Here is an update on all 14 former Razorbacks who were on NFL 53-man rosters during Week 17, as well as recaps for those who spent at least one week on a 53-man roster during the 2018 season. We also included a bonus update on one who will likely make his season debut in the playoffs…
Brandon Allen - Los Angeles Rams
Allen was on the Rams’ 53-man roster the first two weeks of the season before getting cut and moving to their practice squad.
Season Stats: DNP
Alex Collins - Baltimore Ravens
Collins came into 2018 with high expectations after a very productive 2017, but a foot injury eventually ended his season by placing him on injured reserve before Week 13.
Season Stats: 10 games (10 starts), 311 offensive snaps; 114 carries, 411 yards, 7 TDs, 15 receptions, 105 yards, 1 TD, 3 fumbles (3 lost); 1 tackle (1 solo)
AJ Derby - Miami Dolphins
A lingering foot injury that limited him to playing in only one game since getting hurt in Week 3 eventually landed him on injured reserve before Week 14.
Season Stats: 4 games (0 starts), 124 offensive snaps, 42 special teams snaps; 3 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD; 1 tackle (1 solo), 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
Trey Flowers - New England Patriots
It was another productive week for Flowers to wrap up the regular season as he started and played 42 of 56 defensive snaps in the Patriots’ 38-3 win over the New York Jets. He made six tackles, including four solo, two for a loss and one sack, while also notching one quarterback hit and forcing a fumble. That earned him a 92.1 grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest on the defense for the game.
The forced fumble came when he brought down Elijah McGuire for a loss of three yards early in the second quarter. It came on the first play after New England had scored a touchdown and led to another touchdown, increasing the lead from 11 to 18 points. Flowers’ sack came on a third-and-two play on the opening series of the second half, with him taking down Sam Darnold for a loss of eight yards to force a three-and-out.
Once again, the Patriots are in the postseason. They earned the No. 2 seed in the AFC, so they’ll get a bye before playing their first game on Jan. 13.
Season Stats: 15 games (15 starts), 732 defensive snaps; 56 tackles (22 solo), 12 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, 21 QB hits, 3 forced fumbles, 2 passes defended
Keon Hatcher - Oakland Raiders
For the fourth straight week, Hatcher was one of seven inactive players for the Raiders in their 35-3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He appeared in only three games during two separate stints in Oakland this season, with most of his action coming on special teams.
Season Stats: 3 games (0 starts), 6 offensive snaps, 25 special teams snaps; 1 reception, 8 yards; 1 tackle (0 solo)
Hunter Henry - Los Angeles Chargers
Despite missing the entire regular season with a torn ACL suffered back in May, Henry is expected to take first-team reps at practice this week and play in Sunday’s matchup with the Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round.
Season Stats: N/A
Denver Kirkland - Oakland Raiders
Spending time on the practice squads for the Raiders and Cardinals this season, Kirkland has been on the Raiders’ 53-man roster the last few weeks. He was inactive again for their 35-3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but did appear in two earlier games solely on special teams.
Season Stats: 2 games (0 starts), 8 special teams snaps
Mitchell Loewen - Detroit Lions
Loewen was released by the Saints last week, but claimed off waivers by the Lions a few days later. He was one of seven inactive players in Detroit’s 31-0 win over the Green Bay Packers. That means his lone appearance this season came way back in Week 2 with New Orleans.
Season Stats: 1 game (0 starts), 4 defensive snaps, 13 special teams snaps
Jason Peters - Philadelphia Eagles
Playing what could be his final regular-season game and despite battling multiple injuries, Peters toughed it out to start yet again and play 66 of 71 offensive snaps in the Eagles’ 24-0 win over the Washington Redskins. Not only that, but he earned a 79.5 grade from Pro Football Focus, which was the second highest offensive grade on the team.
The victory, coupled with the Vikings’ loss to the Bears, sends Philadelphia into the playoffs with the final wild card spot in the NFC. It will travel to Chicago to face the No. 3 seed Bears on Sunday and Peters said he’ll definitely be in the lineup.
Season Stats: 16 games (16 starts), 868 offensive snaps
Darius Philon - Los Angeles Chargers
After making clutch plays each of the last three weeks, Philon’s heroics weren’t needed in the Chargers’ 23-9 win over the Denver Broncos. He started at defensive tackle for the sixth straight week and played 40 of 79 defensive snaps, but made just one assisted tackle. There was also a five-yard penalty for a neutral zone infraction that gave Denver a third-down conversion, but Los Angeles eventually forced a punt on the series.
Philon will have a chance to make big plays in the postseason now, as the Chargers earned the top wild card spot in the AFC with a 12-4 record. They’ll travel to Baltimore to face the No. 4 seed Ravens on Sunday.
