With the end of May approaching and summer workouts dotting the calendar the next few weeks for NFL teams, it’s a good time to check in on how many Utah ties there are in the league at this time of year, when player transactions are less frequent.
Every NFL team has at least one player with Utah ties on its roster right now — there are currently 87 players with Utah ties on NFL rosters, with another 14 who are free agents who have been on a roster in the past year.
That’s not out of the ordinary considering teams can carry up to 90 players on their roster during the offseason. They must trim that down to 53 players on the active roster by the start of the regular season.
Each year, nearly half (or more) of the Utah ties on an NFL roster during the offseason are waived or placed on reserve lists by the time the regular season starts.
For example, 51 players with Utah ties made an opening-day active roster last season. The year before that, there were 46 Utah ties who made the initial active rosters for NFL teams.
Of the 87 on rosters right now, 25 are rookies. That includes eight draft picks and 17 who signed as undrafted rookie free agents. Most of those 17 will not make an active roster as a rookie, though they could stick around on practice squads.
The Denver Broncos lead the NFL with seven players with Utah ties currently on their roster, while the New Orleans Saints have six and the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns each have five.
Here’s a look at all 87 players with Utah ties currently on an NFL roster, as well as 14 others who have spent time on an NFL roster in the past year, and some of the key offseason movements for a number of veteran players.
BYU (26)
Player, Pos., Utah tie(s) — NFL team
Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU — Atlanta Falcons.
Zayne Anderson, S, BYU and Stansbury High — Green Bay Packers.
Clark Barrington, OG, BYU — Las Vegas Raiders.
Chris Brooks, RB, BYU — Miami Dolphins.
Brady Christensen, OG, BYU and Bountiful High — Carolina Panthers.
Michael Davis, CB, BYU — Washington Commanders.
Blake Freeland, OT, BYU and Herriman High — Indianapolis Colts.
Jaren Hall, QB, BYU and Maple Mountain High — Minnesota Vikings.
Kaleb Hayes, CB, BYU — New York Giants.
Taysom Hill, QB/TE, BYU — New Orleans Saints.
Dallin Holker, TE, BYU and Lehi High — New Orleans Saints.
Gabe Jeudy-Lally, CB, BYU — Tennessee Titans.
Dax Milne, WR, BYU and Bingham High — Washington Commanders.
Puka Nacua, WR, BYU and Orem High — Los Angeles Rams.
Ryan Rehkow, P, BYU — Kansas City Chiefs.
Aidan Robbins, RB, BYU — Cleveland Browns.
Kedon Slovis, QB, BYU — Indianapolis Colts.
Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU and Orem High — Kansas City Chiefs.
Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU — New England Patriots.
Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU and Granger High — Arizona Cardinals.
Max Tooley, LB, BYU and Bountiful High — Houston Texans.
Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU — Baltimore Ravens.
Fred Warner, LB, BYU — San Francisco 49ers.
Chris Wilcox, CB, BYU — Los Angeles Chargers.
Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU — New Orleans Saints.
Zach Wilson, QB, BYU and Corner Canyon High — Denver Broncos.
Key offseason movements: The most prominent move was Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, being traded from the New York Jets to Denver after three struggling seasons with the Jets.
There were also significant moves for a pair of veterans: Davis signed with the Commanders on a one-year deal after seven seasons with the Chargers, while Takitaki joined the Patriots on a two-year contract after five years with Cleveland.
Tonga, a seventh-round selection in 2021, joined his fourth team in as many years after a season and a half with Minnesota.
Utah (31)
Player, Pos., Utah tie(s) — NFL team
Bradlee Anae, DE, Utah — Atlanta Falcons.
Cody Barton, LB, Utah and Brighton High — Denver Broncos.
Jackson Barton, OT, Utah and Brighton High — Arizona Cardinals.
Miles Battle, CB, Utah — Kansas City Chiefs.
Keaton Bills, OL, Utah and Corner Canyon High — Buffalo Bills.
Cole Bishop, S, Utah — Buffalo Bills.
Julian Blackmon, S, Utah and Layton High — Indianapolis Colts.
Garett Bolles, OT, Utah, Snow College and Westlake High — Denver Broncos.
Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah and Timpview High — Philadelphia Eagles.
Braeden Daniels, OL, Utah — Washington Commanders.
Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah — Cleveland Browns.
Jonah Elliss, OLB, Utah — Denver Broncos.
Cole Fotheringham, TE, Utah — Las Vegas Raiders.
Leki Fotu, DT, Utah and Herriman High — New York Jets.
Matt Gay, K, Utah and Orem High — Indianapolis Colts.
Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah — Cleveland Browns.
Clayton Isbell, S, Utah — Carolina Panthers.
Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah — Chicago Bears.
Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah — Buffalo Bills.
Sataoa Laumea, OT, Utah — Seattle Seahawks.
Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah — Jacksonville Jaguars.
Zack Moss, RB, Utah — Cincinnati Bengals.
Tim Patrick, WR, Utah — Denver Broncos.
Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah — Atlanta Falcons.
Nephi Sewell, LB, Utah and Desert Hills High — New Orleans Saints.
Bryan Thompson, WR, Utah — Buffalo Bills.
Sione Vaki, S/RB, Utah — Detroit Lions.
Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah — Denver Broncos.
Marcus Williams, S, Utah — Baltimore Ravens.
Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah — San Francisco 49ers.
Thomas Yassmin, TE, Utah — Denver Broncos.
