Frogs in the NFL Face Different Roles and the Same Fight

The NFL has a funny way of reminding you that nobody cares what you accomplished before you got there.

It doesn’t matter how many games you started in college, how many awards you won or how many people knew your name on Saturday. Once you walk into an NFL locker room, you’re competing against grown men trying to feed their families, keep their jobs and make sure you’re not the one taking their spot.

I learned that firsthand.

That’s why I enjoy following former TCU players in the league. Some are established starters. Others are trying to earn opportunities on special teams, practice squads or at the bottom of a depth chart.

Getting to the NFL is hard. Staying there is harder.

Former Frogs are spread across active rosters, practice squads and reserve lists. Some have established starting jobs. Others contribute as return specialists or are waiting for their next opportunity.

TCU’s presence in the league has continued to evolve since our 2025 Frogs in the NFL roster roundup.

Those labels tell us where they are. Each week, I want to explain what they’re being asked to do and what it takes to stay there.

The Featured Frogs

Dee Winters and Why Ten Tackles Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Dallas lost to Tampa Bay 24-16 Thursday night, and Dee Winters finished with 10 tackles, bringing his season total to 35 through five games.

Dallas acquired Winters from San Francisco during the draft, and he earned a starting linebacker job. He wasn’t a first-time starter. He started all 17 games for the 49ers last season and recorded 101 tackles.

But a new team means a new defense, new terminology and new players around you. At linebacker, knowing your assignment isn’t enough. You have to know how the defensive linemen in front of you and the safeties behind you are playing theirs.

A lineman controlling a gap instead of penetrating it can change your fit. So can a safety rotating down or an offense adding a blocker. The difference between recognizing that immediately and thinking about it for half a second can be the difference between meeting a back at the line and chasing him eight yards downfield.

Tampa Bay rushed for 241 yards, including 165 from Bucky Irving and a 72-yard run.

So what do Winters’ 10 tackles tell us?

Dee Winters TCU Horned Frog and Dallas Cowboys — Sep 27, 2026; Rio De Janeiro, BRA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) carries the ball against Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dee Winters (53) in the second half during the 2026 NFL Rio Game at Maracana Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not enough by themselves.

I’ve seen linebackers make 12 tackles and play poorly. I’ve seen others make four and play exceptionally well. A tackle eight yards downfield might mean a linebacker missed his fit. Or it might mean he was the only guy doing his job after somebody else missed theirs.

I’m not assigning blame for Dallas’ run defense without knowing the calls and reviewing the plays. But that’s exactly why tackle totals need context.

Individual grades offer another perspective, as our review of former Frogs’ 2024-25 PFF grades illustrated.

There’s a difference between making tackles and playing good linebacker.

KaVontae Turpin and Trust After a Mistake

Turpin has earned Pro Bowl recognition, a contract extension and a reputation as one of the league’s most dangerous return specialists.

Thursday, with Dallas trailing 21-10 in the third quarter, he lost a kickoff-return fumble. Miles Killebrew forced it, Kevin Knowles recovered at the Dallas 37, and Tampa Bay turned it into a field goal.

Suddenly, the deficit was 24-10.

I’ve sat through enough NFL special teams meetings to know coaches need more than speed back there. They need someone who recognizes coverage, understands the situation and, above all, protects the football.

One fumble doesn’t erase Turpin’s accomplishments. His accomplishments don’t excuse the fumble, either.

Sep 27, 2026; Rio De Janeiro, BRA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford (89) and wide receiver KaVontae Turpin (9) celebrate during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Maracana Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The challenge is responding without becoming hesitant. A returner who starts worrying about his last mistake can lose the aggressiveness that makes him dangerous.

I coached Turpin at TCU, and knowing the competitor he is, I expect him to respond like a veteran.

Austin Schlottmann and Eight Years of Earning a Job

Tennessee center Austin Schlottmann entered the NFL undrafted in 2018. Eight years later, he’s still here and has started the Titans’ first four games.

