Auburn Professional Athletes

Auburn's NFL alumni are off to a rough start in 2026 — not on the field, but on the injury report. Two Tigers are already sidelined with significant setbacks, and the ripple effects are being felt in New England and Los Angeles.

Carlton Davis III: Out Before the Home Opener

Cornerback Carlton Davis III never made it onto the field for the Patriots' Week 2 home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After missing back-to-back practices Wednesday and Thursday with a neck injury, Davis was listed as questionable heading into the weekend — then downgraded to out on Saturday, leaving New England's secondary short-handed for one of the most anticipated games of their early season at Gillette Stadium.

The neck injury is the kind that commands attention league-wide. Davis had been a key offseason acquisition for a Patriots defense trying to rebuild its credibility, and his absence immediately forced coach Mike Vrabel to lean on depth options. Vrabel publicly backed Charles Woods, a third-year former Rams cornerback who has built his NFL career primarily on special teams, to absorb a larger defensive role. The Vikings worked out a handful of corners amid the Davis situation, a sign of how quickly the market reacts when a starter goes down at the position.

Davis's status beyond Week 2 remains unclear. A neck injury that sidelines a player through an entire week of practice is not something teams or players treat casually, and Auburn fans will be monitoring his timeline closely.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith: Straight to IR

The situation is even more definitive for wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith. The Chargers placed Lambert-Smith on injured reserve after he hurt his hamstring in Los Angeles's Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals — a defeat that made the injury sting doubly. IR means Lambert-Smith will miss at least the next four weeks, wiping out a significant chunk of the early season for a receiver who was working to carve out a role in the Chargers' offense.

Hamstring injuries for receivers carry their own particular anxiety: they tend to linger, and the recurrence risk is real. Lambert-Smith, who made his way onto the Chargers' roster as a young playmaker with speed to burn, now faces the frustrating reality of watching from the sideline while the team establishes its identity in 2026.

Around the Rest of the Auburn Alumni

Away from the injury news, other Tigers had modest moments in Week 1. Kicker Daniel Carlson — now with the Saints after years in Las Vegas — made his New Orleans debut but missed a potential game-winning field goal in a 31-30 loss to the Detroit Lions, a brutal note to open the season on. Roger McCreary recorded a sack for the Lions in that same contest.

Tank Bigsby saw limited early action with the Eagles, gaining just three rushing yards behind Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia's narrow 24-22 win over Washington — a usage pattern that drew some scrutiny. Marcus Harris was elevated to the Chiefs' active roster for their Monday night win over the Broncos, providing depth at defensive tackle.

The bigger story this week, though, belongs to Davis and Lambert-Smith. Two Auburn players — on two coasts, for two franchises — entering Week 2 not in uniform.

The first week of the 2026 NFL season brought a flurry of roster moves involving Auburn alumni — from a significant injury blow to a standout earning rare coaching praise.

Braden Smith Lands on IR

The most concerning news came out of Houston, where the Texans placed offensive tackle Braden Smith on injured reserve. GM Nick Caserio confirmed the move during a Tuesday press conference, dealing a blow to a Houston offensive line that had counted on Smith as a key piece up front. His timeline for return remains unclear.

Igbinoghene Finds a Home in Cleveland

Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene's roster odyssey ended in Cleveland. After the Seahawks — who had given him a $1.8 million deal and a shot at a meaningful role — cut him ahead of the 53-man deadline, the Browns wasted little time signing him to their active roster. Seattle left him off their initial practice squad entirely, opening the door for Cleveland to add a veteran presence in the secondary alongside the signing of defensive end Sam Williams.

Colby Wooden Claimed by Saints

Defensive end Colby Wooden had a rapid change of address. Released by the Indianapolis Colts, Wooden was claimed off waivers by New Orleans, which also grabbed offensive tackle Mason Murphy in the same waiver cycle. The Saints bolstered both sides of their line of scrimmage in a single move. Wooden's path to New Orleans was a winding one — the Packers were previously seen as winners of a de facto trade involving the Auburn pass rusher — but he'll now look to carve out a role on a Saints defensive front in need of production.

