The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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40 ■ THE WOLFPACKER 2021 NFL Preview C Garrett Bradbury (2015-18), Minnesota Vikings The 2019 first-round pick has started every game over his two seasons in the NFL, and it is highly likely he will continue in that role in 2021. It will be an im- portant season for Bradbury since the Vikings will have to make a decision on the lucrative fifth-year option in his rookie contract following the 2021 campaign. QB Jacoby Brissett (2014-15), Miami Dolphins After completing 2 of 8 passes for 17 yards and running 17 times for 19 yards and three touchdowns while serving as Philip Rivers' backup in Indianapolis, Brissett signed as a free agent in the offseason with the Dolphins and will be starter Tua Ta- govailoa's backup. It will be Brissett's third team as he enters his sixth season in the NFL. In his career, Brissett is 586-of-983 passing for 6,459 yards and 31 touchdowns with 13 interceptions, and has rushed for 583 yards and 12 scores. DB Juston Burris (2012-15), Carolina Panthers Last year, Burris had 53 tackles (34 solo and four for loss), an interception, four passes broken up and a quarterback hurry in 13 games, 12 of them starts. He set career highs in tackles and starts in a season. OLB Bradley Chubb (2014-17), Denver Broncos Chubb had offseason ankle surgery but was expected to be 100 percent by the time the season opens. He was named to the Pro Bowl last year after he made 42 tackles (26 solo, nine for loss), 7.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hurries in 14 games, all starts. Chubb has made 20.5 sacks in his first three years in the NFL despite playing only four contests in year two due to a torn ACL. P A.J. Cole III (2015-18), Las Vegas Raiders Last year, Cole had 40 punts for an average of 44.1 yards (net of 40.1 yards) while placing 19 inside the 20. QB Mike Glennon (2009-12), New York Giants Glennon is set to be a part of his sixth team after signing with the Giants on a one-year, $1.35-million contract. Last season, he started five games and com- pleted 111 of 179 passes (62.0 percent) for 1,072 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions while also rushing six times for 17 yards for the Jacksonville Jaguars and accumulated a passer rating of 80.1. In his career, Glennon has com- pleted 599 of 980 passes for 6,235 yards and 43 touchdowns with 25 intercep- tions for the Jaguars (2020), Buccaneers (2013-16), Bears (2017), Cardinals (2018) and Raiders (2019). DL B.J. Hill Jr. (2014-17), Cincinnati Bengals Hill begins his fourth season in the NFL with a new team after the Giants traded him for center Billy Price. Last season, Hill had 32 tackles (15 solo) with one sack while playing in 15 contests, and he's up to 116 career stops with 7.5 sacks. RB Nyheim Hines (2015-17), Indianapolis Colts Hines had 63 receptions for 482 yards and four touchdowns, 89 carries for 380 yards and three scores, and 30 punt returns with an average of 10.0 yards per runback during the regular season to help the Colts reach the playoffs. In three seasons with the team that drafted him in the fourth round, Hines has 893 yards and seven scores rushing, and 170 receptions for 1,227 yards and six more touch- downs. He has also returned a pair of punts to the end zone. DB Dontae Johnson (2010-13), San Francisco 49ers Last year, Johnson played in 13 games with three starts and posted 20 tackles (13 solo) and a sack with three passes broken up and two quarterback hurries. It was his seventh season in the NFL (49ers 2014-17, 2019-present; Seahawks 2018; Cardinals 2018; Chargers 2019). In his career, he has 184 tackles, two picks and 24 pass breakups. DB Josh Jones (2014-16), Jacksonville Jaguars Jones was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list and is done for the season. He had 83 tackles (59 solo) and an interception while starting all 12 con- tests he played last year. Jones has 211 career tackles, including seven for loss and three sacks, plus two interceptions and six pass breakups. DT Justin Jones (2014-17), Los Angeles Chargers Jones had 34 tackles (19 solo), five tackles for loss, a sack and four quarterback hurries in 13 games, all starts, last season. The former third-round pick has 81 career hits, including seven for loss and 1.5 sacks. OL Ted Larsen (2006-09), New York Giants Larsen injured his knee in the preseason finale and has been placed on injured reserve. He has played for Tampa Bay (2010-13, 2020), Chicago (2016, 2019) and Miami (2017-18) in his 11 years in the pros since originally being drafted by New England in the sixth round in 2010. He has made 88 career starts and played in 137 contests while getting a Super Bowl ring last year with the Bucs. CB Nick McCloud (2016-19/finished at Notre Dame), Cincinnati Bengals The undrafted rookie spent the preseason with Buffalo, where he tallied an in- terception and nine tackles, but was claimed by Cincinnati after being cut. DT T.Y. McGill Jr. (2011-14), Philadelphia Eagles The former undrafted free agent was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list Aug. 31. He had nine tackles, including two for loss and one sack, and three quarter- back hurries in seven appearances last year for the Eagles. McGill has 34 career tackles, including eight for loss and 5.5 sacks, and has played in six seasons for six different teams (Colts 2015-16; Browns 2017; Chargers 2018, 2019; Eagles 2018, 2020-present; Washington 2019; and Saints 2019). DT Alim McNeill (2018-20), Detroit Lions The third-round draft choice and rookie has been an instant hit and looks to be in line to be a day-one starter for the Lions. WR Jakobi Meyers (2016-18), New England Patriots Meyers appears secure on the roster after he had 59 receptions for 729 yards in 15 games last season. He also threw two touchdown passes in 2020, his second season with the Patriots after signing as an undrafted free agent. TE Thaddeus Moss (2016/finished at LSU), Cincinnati Bengals After being waived by Washington, Moss was claimed by the Bengals and landed on their practice squad. Former NC State Football Players In The NFL As of Aug. 31 Minnesota Vikings center Garrett Bradbury has started all 32 games so far in his NFL career and last year helped pave the way for an attack that ranked fourth in the league for total offense. PHOTO COURTESY MINNESOTA VIKINGS