Four former Cards signed to NFL practice squads

Following Saturday's 4 p.m. deadline to have the 53-man rosters set for all 32 NFL clubs ahead of the 2020 season, four former Louisville Cardinals have been signed to practice squads across the league.

Offensive lineman Tyler Haycraft was retained by the New York Giants, running back Reggie Bonnafon will remain with the Carolina Panthers, tight end Cole Hikutini stays with the Dallas Cowboys and offensive tackle Jamon Brown was picked up by the Chicago Bears.

After completing his collegiate career, Haycraft went undrafted and later signed a UDFA deal with the Giants soon after the draft's completion. While he was not included on the G-Men's 53-man roster, he showed flashes of brilliance over the course of his transition from tackle to center during the preseason, warranting him landing one of the Giants' 16 spots on the practice squad.

Bonnafon served as the primary backup to All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey a season ago with the Panthers, rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown in sixteen carries. While it was surprising to see him released as part of roster cuts, the organization still wants to keep him around.

Hikutini returns for his second year on the Cowboys' practice squad after originally being brought on in 2019 and signing a reserve/future contract. Signing a UDFA deal in 2017 with the San Francisco 49ers, he has also been with the Minnesota Vikings prior to his current stint in Dallas.

Unlike the other three, Jamon Brown wound up with a team different from where he played in 2019. Due to the combination of injuries, underperformance and the competition on the roster, Brown was released by the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 24 after he had signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the team prior to the 2019 season. The following week he met with the Chicago Bears' brass, where he would later be brought on.

Week 1 of the NFL is set to begin on Sept. 10 at 8:20 p.m. EST with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Houston Texans on Thursday night.

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