Eagles "Very High" on Tank Bigsby

The news out of Philadelphia was decidedly more upbeat for Auburn fans. The Eagles' coaching staff has come away from the preseason with significant enthusiasm about running back Tank Bigsby, according to Sports Illustrated. Philadelphia views him as a top-tier insurance policy for their starter — a 29-and-a-half-year-old workhorse — after what the team described as massive offseason growth from the former Auburn standout. Bigsby figures to be a high-leverage backup with genuine upside heading into the regular season.

Derrick Brown the Lone Bright Spot on Panthers' D-Line

Down in Carolina, defensive tackle Derrick Brown is carrying an underperforming unit on his back. A Sports Illustrated breakdown of the Panthers' defensive line investments painted a bleak picture — heavy spending on the front hasn't translated into collective results — but Brown was singled out as the lone standout on the team's defensive front. For Auburn fans watching the Panthers, Brown remains the one consistent reason for optimism along that line.

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Elsewhere in the Auburn diaspora, the Buccaneers signed linebacker Jayson Jones to their practice squad, and Marcus Harris earned a spot on the Chiefs' 53-man roster following a strong preseason Week 3 snap-count performance. Darius Slayton, facing bubble rumors ahead of cutdown day, survived to make the Giants' final roster and brushed off the noise publicly — though a crowded wide receiver room in New York means his role remains limited. And in Denver, quarterback Jarrett Stidham enters 2026 as Bo Nix's backup, carrying a cap number that actually exceeds his starter's.

Four Auburn alumni headlined a turbulent NFL preseason week, with a trade landing one Tiger in Miami, an injury sidelining another in Houston, a roster bubble threatening a seven-year veteran in New York, and a kicking competition heating up in New Orleans.

Jarquez Hunter Heads to South Beach

The biggest Auburn move of the week came via trade. The Los Angeles Rams sent running back Jarquez Hunter to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for wide receiver Tutu Atwell, reuniting Atwell with the team that originally drafted him. Hunter — a second-year back out of Auburn — had flashed enough in the preseason to draw interest, rushing for 68 yards and a touchdown in L.A.'s 34–0 blowout of the Saints in Preseason Week 2 before the deal went through. In Miami, he joins a backfield that already includes fellow Auburn alum Malik Willis at quarterback, giving the Dolphins a notable War Eagle presence in the skill positions.

Braden Smith's Foot Scare in Houston

The week took a darker turn for offensive tackle Braden Smith, who was carted off the field during the Texans' joint practice with the Panthers on Wednesday. Initial concern was significant, but the team later confirmed Smith sustained a plantar fascia injury — painful, but not season-ending. He will miss time, however, which is a real blow for a Houston offensive line counting on him as a starter. Head coach DeMeco Ryans offered no timeline when he spoke to reporters after practice.

Darius Slayton on the Roster Bubble in New York

Seven seasons in New York may be coming to an end for wide receiver Darius Slayton. With the Giants' roster cuts looming, multiple reports indicate Slayton is in danger of not surviving the final cut. The timing is notable: much of the attention in New York's receiver room has been focused on Odell Beckham Jr.'s return to the franchise, and Slayton — drafted a month after OBJ was traded away from the team in 2019 — now finds himself squeezed out. A cap impact will factor into the Giants' decision. If released, Slayton would become one of the more experienced free-agent receivers available heading into the regular season.

Daniel Carlson Enters Saints' Kicking Battle

In New Orleans, the Saints have added a legitimate veteran presence to their kicker competition, signing two-time All-Pro Daniel Carlson — formerly of the Las Vegas Raiders — to compete with Charlie Smyth for the starting role. Carlson, who built one of the more consistent kicking résumés in the league during his time in Vegas, now has a chance to reclaim a starting job in a market with legitimate playoff aspirations. The signing signals the Saints aren't fully sold on Smyth heading into the regular season.

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It's a week that cuts across every kind of NFL story — trades, injuries, roster anxiety, and positional battles — and Auburn alumni are at the center of all of it. Hunter's fresh start in Miami is the headline, but Smith's health and Slayton's roster fate carry real stakes as final cuts approach.