Kansas Professional Athletes

Kansas Alumni Report | NFL | Week of Sept. 13–19, 2026

The headliner this week isn't just a comeback story — it's a collision course.

Dorance Armstrong, the former Kansas defensive end who spent his first six NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, was reinstated by the Washington Commanders on Monday after serving a one-game suspension that kept him out of Week 1. That suspension came on the heels of an already lengthy absence: Armstrong spent a significant stretch recovering from a torn ACL before even getting to the point of missing that opener. Now healthy and eligible, he's set to make his 2026 debut in Week 2 — on the road in Dallas.

The symmetry isn't lost on anyone. Armstrong was a Cowboy from 2018 through 2023, building his reputation as a rotational pass rusher before landing in Washington. Now, under defensive coordinator Daronte Jones' scheme, the Commanders are counting on him to bring something real off the edge. Per Yahoo Sports, Armstrong's skillset fits naturally into what Jones is building — and Washington's defensive front has every incentive to get him up to speed fast, given that the offense they're facing Sunday ran it through Dak Prescott and a Cowboys line Armstrong knows intimately.

The Commanders were already monitoring injury situations at linebacker (Frankie Luvu) and tight end (Chig Okonkwo) as Dallas Week began, per Sports Illustrated's Commanders Daily. Armstrong's return provides at least one clean piece of good news in an otherwise murky injury picture.

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Elsewhere Around the League

Bryce Cabeldue had a notable roster shuffle of his own. The Kansas offensive lineman was claimed off waivers by the Las Vegas Raiders after being cut by Seattle, giving the former Jayhawk guard a fresh landing spot heading into the season. The Seahawks, for their part, moved quickly to fill the void, adding a rookie seventh-round guard to their practice squad.

Austin Booker suited up for the Chicago Bears in their Week 1 blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers, 59–37 — though specific stat lines for the Kansas DE weren't available. Still, getting on the field in a dominant performance is a fine way to open a season.

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The Armstrong storyline is the one Kansas fans will want to track. A torn ACL, a suspension, and now a reunion with the franchise that drafted him — all crammed into the first two weeks of the 2026 season. If he contributes off the edge Sunday in Arlington, it will have been worth the wait. If he doesn't, Washington's pass rush questions won't disappear just because the comeback narrative is compelling.

Either way, the football gods have a sense of drama.

Two Kansas alumni are making noise in opposite directions as the NFL's 2026 regular season opens — one watching from the outside, the other poised to be a difference-maker on Sunday.

Devin Neal's Saints chapter ends before it really began

Devin Neal's time in New Orleans is over before his sophomore season could get started. The Saints released the running back with an injury settlement Thursday, cutting ties with a player who had flashed genuine promise when called upon as a rookie in 2025. Neal was released from injured reserve alongside tight end Michael Heldman as New Orleans finalized its 53-man roster ahead of Week 1 — a tough ending for a back who looked the part when the Saints needed him most last year.

The injury settlement is a quiet exit for Neal, but it isn't a career obituary. Backs with his production profile typically draw interest league-wide once healthy, and his 2025 body of work gives him a legitimate argument for another shot somewhere. For now, the Jayhawk faithful will have to wait.

Mason Fairchild, the Saints tight end and fellow Kansas alum, remains on the roster and gives Lawrence at least one representative on the New Orleans sideline heading into the season.

Austin Booker is back — and Chicago's defense is better for it

While Neal's Week 1 ended before kickoff, Austin Booker's is shaping up to be appointment viewing. The Bears defensive end returned to practice this week after a preseason health scare, and his presence alone reshapes Chicago's defensive outlook heading into their opener against the Carolina Panthers.

The Bears have needed Booker healthy to have any credible pass-rush threat in 2026, and his return to Thursday's practice gave the organization real encouragement. According to Sports Illustrated's Bears coverage, Booker's availability gives Chicago a genuine edge-rush advantage against a Panthers offensive line that figures to be tested early. If he's cleared to play at full strength, the matchup tilts Chicago's way — particularly with Carolina's pass protection expected to be a liability.

Booker's arc entering Year 3 is one of the more intriguing storylines in the NFC. Chicago drafted him specifically to be a high-motor disruptor off the edge, and a clean bill of health in Week 1 would mark the first time he's been able to show that ceiling with stakes attached.

The rest of the Kansas contingent

Elsewhere around the league, Dorance Armstrong's situation in Washington bears watching — and not in a good way. The veteran edge rusher is suspended heading into Week 1, adding to an already alarming depth crisis at the position for the Commanders, who are also dealing with injuries to Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson. Armstrong's absence is a real loss for a team that can't afford another edge-rush failure.

Other Jayhawks scattered across rosters — including Cobee Bryant (Falcons), Dominick Puni (49ers), and Kyron Johnson (Steelers) — enter the season with jobs secured. Their Week 1 contributions will be worth tracking as the slate kicks off.

For Kansas fans, the story of this particular week is defined by the contrast: Neal's promising career on pause, Booker's potentially arriving right on time.

Austin Booker's Preseason Takes a Hit

The Kansas pipeline to the NFL remains well-stocked heading into the 2026 season — with Kansas alumni spread across active rosters across the league — but the most pressing news out of Lawrence's alumni network this week is an unwelcome one.

Bears defensive end Austin Booker is listed as week-to-week with an injury, head coach Ben Johnson confirmed, casting a shadow over the former Jayhawk's status as Chicago finalizes its 53-man roster. The timing couldn't be worse. Preseason rosters get trimmed to their regular-season shape in the coming days, and an uncertain injury designation puts Booker in a precarious spot — even for a player who has been working to carve out a role on the Bears' defensive line.

Johnson's update offered little additional detail, which is standard for a coaching staff protecting its injury information ahead of cuts. But the week-to-week tag typically signals something beyond a day-to-day nag — enough of an issue that Chicago will have to weigh Booker's long-term potential against the cold math of roster construction. Landing on injured reserve is one possible outcome that would preserve a roster spot while keeping him off the field for the early portion of the season. Getting healthy before the deadline is another. Either way, Booker and his camp will be watching the calendar closely.

A Deep Jayhawk Footprint Across the NFL

Beyond Chicago, Kansas alumni continue to dot rosters across both conferences. A few names worth tracking as camps close:

• Dominick Puni (49ers, G) is one of the more intriguing developmental linemen from the Kansas class, now embedded with a San Francisco offensive line that has long been a finishing school for interior players.
• Cobee Bryant (Falcons, CB) brings the kind of coverage pedigree that made him a standout in the Big 12, and Atlanta's secondary is a legitimate landing spot for a young corner looking for snaps.
• Devin Neal and Mason Fairchild are both with the Saints, giving New Orleans a small Jayhawk colony on offense. Neal is a running back who racked up yards in chunks at Kansas; Fairchild is a tight end who has shown reliable hands in a league that values the position more than ever.
• Dorance Armstrong (Commanders, DE) is the most experienced name on this list — a veteran pass rusher who has bounced between roles and clubs but remains an NFL-caliber edge presence.

The sheer volume of Kansas players on rosters reflects a sustained period of NFL-level talent development in Lawrence, even as the Jayhawks continue building their program back into national relevance. Whether Booker gets to add to that legacy in a meaningful way this season may depend on a medical update that hasn't come yet.

For Bears fans and Kansas alumni alike, the next few days of roster news will be worth watching closely.