Getty Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate.
The Arizona Cardinals brought in Khalil Tate for a tryout on Tuesday as the undrafted rookie free agent continues his NFL journey. Tate, a three-year starter at the University of Arizona, is attempting to make the tough transition from college quarterback to professional wide receiver.
The Philadelphia Eagles added him to the roster prior to training camp and announced they were moving him to receiver. But Tate was waived on July 20 and never made it to the NovaCare Complex for practice despite some pretty impressive credentials.
The 22-year-old threw for more than 6,300 yards and 57 touchdowns for the Wildcats while also rushing 2,285 yards and 18 additional scores. He appeared on a regional cover of Sports Illustrated in 2018 and had been working with former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Tate (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) has incredible athleticism and natural talent.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote the following about Tate in his scouting report:
He does have outstanding size, speed and athletic ability, which plays directly into a positional switch to receiver. His ability to fling the ball around offers intriguing package potential, as well. Ultimately, Tate will require a long-term plan and patience, whether he plays quarterback or receiver, and he’ll have to prove he’s determined enough to do what’s needed to make it.
The Cardinals also hosted another former Eagles receiver, Robert Davis, for a tryout on Tuesday. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder spent 2019 on the practice squad before seeing action in three games. Davis caught one ball for six yards in an emergency role following a rash of injuries.
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Browns Place Andrew Sendejo on COVID-19 List
Another familiar face was in the news on Tuesday when the Cleveland Browns announced that safety Andrew Sendejo was heading to the COVID-19 list. It wasn’t clear if he actually tested positive for the novel coronavirus or was in close contact with someone who did. Either way, Sendejo is out for Sunday’s season finale.
#Browns have placed Harrison Bryant and Andrew Sendejo on the COVID-19 reserve list
Sendejo spent the 2019 season in midnight green and it was a mostly forgettable one. He finished with 28 total tackles and one interception in nine games but it was his “friendly fire” hit on teammate Avonte Maddox that turned him into a villain.
Maddox went flying in a helmet-to-helmet collision and was down motionless on the field for several minutes before leaving in a stretcher. The Eagles cornerback wound up missing five weeks with a serious head injury. It was both a reckless hit and a scary scene.
The Sendejo hit on Maddox:
Jim Schwartz Addresses Injuries on Defense
Speaking of injuries, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz addressed the myriad of blows his unit has had to overcome this year during his media availability. The team was literally down to three cornerbacks last week, including undrafted rookie free agent Michael Jacquet who had to start a must-win game.
That has been the underlying theme of the 2020 season on both sides of the ball for Philadelphia. Schwartz, a consummate professional, wasn’t about to make excuses due to injuries. All 32 NFL organizations were dealing with similar complications from a lack of preseason and shortened practice schedule due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Nobody really cares what your injury situation is,” Schwartz told reporters. “Everybody has them. It’s football. Guys are going to get hurt. You just have to figure out a way to put it together and come out with wins, and like I said, we haven’t done a good enough job of that this year, and as a result, we lost an opportunity for the playoffs.”
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