Key offseason movements: After earning his first Pro Bowl citation and being named second-team All-Pro, Johnson was given the franchise tag by the Bears before agreeing to a reported four-year, $76 million contract extension, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, that keeps him in Chicago through 2027.
Another former Utah defensive backfield star, Blackmon, also signed a deal to stay with his current team, as the Colts inked him to a one-year deal worth $3.7 million, per Over the Cap
There were some significant team changes among Utah players as well: Huntley signed with the Browns after four seasons with Baltimore, while Moss joined the Bengals after rushing for 794 yards and five touchdowns with the Colts last year.
Cody Barton, a third-round pick in 2019, joined his third team in three seasons by signing with Denver after starting 13 games for Washington last season, while Fotu moved on from the team that drafted him, Arizona, to sign with the Jets.
Utah State (8)
Player, Pos., Utah tie(s) — NFL team
Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State — Cincinnati Bengals.
Jordan Love, QB, Utah State — Green Bay Packers.
Andrew Peasley, QB, Utah State — New York Jets.
Patrick Scales, LS, Utah State and Weber High — Chicago Bears.
Deven Thompkins, WR, Utah State — Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Byron Vaughns, OLB, Utah State — Dallas Cowboys.
Bobby Wagner, MLB, Utah State — Washington Commanders.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State, Snow College and East High — Pittsburgh Steelers.
Key offseason movements: Wagner, the nine-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro, ended up staying just one season in his return to Seattle. Now the 33-year-old is on to Washington, his third team in as many seasons, on a one-year, $6.5 million contract, per Over the Cap.
Love signed a contract extension that pays him $11 million in 2024, according to ESPN, but after throwing for more than 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, he heads into this season in the final year of his contract looking for a more long-term deal.
Southern Utah (4)
Player, Pos., Utah tie(s) — NFL team
Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah and Murray High — Chicago Bears.
Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah — Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tanner McLachlan, TE, Southern Utah — Cincinnati Bengals.
Isaiah Wooden, WR, Southern Utah — Atlanta Falcons.
Key offseason movement: Killebrew, a special teams ace who’s been with Pittsburgh since 2021, signed a two-year contract extension to stay with the Steelers after earning his first Pro Bowl nod this past season.
Weber State (5)
Player, Pos., Utah tie(s) — NFL team
Taron Johnson, CB Weber State — Buffalo Bills.
Sua Opeta, OG, Weber State and Stansbury High — Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Winston Reid, LB, Weber State and Copper Hills — Cleveland Browns.
Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State — New Orleans Saints.
Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State — Minnesota Vikings.
Key offseason movements: Johnson, who earned second-team All-Pro honors last year, stayed locked in with the team that drafted him, agreeing to a three-year extension with the Bills worth a reported $31 million, according to Rapoport.
Opeta is joining the Buccaneers after five seasons in Philadelphia, while Williams, who started 16 games last season for the Rams, is headed to Minnesota after three years in Los Angeles.
Other Utah ties (13)
Player, Pos., Utah tie(s) — NFL team
Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial High — Atlanta Falcons.
Simi Fehoko, WR, Brighton High — Los Angeles Chargers.
Alohi Gilman, S, Orem High — Los Angeles Chargers.
Siaki Ika, DT, East High — Cleveland Browns.
Andre James, C, Herriman High — Las Vegas Raiders.
Cameron Latu, TE, Olympus High — San Francisco 49ers.
Nathan Latu, DE, Snow College and Olympus High — New Orleans Saints.
Jackson Powers-Johnson, OG, Corner Canyon High — Las Vegas Raiders.
Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham High — Houston Texans.
Noah Sewell, LB, Orem High — Chicago Bears.
Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills High — Detroit Lions.
Taki Taimani, DL, East High — Minnesota Vikings.
Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham High — Cincinnati Bengals.
Key offseason movement: The biggest one here is that Penei Sewell, who’s started every game he’s played for the Lions since joining the league in 2021, is that he signed a four-year, $112 million extension that includes $85 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, that keeps him in Detroit through the 2029 season.
Current free agents with Utah ties (14)
These 14 players spent all or part of the 2023 season, or this offseason, on an NFL roster.
Player, Pos., Utah tie(s) — Previous NFL team
Terrell Burgess, S, Utah — Washington Commanders.
Matt Bushman, TE, BYU — Kansas City Chiefs.
James Empey, C, BYU and American Fork High — Tennessee Titans.
Tyler Larsen, C, Utah State and Jordan High — Washington Commanders.
Dallin Leavitt, S, Utah State and BYU — Denver Broncos.
D’Angelo Mandell, CB, BYU — Washington Commanders.
Bryan Mone, DT, Highland High — Seattle Seahawks.
John Penisini, DT, Utah and West Jordan High — New Orleans Saints.
Isaac Rex, TE, BYU — Detroit Lions.
Eric Rowe, S, Utah — Pittsburgh Steelers.
Daniel Sorensen, S, BYU — New Orleans Saints.
Noah Togiai, TE, Hunter High — Philadelphia Eagles.
Derek Wright, WR, Utah State, Snow College and Manti High — Carolina Panthers.
Nick Vigil, LB, Utah State and Fremont High — Minnesota Vikings.
Key notes: Bushman announced earlier this offseason that he is ”moving on” from football after winning two Super Bowl rings with the Chiefs but primarily being a practice squad member.
Penisini and Rex were recent cuts by their respective teams, while veterans like Burgess, Rowe, Leavitt, Mone and Togiai are among the most likely options to sign contracts in the future due to their experience at the NFL level.
