Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1512721
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 6 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M in October with a hamstring problem, but he re- turned to action against Tampa Bay in Week 13 and made 4 tackles against the Buccaneers. Despite playing in only six games, he was second on the team with 2.5 sacks through Week 13. KJ Hamler (2018-19), WR, Indianapolis Colts: Signed to the Colts' practice squad in late Septem- ber, Hamler was placed on the injured list Nov. 30 for undisclosed reasons. He has yet to see game action this year. Austin Johnson (2012-15), DT, Los Angeles Char- gers: A starter at right defensive end, Johnson had made 24 tackles, including 1 for loss, in the Char- gers' first 12 games. DaQuan Jones (2010-13), DL, Buffalo Bills: Bills coach Sean McDermott hasn't ruled out the pos- sibility of Jones returning later this season. He suffered a pectoral injury against Jacksonville on Oct. 8 and hasn't played since, but McDermott said there was an "outside chance" that he could be back before the end of the season. Jones had 3 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks before his injury. Jesse Luketa (2018-21), LB, Arizona Cardinals: Listed as Arizona's third-team strong-side line- backer, Luketa had made 8 tackles in nine game appearances. Connor McGovern (2016-18), G, Buffalo Bills: McGovern has replaced David Edwards as the Bills' starter at left guard. He played every offensive snap in a 37-34 overtime loss to Philadelphia in Week 12. Trace McSorley (2014-18), QB, Pittsburgh Steel- ers: McSorley was released by the Bears on Nov. 21, five weeks after joining their practice squad. He was signed to the Steelers' practice squad on Dec. 4. PJ Mustipher (2018-22), DT, Denver Broncos: Mustipher was signed to the Broncos' practice squad in August and has yet to see action. Amani Oruwariye (2014-18), CB, Jacksonville Jaguars: Oruwariye joined the Jaguars' practice squad in October but has not played yet this sea- son. Odafe Oweh (2018-20), DE, Baltimore Ravens: Bothered by an ankle injury, Oweh played in only eight of Baltimore's first 12 games but still had 4 sacks among his 18 total tackles, ranking fourth on the team in quarterback drops. Micah Parsons (2018-19), LB, Dallas Cowboys: Parsons put the finishing touches on a 41-35 vic- tory over Seattle in Week 12, pressuring quarter- back Geno Smith into a fourth-down incompletion on the Seahawks' final possession. The third-year pro had 3 quarterback hits in the game. For the season, Parsons had 11.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss through 12 games and was listed by the Draft- Kings Sportsbook as the favorite to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Joey Porter Jr. (2019-22), CB, Pittsburgh Steel- ers: Porter has continued to start at right cor- nerback for the Steelers. The rookie was tied for third on the team through 12 games with 6 passes defended. Allen Robinson II (2011-2013), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: Heading into a Dec. 7 game against New England, Robinson was fourth among Steelers wide receivers with 23 catches for 185 yards. He had yet to score in his first season in Pittsburgh. Miles Sanders (2016-18), RB, Carolina Panthers: It's been a struggle for Sanders in his first season in Carolina. The Panthers were 26th in the league with a 96-yard rushing average heading into a Week 14 visit to New Orleans. Sanders was second on the team with 302 yards and 1 touchdown on 97 carries. Nick Scott (2014-18), S, Cincinnati Bengals: Scott was fifth on the Bengals with 54 tackles heading into a Week 14 visit from Indianapolis. Juice Scruggs (2018-22), G, Houston Texans: Af- ter recovering from a preseason hamstring injury, Scruggs made his NFL debut against Jacksonville in Week 12. He played 46 snaps at left guard in the Texans' 24-21 loss to the Jaguars. Brandon Smith (2019-21), LB, Philadelphia Ea- gles: After starting out his NFL career with Caro- lina, Smith joined the Eagles' practice squad in October. Donovan Smith (2011-14), OT, Kansas City Chiefs: Smith continues to start at left tackle for the defending Super Bowl champs. Chris Stoll (2017-22), LS, Seattle Seahawks: Stoll has been the Seahawks' long snapper all season. Jordan Stout (2019-21), P, Baltimore Ravens: Stout was averaging 48.1 yards on 47 punts through 12 games. Brenton Strange (2019-22), TE, Jacksonville Jag- uars: Strange had 4 catches for 34 yards and a touchdown through Jacksonville's first 12 games. Jonathan Sutherland (2017-22), S, Seattle Sea- hawks: Sutherland was signed to the Seahawks' practice squad on Oct. 31. He has yet to see action. Mitchell Tinsley (2022), WR, Washington Com- manders: Tinsley is on the active roster but had yet to catch a pass through Week 13. Rasheed Walker (2018-21), OT, Green Bay Pack- ers: Walker has been rotating with Yosh Nijman at left tackle. The former Nittany Lion is listed as Green Bay's starter at the position. Parker Washington (2020-22), WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: Washington came off injured reserve in November and had a big night in Jacksonville's 34- 31 loss to Cincinnati in Week 13, catching 6 passes for 61 yards and a touchdown while also returning 2 kickoffs 51 yards. The catches were the first of his career. ■ Tracking Penn State's NBA Trio Former Penn State forward Lamar Stevens had a simple reason for wanting to play in Boston after spending his first three NBA seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers. "The winning culture," he told the Inside The Celtics blog. "I talked to [team president] Brad Stevens when I came here for a workout, and he said, 'The only thing we worry about here is winning.' I felt like that was perfect for what I'm about and what I want to bring and the things I'm trying to achieve in my career." The Celtics have indeed been winning this season. They were tied for the league's best record with a 15-4 mark following a 125-119 victory over Philadelphia on Dec. 1. However, Stevens hadn't been a big part of that effort. He had played in only six of the Celtics' first 19 games, averaging 1.5 points and 1 re- bound in 3.4 minutes per contest. During his three previous seasons in Cleveland, Stevens had seen his playing time steadily increase, going from 12.5 minutes per game as a rookie to 16.1 in 2021-22 and 18.1 last season. In the offseason, Stevens signed a one-year contract worth $1.9 million. While the money is not guaranteed, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward told Inside The Celtics that he felt Boston was a good fit. "I'm excited for the opportunity [to] bring what I bring to the team," he said. "Hopefully, it can uplift us." Elsewhere around the league, former Penn State point guard Jalen Pickett was assigned to the Grand Rapids Gold of the G League on Nov. 29 after starting out the season on the roster of the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Pickett, a second-round draft pick this past June, had seen action in 11 of Nuggets' first 21 games, averaging 2.3 points in 6.7 minutes. Pickett's former Penn State teammate Seth Lundy is also in the G League. The rookie forward was assigned to the College Park (Ga.) Skyhawks after having been drafted in the second round by Atlanta, 14 picks after Pickett was selected. Lundy had seen action in all five of the Hawks' preseason games but received only 34 minutes of playing time. Through nine games with the Skyhawks, all of which he started, he was averaging 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 31.1 minutes per outing. — Matt Herb LAMAR STEVENS