Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/366772
IRISH IN THE PROS George Atkinson III (2011-13) RB Oakland Raiders Robert Blanton (2008-11) DB Minnesota Vikings Sergio Brown (2006-09) S Indianapolis Colts David Bruton (2005-08) S Denver Broncos John Carlson (2003-07) TE Arizona Cardinals Braxston Cave (2008-12) C New England Patriots IRISH IN THE NFL As of Aug. 18 (2007-09) NFL future looked bleak when the Carolina Panthers cut him during the offseason. The Chicago Bears, however, picked him up late in the spring and he is auditioning for the backup quarterback job behind Jay Cutler. Clausen completed 7 of 13 passes for 150 yards with two touchdowns in the team's preseason opener, but he struggled some in game two while going 11-of-15 passing for 94 yards with an intercep- tion. Head coach Marc Trestman has yet to name a No. 2, with Clausen and Jordan Palmer vying for the job. The Bears' No. 2 quarterback is likely to play this season: Cutler has not started all 16 games since 2009, his first year with the organization. • Brady Quinn (2003-06) signed on with FOX Sports as a college football on-air analyst during the offsea- son when it looked like his NFL career would end seven seasons after the Cleveland Browns chose him with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Quinn, however, earned an opportunity with the Miami Dolphins just one week after signing with FOX. It remains to be seen if he can push Matt Moore for the backup position, or if he will return to FOX soon. NFL rosters must be trimmed to 53 by the end of August. • Linebacker Manti Te'o missed a significant por- tion of the preseason and the first three games of the 2013 regular season after suffering a sprained right foot. This August, it's the other foot but the same injury. Te'o was expected to miss the team's third preseason game — typically regarded as the most important of the four — with a sprained left foot. Chargers head coach Mike McCoy did not have a timeline for Te'o's return when speaking with reporters Aug. 16. Te'o played in all 51 games during his four years at Notre Dame. • The right shoulder injury TJ Jones (2010-13) suf- fered in the Dec. 28 Pinstripe Bowl continues to plague him. The first-year Detroit Lions wide re- ceiver underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in June and felt close to 100 percent when camp started, only to experience minor setbacks along the way. At the time of publication, Jones remained on the Lions' physically unable to perform (PUP) list. If he begins the regular season on the PUP list, he would be forced to miss the first six games and then would have a three-week practice window before the Lions would need to activate him or sit him the remainder of the season. • Nose tackle Louis Nix III (2010-13) missed the Houston Texans' first two preseason games, but was expected to return for their third in Denver Aug. 23. Nix was added to the active roster Aug. 12 after returning from arthroscopic knee surgery. First-year head coach Bill O'Brien said Nix still needed to get in football shape and learn more about the league before he can succeed. • Former Irish outside linebacker Prince Shembo (2010-13) has moved inside for the Atlanta Falcons, and head coach Mike Smith has spoken highly of his future with the team. Even while he transitions inside, Shembo is competing for a starting spot as a rookie fourth-round selection. ✦