It was a rough two days of practice for former members of the Alliance of American Football getting a shot in the NFL. Two former AAF players went down with injuries Monday. Orion Stewart, formerly of the San Antonio Commanders went down with a knee injury Sunday night that turned out be a torn ACL. Former Orlando Apollos cornerback Keith Reaser tore his Achilles Monday.
Stewart signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason and was notable for nabbing the first interception in AAF history. In eight games with the Commanders, Stewart recorded 17 tackles, one for a loss, three passes defended and two interceptions.
Bucs’ LB Orion Stewart posted on IG that he tore his ACL. “This is gone be a struggle 4 me not physically but mentally but imma make it thru this!! I been thru 2 much not 2 shake this 💯 it I BE RIGHT BACK!!”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 29, 2019
“This is tough, but the MAN above makes no mistakes,” Stewart said on Instagram. “Torn ACL. This is gone be a struggle four me not physically but mentally. . . .But Imma make it thru this!!”
Stewart was originally an undrafted free agent for the Denver Broncos out of Baylor in 2017. He bounced around practice squads for the Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins and New York Giants before showing what he could do in the now deceased minor league.
Reaser was the first AAF player picked off the trash pile after the league went belly up, landing with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was originally a San Francisco 49ers fifth-round pick in 2014. He was with the 49ers for a little over three seasons before getting cut in 2017 and picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs apparently liked what they saw enough then to keep him on the radar.
Andy Reid said he believes Keith Reaser has an Achilles tear. https://t.co/rKH2rgymKA
— BJ Kissel (@ChiefsReporter) July 29, 2019
With Orlando, Reaser had 12 tackles, 10 passes defended and three interceptions.
Transactions
- Cameron Meredith was released by the New Orleans Saints. In a corresponding move, they signed offensive lineman Patrick Omameh.
- The Miami Dolphins fired offensive line coach Pat Flaherty Monday, replacing him with Dave DeGuglielmo. DeGuglielmo previously served as a team analyst.
- Quarterback Joe Callahan is expected to sign with the Baltimore Ravens as the team looks to fill out its signal-caller depth chart after the injury to Robert Griffin III.
- Tight end Kyle Carter was picked up by the Buffalo Bills, prompting them to cut linebacker Juwan Foggie.
