MORGANTOWN — NFL teams cut their active rosters down to 53 players on Tuesday as they prepare for the start of their regular season next week.
When all was said and done, 11 former Mountaineers were still standing on those current active NFL rosters.
Two of those in the pro ranks are rookies who spent the 2023 season at WVU — offensive lineman Zach Frazier (a second-round draft pick) and defensive back Beanie Bishop (an undrafted free agent).
Both of those first-year players are with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Frazier has been starting at center for the Steelers in the final couple of preseason games, and Bishop is in contention for a starting spot at slot corner in Pittsburgh as well.
Wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton, undrafted out of WVU following the 2022 season, also survived the New York Giants’ cuts and is now on their active roster after spending all of last season on the club’s injured reserve list.
The other former Mountaineers on active NFL rosters are all veterans who have spent various amounts of time in the league: defensive back Rasul Douglas (eighth season in the NFL) with the Buffalo Bills, linebacker Tony Fields (fourth season) with the Cleveland Browns, offensive lineman Mark Glowinski (10th season) with the New York Giants, linebacker David Long (sixth season) with the Miami Dolphins, offensive lineman Colton McKivitz (fifth season) with the San Francisco 49ers, quarterback Geno Smith (12th season) with the Seattle Seahawks, defensive lineman Dante Stills (second season) with the Arizona Cardinals and linebacker Kyzir White (seventh season) with the Arizona Cardinals.
Two former Mountaineers were recently placed on the injured reserve list by their respective NFL teams — offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste (sixth season) with the New York Giants and wide receiver Marcus Simms (three seasons in the USFL/UFL) with the Seattle Seahawks.
Six other former Mountaineers were waived in the preseason — wide receiver Devin Carter (rookie) with the Carolina Panthers, quarterback Will Grier (five previous NFL seasons) with the Philadelphia Eagles, offensive lineman Doug Nester (rookie) with the Minnesota Vikings, wide receiver David Sills (five previous NFL seasons) with the Denver Broncos, defensive back Daryl Worley (eight previous NFL seasons) with the Baltimore Ravens and long snapper Rex Sunahara (two previous UFL/XFL seasons) with the Cleveland Browns.
Those who have been waived now have an opportunity to sign with an NFL team’s practice squad, which each can feature up to 16 players.
Reportedly, Sunahara and Sills signed with the practice squads at Cleveland and Denver, respectively. Also, Nester signed with Pittsburgh’s practice squad, and Grier was inked to Philadelphia’s practice squad.
