CHARLIE SMYTH, JUDE McAtamney and Mark McNamee have all re-signed to the practice squads of the respective franchises that omitted them from their 53-man rosters on Tuesday, as first reported by Michael McQuaid of NFL Ireland.
After clearing waivers, Smyth will rejoin the New Orleans Saints, McAtamney will land back with the New York Giants, and McNamee’s bolt-from-the-blue journey with the Green Bay Packers will continue into the 2025 season.
The Irish trio were ‘cut’ by their recent employers ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to submit a first-team squad for the new campaign, but they were always likely to be re-signed as development players on Wednesday.
A practice squad consists of 16 reserves who train with a club’s first-team roster and earn a minimum salary of $12,500 per week, or $225,000 for the full 18-week season. All three of Smyth, McAtamney and McNamee will become the 17th player on their respective practice squads under the International Player Pathway designation, which exempts them from their franchise’s roster limit.
Clubs are entitled to use this exemption on only one foreign-developed player per season. Smyth and McAtamney were signed to the Saints’ and Giants’ practice squads respectively under this same designation in 2024.
An IPP-designated player can be elevated from a club’s practice squad to its first-team roster for a maximum of three games per season. McAtamney did so to make his full NFL debut for the Giants in November 2024, deputising for injured starter Graham Gano.
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Jude McAtamney makes an extra point during the Giants' last preseason game against the New England Patriots. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
While a practice-squad player is typically also free to join the first-team roster of a rival franchise, IPP players are restricted from such movement unless they are cut entirely by their current club.
NFL franchises are free to use this international designation on the same player for up to three years, with Smyth and McAtamney about to begin their second years as IPP players with the Saints and the Giants respectively.
McNamee, meanwhile, joined the Packers only earlier this month and 2025 will be his first year as an IPP player in the NFL.
The 25-year-old Dubliner’s journey is all the more remarkable in that he was released by the Canadian Football League’s BC Lions on 1 June despite making each of his field goals during their preseason.
After a freak injury to their previous IPP player, Australian backup kicker Alex Hale, the Packers turned to free agent McNamee, who made his preseason debut against the New York Jets less than 24 hours after his arrival in America.
Dubliner Mark McNamee has landed back with the Green Bay Packers. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The former Ballyboden St Enda’s goalkeeper didn’t get an opportunity to kick for goal during his first Packers start but he was thrust further into the action during their second warm-up game: he kicked a 43-yard field goal and two extra points against the Indianapolis Colts but also missed a 39-yarder and a further extra point.
Starter Brandon McManus took over kicking duties for the Packers’ final preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Like McNamee, Charlie Smyth is a product of Tadhg Leader’s ‘Leader Kicking’ programme having previously played in goal for the Down senior footballers.
Smyth on Tuesday lost out to the New Orleans’ more seasoned kicker Blake Grupe but their race for the spot in the Saints’ 53-man roster is understood to have been close run, with both Smyth and Grupe flawless during preseason.
Smyth, already popular among Saints fans, kicked a 52-yard field goal during Saturday’s defeat to the Denver Broncos and has a longer leg than Grupe in general, but the American remains the lower-risk option for New Orleans with two full NFL seasons under his belt as well as years of college and high-school football.
Smyth has sufficiently caught the eye during his two NFL preseasons, and on tape, that he would have been on the radar for the few teams seeking a starting kicker ahead of the new campaign which begins in a fortnight.
However, having remained unsigned between Tuesday’s roster cuts and Wednesday’s waiver deadline, he has rejoined the Saints where he will hope to put pressure on starter Grupe.
Former Derry U20 footballer McAtamney is already highly regarded by the Giants, who hope he can eventually succeed 38-year-old veteran starter Graham Gano.
Swatragh native McAtamaney, who played college football for Chowan and Rutgers between 2021 and 2023, made his full NFL debut for Big Blue in November 2024, kicking a 31-yard field goal and an extra point against the Washington Commanders.
With Gano rested last Thursday, McAtamney kicked all six extra points during the Giants’ final preseason game, a 42-10 victory over the New England Patriots. He also played all four quarters in the G-Men’s victory over their neighbouring New York Jets a week earlier, kicking a field goal and four extras.
His NFL journey will continue with the G-Men, and more NFL minutes may beckon at some point during the new season.