Season Stats: 15 games (12 starts), 607 defensive snaps, 59 special teams snaps; 33 tackles (19 solo), 9 TFLs, 4 sacks, 9 QB hits
Frank Ragnow - Detroit Lions
Just as he has pretty much all season, Ragnow started at left guard and played all 73 offensive snaps in the Lions’ 31-0 win over the Green Bay Packers, helping Detroit pile up 402 yards of offense.
In his rookie year, he played all but one offensive snap and it was because of a shoe malfunction last week. If you include special teams, he played more than any other player on the Lions this season with 1,138 snaps.
Season Stats: 16 games (16 starts), 1,074 offensive snaps, 64 special teams snaps
Chris Smith - Cleveland Browns
Smith played only 19 of 77 defensive snaps - and six special teams snaps - in the Browns’ 26-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and did not record any statistics. Although he made a couple of starts earlier in the season, he had a limited role for Cleveland most of the season, playing only 28.5 percent of defensive snaps.
Season Stats: 16 games (2 starts), 336 defensive snaps, 22 special teams snaps; 21 tackles (13 solo), 6 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 QB hit, 1 forced fumble, 2 passes defended
Martrell Spaight - Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars waived Spaight last week ahead of their final regular-season game of 2018. He played for the Dolphins and Jaguars this season, with all of his playing time coming on special teams.
Season Stats: 7 games (0 starts), 122 special teams snaps; 3 tackles (2 solo)
Jeremy Sprinkle - Washington Redskins
Although he was once again the Redskins’ primary tight end, Sprinkle was not targeted with any passes in their 24-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He started and played 36 of 45 offensive snaps and five special teams snaps in the game, with his lone contribution being a 10-yard holding penalty that wiped out a 9-yard run by Adrian Peterson.
Over the final three weeks of the regular season, he played 70.3 percent of Washington’s offensive snaps. That is up from just 28.4 percent over the first 13 games of the season.
Season Stats: 16 games (9 starts), 363 offensive snaps, 235 special teams snaps; 5 receptions, 41 yards, 1 TD; 1 tackle (0 solo), 1 fumble recovery; 1 kickoff return, 6 yards
Travis Swanson - Miami Dolphins
Swanson ended the season with his 11th consecutive start at center in the Dolphins’ 42-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He played all 61 offensive snaps and three special teams snaps, earning a 73.8 grade from Pro Football Focus. That was the fifth highest grade by a Miami player in the game.
Season Stats: 12 games (11 starts), 643 offensive snaps, 27 special teams snaps
David Williams - Jacksonville Jaguars
Despite playing only four offensive snaps - and five special teams snaps - in the Jaguars’ 20-3 loss to the Houston Texans, Williams got a couple of carries and gained two yards. That gives him a solid 4.5-yard average this season, highlighted by a 5-carry, 32-yard performance in Week 15.
Season Stats: 6 games (0 starts), 20 offensive snaps, 19 special teams snaps; 8 carries, 36 yards
Jonathan Williams - Indianapolis Colts
For the sixth straight week, Williams was inactive in the Colts’ 33-17 win over the Tennessee Titans. He did not appear in a game for Indianapolis after being promoted to the 53-man roster last month, but did play in three games for the Saints earlier in the year.
The Colts won the final wild card spot for the AFC and will face No. 3 seed Houston in the Wild Card Round on Saturday.
Season Stats: 3 games (0 starts), 18 offensive snaps; 3 carries, 0 yards, 1 reception, 1 yard
Deatrich Wise Jr. - New England Patriots
For the second straight week, the Patriots’ starting defensive line was bookended by former Razorbacks, as Wise made his fifth start of the season in a 38-3 win over the New York Jets. He played 31 of 56 defensive snaps and made five tackles, including two solo and half of a tackle for loss.
The assisted tackle for loss came on the second defensive play of the game, when he teamed up with Dont’a Hightower to bring down McGuire for a one-yard loss. Wise also had a quarterback hit in the game.
As mentioned above, New England earned the No. 2 seed in the AFC, so it will get a bye before playing its first playoff game.
Season Stats: 16 games (5 starts), 432 defensive snaps, 61 special teams snaps; 30 tackles (15 solo), 5.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 14 QB hits
Jarius Wright - Carolina Panthers
With Kyle Allen as his quarterback, Wright played 22 of 72 offensive snaps in the Panthers’ 33-14 win over the New Orleans Saints and caught a couple of passes for 20 yards. That included an 11-yard reception on a fourth-and-seven play that kept a touchdown drive alive.
For most of the season, Wright was Cam Newton’s security blanket. He caught 72.9 percent of the passes thrown his way, which was the ninth best catch rate for a receiver in the NFL this season. The 43 receptions were also a career high, while his 447 yards are the second most he’s had during his seven-year career.
Season Stats: 16 games (6 starts), 528 offensive snaps, 10 special teams snaps; 43 receptions, 447 yards, 1 TD, 2 carries, 39 yards, 3 fumbles (1 lost), 1 fumble recovery; 1 tackle (1 solo)