Louis Rees-Zammit’s hopes of playing in the NFL have been given new life by signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 23-year-old, who was released by the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week after spending the entire preseason, has signed with the Jaguars’ practice squad for the upcoming season, making him a potential starting rotation player during the NFL season.
Despite being selected as a running back by the Super Bowl champions and playing a variety of roles during the team’s three preseason games, Wales was selected as a wide receiver by his new team.
The Jaguars play two games in England later this year, taking on the Chicago Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13 and the New England Patriots at Wembley the following week.
Rees-Zammit, who completed the NFL’s International Player Pathway program earlier this year, will earn the Jaguars an additional practice squad spot as mandated by the league. “The NFL has specific roster rules for players signed through the IPP. Each season, NFL divisions are randomly selected to participate in the IPP program. Designated teams are granted additional offseason roster spots for IPP players assigned to that team.
“At the conclusion of training camp, IPP players may be added to their designated club’s 53-man roster or waived. Players who pass a waiver may be added to their designated team’s practice squad using an IPP waiver, which allows additional practice squad spots. IPP players added to a practice squad using a waiver may not be added to any team’s active roster that season. However, players added to a practice squad without a waiver are treated the same way as other practice squad players for roster purposes.”
