Two former Alabama high school standouts who joined NFL teams after training camps started could be done for the 2025 season after being placed on injured reserve on Monday.
Auburn alumnus Marlon Davidson, Alabama’s Class 5A Lineman of the Year in 2015 at Greenville, sustained a biceps injury in the Houston Texans’ 20-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in their preseason opener on Saturday.
Davidson made two tackles and registered one quarterback hit while playing 37 defensive snaps on Saturday.
Davidson signed with the Texans on Aug. 1 after missing the 2024 NFL season. Davidson sustained a torn biceps while working with the Tennessee Titans in a joint preseason practice with the Seattle Seahawks last year and spent the season on injured reserve.
Former Homewood High School star Ameer Abdullah went to injured reserve after sustaining a rib injury during the San Francisco 49ers’ 30-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in their preseason opener on Saturday.
After signing with San Francisco on July 31, Abdullah gained 20 yards on four rushing attempts, returned a kickoff 22 yards and lost a fumble in his first action for the 49ers.
Abdullah was seeking to play in his 11th NFL season. Neither he nor Davidson will be able to play in the 2025 season without reaching an injury settlement with his team and being released. That would allow him to sign with another team when healthy.
Davidson and Abdullah went straight to injured reserve without needing to pass through waivers because they have at least four seasons in the NFL.
Monday’s NFL transactions report included four other players from Alabama high schools and colleges with former Alabama State defensive back Mikey Victor returning to the NFL and three other players with Alabama football roots losing their roster spots.
Victor signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as the NFL team waived defensive back Cameron McCutcheon with an injury designation.
Victor signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted rookie last year, but he was released when the team reduced its preseason roster to the regular-season limit.
Players waived on Monday included wide receiver Kawaan Baker (South Alabama) by the Las Vegas Raiders, cornerback Allan George (Andalusia) by the Washington Commanders and fullback D.J. Thomas-Jones (Saraland, South Alabama) by the Steelers.
Baker signed with the Raiders on Aug. 3 and played five offensive snaps in Las Vegas’ 23-23 tie with the Seahawks in its preseason opener on Thursday.
A seventh-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Baker has played in two regular-season games while spending time on the rosters of the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles and Patriots.
George was seeking to return to the NFL after he played in four games with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted rookie in 2022. He spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons on the Bengals’ practice squad.
George made one tackle and broke up one pass while on the field for 29 defensive snaps and nine special-teams plays in Washington’s 48-18 loss to New England in its preseason opener on Friday.
A tight end at South Alabama, Thomas-Jones had been working as a fullback and a tight end since joining Pittsburgh in May as an undrafted rookie. Thomas-Jones did not play in the Steelers’ 31-25 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in their preseason opener on Saturday.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OURNFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.