It was good news and bad news for Snohomish County natives who were trying out for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals.
The NFL’s deadline for trimming rosters to 53 players for the start of the 2017 season was Saturday, and KeiVarae Russell and Dustin Stanton had differing fates in their attempts at making the Bengals.
Russell, who graduated from Mariner High School in 2012, survived the final cuts, meaning the second-year cornerback is set to be on Cincinnati’s roster when the Bengals open the season next Sunday at home against the Baltimore Ravens. Russell, a third-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft out of Notre Dame by the Kansas City Chiefs, was surprisingly released by the Chiefs last September and picked up on waivers by the Bengals. Russell appeared in five games with Cincinnati last season, recording one interception.
Stanton, however, was cut by the Bengals on Saturday. The undrafted rookie offensive lineman, who graduated from Lakewood High School in 2012, was signed by Cincinnati as a rookie free agent immediately following this year’s NFL draft following a successful career at Oregon State.
Also among Saturday’s cuts was Archbishop Murphy High School graduate Taniela Tupou, who was in camp with the Atlanta Falcons.
The second-year defensive tackle out of the University of Washington appeared in one game with the Seattle Seahawks last season as a fullback before being released. He was signed by the Falcons following Atlanta’s rookie minicamp in May.
Players cut Saturday are placed on waivers, where they can be claimed by any other team and placed on their 53-man roster. Players who go unclaimed clear waivers on Sunday and become eligible to be placed on teams’ practice squads.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
