Virginia Professional Athletes

Two Virginia alumni made news in the NFL this week for very different reasons — one earning a fresh roster spot, the other watching from the sideline.

Snowden Poached, Placed on Falcons' 53-Man Roster

Charles Snowden is headed to Atlanta. The Falcons signed the 6-foot-6 outside linebacker off the Washington Commanders' practice squad this week, cutting third-round pick Bralen Trice to make room on the 53-man roster. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport broke the news, and multiple reports confirmed the move was driven by Atlanta's desire to deepen an edge rotation that had been leaning on Trice — who logged 21 snaps in the Falcons' win over Chicago before being released.

Snowden, a former Raiders starter, had bounced through Dallas's 2026 training camp before landing on Washington's practice squad. Now he gets a legitimate shot at consistent NFL snaps in a Falcons defensive front that clearly needed reinforcing. For a Virginia product who has spent much of his career on the fringes of rosters, this is a meaningful opportunity.

Snowden won't be the only Cavalier on the Atlanta roster, either. Wideout Olamide Zaccheaus — who didn't record a stat line in the Falcons' 23-31 loss to Chicago on Oct. 18 — remains on the team as Snowden settles in.

Wicks Ruled Out for Eagles' MNF Showdown

Dontayvion Wicks will miss the Eagles' Monday Night Football game against the Cowboys after three straight DNP designations with a lingering ankle injury. Philadelphia officially ruled him out alongside wideout DeVonta Smith (hamstring), leaving an already shorthanded receiver room even thinner heading into the prime-time matchup.

The timing stings. Wicks had just caught two passes for 24 yards in the Eagles' Week 7 loss to Carolina on Oct. 18 — modest production, but a sign of involvement in the offense. His absence from the Cowboys game is compounded by the broader uncertainty surrounding Philadelphia's offense: quarterback Jalen Hurts is also reportedly set to miss the rest of the season, leaving the Eagles navigating significant offensive disruption all at once.

For Wicks, staying healthy has been the recurring challenge. The ankle injury is described as lingering, and with Monday's game off the table, the focus turns to whether he can return to full health before the Eagles' next meaningful stretch.

Elsewhere in Cavs Country

Morgan Moses, the veteran offensive tackle now with New England, suffered an ankle scare in the Patriots' Oct. 18 loss to the Jets and was listed as questionable for Thursday night's game in Chicago. Both of New England's starting guards were ruled out for that matchup, putting the offensive line situation in Foxborough in a genuinely precarious spot. Moses — part of what has been described as a $66 million lineman duo — practiced in limited fashion heading into the week, leaving his availability uncertain.

Jelani Woods, the tight end playing for the Jets, caught one pass for nine yards in New York's win over New England on Oct. 18 — a quiet but clean contribution from the former Cavalier.

Jonas Sanker Lights Up the Superdome

Virginia's Jonas Sanker gave Saints fans the one moment worth rewinding in an otherwise forgettable Week 5. With New Orleans trailing and the offense sputtering, Sanker scooped up a fumble and raced 87 yards to the end zone, briefly knotting the game at 13-13 against the Vikings. It was a full-field highlight — the kind of defensive score that briefly resurrects a sideline — and it earned Sanker a spot in the Saints' weekly stock-up report.

It wasn't enough. Minnesota pulled away for a 23-13 win, and the Saints' home-field struggles at the Superdome continued to draw criticism. But Sanker's ability to flip a game in a single explosive play is exactly the upside New Orleans saw when they kept him on the roster. For UVA alumni tracking their own, this was as clean a calling-card moment as a safety can manufacture.

Wicks Delivers, Then Disappears from Practice

Dontayvion Wicks had what looked like a quietly productive Sunday for the Eagles — five catches, 63 yards in a narrow 19-17 loss to the Jaguars. Encouraging stuff for a wide receiver working to carve out a consistent role in Philadelphia's offense. Then Thursday arrived and the calculus changed.

Wicks, who practiced Wednesday, was absent from Thursday's session, landing him on the Eagles' injury report as a downgrade. The timing is notable: the Eagles are already navigating personnel flux at receiver, with DeVonta Smith moving in the opposite direction — upgraded heading into the following week. Whether Wicks's absence is a minor blip or something that costs him game-day reps remains to be seen, but it's the kind of week-to-week uncertainty that defines a depth receiver's life in the NFL.

Washington Hustling in Miami — Just Not in the Passing Game

Malik Washington, another Virginia wideout on an NFL roster, logged a workmanlike week in Miami: six catches for 43 yards and 18 rushing yards against the Bengals in a 24-31 loss. The touches are there in small doses, but a report out of South Florida raised a fair question about why Washington and fellow young receiver Chris Bell aren't seeing more work in the Dolphins' passing attack. No clean answer emerged, but Washington's rushing involvement suggests the team is finding creative ways to get him on the field — even if the target share hasn't followed yet.

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Three Cavaliers, three distinct stories: a safety turning a fumble into a thunderbolt, a receiver building something before the injury report interrupted it, and a wideout hunting targets in a crowded room. Not a bad week for the orange and blue — even if the wins were hard to come by for their respective teams.