@jaredmaydenii/Instagram NFL analysts are curious as to what the Bills are planning after they cut rookie Ja'Marcus Ingram and signed former Eagles safety Jared Mayden (pictured).
The Buffalo Bills are slowly, and with painfully heavy hearts, trying to return to the business of football. The team added safety Jared Mayden to the active roster on Wednesday, one of the first move made by the franchise in the aftermath of the Damar Hamlin tragedy. The second-year player out of Alabama spent the majority of the 2021 season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mayden, a college teammate of Jalen Hurts, was originally signed as an undrafted rookie by the San Francisco 49ers. The 24-year-old has appeared in six regular-season games – 38 defensive snaps, 86 special-teams snaps – while recording seven total tackles. This marks his second tour of duty with the Bills following stints on the 49ers, Eagles, and Jets. Mayden won a national championship at Alabama in 2017. He had inked a Reserve/Futures contract with Philly last January.
If Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is placed on IR, Eagles could sign Jared Mayden off the Jets practice squad.
Mayden spent training camp and preseason with the Eagles before getting hurt and being released.
Jaquiski Tartt is still available but he had an unceremonious end in Philly.
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon expressed confidence in Mayden during spring workouts and name-dropped the youngster as a player to watch. The Eagles were deep at the safety position, but devoid of legit experience. Anthony Harris and Marcus Epps were the projected starters at the time – that was prior to the trade for C.J. Gardner-Johnson, of course.
“I feel like that room, each guy that’s in that room right now that’s played has shown that they can play at a high level for us,” Gannon told reporters on May 24. “Anthony [Harris] obviously coming back and Marcus [Epps] playing a lot of snaps for us last year, K’Von [Wallace], Dre [Andre Chachere], Jared [Mayden], I feel really good about that room. Everything that I look for in a safety, all those guys in that room have those qualities. Really have to put the work in and then see where it goes.”
Eagles Light Up Lincoln Financial Field Blue
The Eagles honored Damar Hamlin by lighting up Lincoln Financial Field in Bills blue on Wednesday night. The team put his picture up on the Jumbotron and wrote “Prayers for Damar Hamlin” next to it. All 32 NFL teams had changed their social media images to show support for Hamlin on Tuesday. It’s been a heart-wrenching 72 hours across the league as everyone comes to grips with the horrific scene (and uncomfortable new reality) that unfolded on Monday night in Cincinnati.
Head coach Nick Sirianni addressed the Hamlin situation during his media availability on Wednesday. He wouldn’t reveal what he told his troops, but tough and meaningful conversations were had about player health and safety, including the preciousness of life in general.
“I won’t get into the conversation and the major specifics, but really just want everyone to know that they have a lot of people that care for them in this building,” Sirianni told reporters, “and that the relationships, this is one of the reasons why you build the relationships, so the people that are hurting from this can come talk to the people they need to. Then, obviously, we just all feel for Damar [Hamlin] and his family and just praying for a speedy recovery.”
Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight.
He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him.
Eagles Make 3 Roster Moves on Wednesday
The Eagles activated the 21-day practice windows on safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and defensive end Robert Quinn on Wednesday. They aren’t guaranteed to play on Sunday but the team could choose to add them back to the 53-man roster if their bodies hold up this week at practice. Philadelphia also opened up the window on offensive tackle Brett Toth who is still rehabbing from offseason knee surgery.
Here is the official injury report from Wednesday, which is an estimation since the Eagles conducted a walk-through and not a regular practice:
Wednesday injury report