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NFL dream continues for Irish kickers Smyth, McAtamney and McNamee
CHARLIE SMYTH, JUDE McAtamney and Mark McNamee have all re-signed to the practice squads of the respective franchises that omitted them from their 53-man rosters on Tuesday, as first reported by Michael McQuaid of NFL Ireland.
After clearing waivers, Smyth will rejoin the New Orleans Saints, McAtamney will land back with the New York Giants, and McNamee’s bolt-from-the-blue journey with the Green Bay Packers will continue into the 2025 season.
The Irish trio were ‘cut’ by their recent employers ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to submit a first-team squad for the new campaign, but they were always likely to be re-signed as development players on Wednesday.
A practice squad consists of 16 reserves who train with a club’s first-team roster and earn a minimum salary of $12,500 per week, or $225,000 for the full 18-week season. All three of Smyth, McAtamney and McNamee will become the 17th player on their respective practice squads under the International Player Pathway designation, which exempts them from their franchise’s roster limit.
Clubs are entitled to use this exemption on only one foreign-developed player per season. Smyth and McAtamney were signed to the Saints’ and Giants’ practice squads respectively under this same designation in 2024.
An IPP-designated player can be elevated from a club’s practice squad to its first-team roster for a maximum of three games per season. McAtamney did so to make his full NFL debut for the Giants in November 2024, deputising for injured starter Graham Gano.
While a practice-squad player is typically also free to join the first-team roster of a rival franchise, IPP players are restricted from such movement unless they are cut entirely by their current club.
NFL franchises are free to use this international designation on the same player for up to three years, with Smyth and McAtamney about to begin their second years as IPP players with the Saints and the Giants respectively.
McNamee, meanwhile, joined the Packers only earlier this month and 2025 will be his first year as an IPP player in the NFL.
The 25-year-old Dubliner’s journey is all the more remarkable in that he was released by the Canadian Football League’s BC Lions on 1 June despite making each of his field goals during their preseason.
After a freak injury to their previous IPP player, Australian backup kicker Alex Hale, the Packers turned to free agent McNamee, who made his preseason debut against the New York Jets less than 24 hours after his arrival in America.
The former Ballyboden St Enda’s goalkeeper didn’t get an opportunity to kick for goal during his first Packers start but he was thrust further into the action during their second warm-up game: he kicked a 43-yard field goal and two extra points against the Indianapolis Colts but also missed a 39-yarder and a further extra point.
Starter Brandon McManus took over kicking duties for the Packers’ final preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Like McNamee, Charlie Smyth is a product of Tadhg Leader’s ‘Leader Kicking’ programme having previously played in goal for the Down senior footballers.
Smyth on Tuesday lost out to the New Orleans’ more seasoned kicker Blake Grupe but their race for the spot in the Saints’ 53-man roster is understood to have been close run, with both Smyth and Grupe flawless during preseason.
Smyth, already popular among Saints fans, kicked a 52-yard field goal during Saturday’s defeat to the Denver Broncos and has a longer leg than Grupe in general, but the American remains the lower-risk option for New Orleans with two full NFL seasons under his belt as well as years of college and high-school football.
Smyth has sufficiently caught the eye during his two NFL preseasons, and on tape, that he would have been on the radar for the few teams seeking a starting kicker ahead of the new campaign which begins in a fortnight.
However, having remained unsigned between Tuesday’s roster cuts and Wednesday’s waiver deadline, he has rejoined the Saints where he will hope to put pressure on starter Grupe.
Former Derry U20 footballer McAtamney is already highly regarded by the Giants, who hope he can eventually succeed 38-year-old veteran starter Graham Gano.
Swatragh native McAtamaney, who played college football for Chowan and Rutgers between 2021 and 2023, made his full NFL debut for Big Blue in November 2024, kicking a 31-yard field goal and an extra point against the Washington Commanders.
With Gano rested last Thursday, McAtamney kicked all six extra points during the Giants’ final preseason game, a 42-10 victory over the New England Patriots. He also played all four quarters in the G-Men’s victory over their neighbouring New York Jets a week earlier, kicking a field goal and four extras.
His NFL journey will continue with the G-Men, and more NFL minutes may beckon at some point during the new season.
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NFL re-signed