People underestimate what that says about a player.

Undrafted players don’t arrive with the same investment or expectations as early picks. They have to keep giving teams reasons to retain them.

Aug 3, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans center Pat Coogan (79) and center Austin Schlottmann (51) goes through drills during training camp at Vanderbilt Health Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At center, that means more than blocking a 300-pound defensive lineman. It means recognizing fronts, communicating protection changes and sorting out whether a linebacker walking toward the line is bringing pressure or trying to create confusion.

A center has to make those decisions while preparing to block somebody trying to run through him.

Experience matters because recognition becomes faster. Dependability matters because one missed protection can change a game.

Eight years in the NFL doesn’t happen by accident, especially when nobody drafted you.

Around the League

Different Jobs in Los Angeles

Chargers receiver Quentin Johnston has seven catches on 19 targets for 108 yards through four games, averaging 15.4 yards per reception.

That catch rate deserves attention, but it doesn’t tell us whether the issue is separation, difficult downfield throws or quarterback accuracy. You need the film before blaming the receiver.

Derius Davis has a different job. He’s returned five kickoffs for 121 yards and three punts for 14. His value comes primarily from field position, decision-making and ball security, not receiving totals.

Same team. Completely different standards for earning trust.

The Players Doing the Quiet Work

Steve Avila continues contributing along the Rams’ offensive line. Brandon Coleman has moved back to left tackle in Washington following Laremy Tunsil’s injury.

Coleman played left tackle as a rookie before moving to guard. Returning outside changes his footwork, spacing and the kinds of rushers he faces. The defensive end across from him expects to win, and Coleman has to be ready.

Carolina safety Tre’von Moehrig has 17 tackles and a tackle for loss through four games. Like linebackers, safeties do plenty of important work before the snap that never appears in the box score: communication, route recognition, angles and run fits.

Rookie Watch

Kaleb Elarms-Orr in Buffalo

The fourth-round linebacker has nine tackles through four games and played 16 defensive snaps in Week 4.

His opportunities in specialized packages matter. When coaches trust a rookie with a specific package, they’re beginning to trust his understanding of the defense. The next challenge is earning more responsibilities without creating problems for the other ten guys.

Bud Clark in Seattle

The second-round safety suffered a broken ankle in the preseason and went on injured reserve in August.

I know what it’s like to have an injury interrupt something you’ve worked years to earn. Recovery comes first, but meetings and film study still matter. Being injured doesn’t mean you stop learning football.

Namdi Obiazor in New England

The sixth-round linebacker is trying to establish his value.

For late-round players, that often means special teams, learning multiple positions and being ready when somebody gets hurt. The more jobs you can handle, the more reasons a staff has to keep you.

Where to Watch the Frogs

NFL matchups, Central kickoff times and former TCU players affiliated with each team for October 11–12, 2026. — Where to follow former TCU players during Sunday and Monday’s NFL games, October 11–12, 2026. All times Central. | KillerFrogs graphic

Roster Movement

Former TCU running back Emari Demercado was waived by Dallas on October 8.

That’s another side of the business fans rarely see. One day you’re preparing for a game. The next, you’re waiting for another opportunity. Sometimes the decision comes down to injuries, numbers or a team needing help at another position.

You still have to be ready when the phone rings.

Schlottmann has spent eight years proving his value. Elarms-Orr is earning snaps. Clark is working back from injury. Turpin has to move past a costly mistake.

Different players. Different responsibilities. Same league.

When I played, we had a saying that the NFL didn’t stand for National Football League. It stood for Not For Long.

We’ve got former Frogs who’ve spent years proving that saying wrong, others fighting for their chance to do the same, and a few battling injuries or waiting on a phone call for another opportunity.

Different situations, but every one of them knows the same thing: Getting into the NFL is an accomplishment. Staying there is something you have to keep earning.

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