be getting playing time in the 4th preseason game. But a clear indication he wasn't going to make the roster.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/vikin...day-nears/

With Jerick McKinnon likely to move to Injured Reserve, "the 49ers might have to dip a little further into their pool of running backs than they thought," according to this preview of tonight's 49ers final preseason game (https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-fr...502.html):

Quote:Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida could be a good-enough duo at running back. And Raheem Mostert is assuredly the team’s best special teams player making him a near lock to survive final cuts. The rest of the depth chart will be on display Thursday with Jeff Wilson Jr. and Austin Walter likely getting the bulk of the playing time.

Wilson wouldn’t be a fourth tailback to keep around, but the roster numbers might not allow it. Would he make it through waivers to the practice squad? That’s tough to know. Walter most likely would, but the 49ers would love to keep Wilson around for insurance, but that might be difficult if he earns his way on to another team’s active roster with a strong showing Thursday. He scored two touchdowns against the Chiefs and showed promise late last year.

(I suspect there may be a word missing in the second paragraph's first sentence. Perhaps the writer meant to say this: "Wilson wouldn’t be BAD a fourth tailback to keep around ..."??)

I hope Austin impresses folks tonight.

Chris Boswell survived a preseason battle with a rookie free agent from UCF. Both did well in the preseason games, but the Steelers are keeping the Wizard of Boz. Let's hope he rebounds and has a great 2019 after a subpar 2018 season.

And it's not Rice related but what in the world are the Texans doing? Clowney was traded to Seattle today for a 3rd round pick and two defensive back-ups I guess.

I saw that Fox, Walter, Taylor and Willson got cut. Boswell, Sendejo, Mcdonald, Gaines, Ellerbe, Callahan and Covington are the other Owls I am aware of in the league. Did anyone hear if any of these Owls did not make the roster? Or any Owls that did make a roster that I did not list?

Boswell and McDonald (Pittsburgh), Sendejo (Philadelphia), Callahan (Denver) and Covington (Dallas) are on the final 53-man rosters. Gaines (Cleveland) and Ellerbe (Seattle) are currently on the injured list.

Willson was cut by the Raiders I guess. I could see him making it with another team sometime this season. Hopefully Fox, Walter and Taylor get chances to be on a practice squad somewhere too.

(08-31-2019 03:27 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  And it's not Rice related but what in the world are the Texans doing? Clowney was traded to Seattle today for a 3rd round pick and two defensive back-ups I guess.

Welcome to BOB’s World. It only makes sense to him.

But he did trade away future 1st round picks for a left tackle. Those picks are likely to be pretty high with BOB serving both as head coach and GM.

(08-31-2019 06:11 PM)Professor Smashmouth Wrote:  I saw that Fox, Walter, Taylor and Willson got cut. Boswell, Sendejo, Mcdonald, Gaines, Ellerbe, Callahan and Covington are the other Owls I am aware of in the league. Did anyone hear if any of these Owls did not make the roster? Or any Owls that did make a roster that I did not list?

Calvin.Anderson cleared waivers and is on practice squad for the Jets.

Gaines was released yesterday per Spotrac.

Saw that Bryce Callahan as #1 on the Broncos’ depth chart in an article posted Friday.

This morning he’s quoted briefly in an article about new Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, whom Bryce played for in Chicago.
http://espn.com/blog/denver-broncos/post...the-making

Monday Night Football tonight Broncos vs the (Antonio Brown - less) Raiders

Sendejo (#42) whiffed on the tackle, after Vernon Davis hurdled the first tackler. Just got run over.

Texans signing Phillip Gaines to one-year contract.

That's interesting. They just released Aaron Colvin today too, so Gaines should be filling his spot on the active roster.

As a Saints fan, I would have loved to see Gaines over someone like PJ Williams.

Steelers lose at home (to Seattle) but you can't blame their two Rice Owls. McDonald catches two TD passes and Boz was 2-2 on both field goals and extra points.

Christian Covington got quite a bit of PT today with two Dallas starters out, and he had a strong game. Several tackles, a pass deflection, and a couple of plays that won't show up on the stat sheet but he put the pressure on the QB and forced a bad play from Miami.

BTW Aston Walter signed with the NY Giants on the practice squad during the past week.

Boz scored 8 points in Pittsburgh's loss @SF: 2/2 1Q FGs (46 & 26 yards) & 2/2 2H PATs ... and 3 of his 5 kickoffs were touchbacks.

Vance McDonald was targeted twice: one for a 10-yard gain and one deep pass incomplete.

Luke Willson is back in Seattle and Pete Carroll couldn't be happier.

“He’s on my all-time team,” Carroll commented on Monday. “He would definitely be there. He’s just so valuable as a spirit on your team because he’s so upbeat and been so tough. Unbelievably durable and overcame stuff. He’s a good performer. He runs fast. He’s in great shape. He’s done a great job of staying in shape. His hair is back and all of that. He looks good.”
https://seahawkswire.usatoday.com/2019/1...time-team/

(10-01-2019 10:14 PM)jph12 Wrote:  Luke Willson is back in Seattle and Pete Carroll couldn't be happier.

“He’s on my all-time team,” Carroll commented on Monday. “He would definitely be there. He’s just so valuable as a spirit on your team because he’s so upbeat and been so tough. Unbelievably durable and overcame stuff. He’s a good performer. He runs fast. He’s in great shape. He’s done a great job of staying in shape. His hair is back and all of that. He looks good.”
https://seahawkswire.usatoday.com/2019/1...time-team/

"His hair is back and all of that. He looks good."

Pete Carroll thinking: