Pokes In the Pros: Sept. 6, 2017

Labor Day weekend meant the official end of the NFL Preseason as teams across the league trimmed their rosters to the 53-man limit.

More than 1000 players were cut, and former Oklahoma State Cowboys were among both those who made landed a spot and those who will fight for practice squad opportunities.

Several Pokes received the proverbial pink slip and can now look elsewhere to continue their playing careers or move on to other ventures. Blake Jarwin, Jajhuan Seales, Victor Salako and Jordan Sterns each found himself dropped during the preseason after going undrafted in 2017, while Lenzy Pipkins and Michael Hunter made the grade.

Kevin Peterson was waived by the Rams on Monday to make room for a quarterback (Brandon Allen from Jacksonville) on its practice squad.

One other notable cut included Houston quarterback Brandon Weeden, who fell victim to an organization that drafted a quarterback of the future early in this year’s draft.

Interestingly enough, defensive players in the NFL from OSU outnumber those on offensive side of the ball, even if you include placekicker Dan Bailey on offense.

So, who’s sticking around? Here’s a list of current Pokes in the Pros:

Chris Carson (Seattle Seahawks) Carson had a fantastic preseason, and Seattle is hoping to see more of the same using him as a change-of-pace back and a third-down punisher. We remember what he did to TCU defenders last season, and our hopes are we’ll witness more beast mode in the NFL.

Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Vincent Taylor (Miami Dolphins) This wasn’t a surprise as the Dolphins drafted Taylor to provide depth as a destructive force on its defensive interior. Drafted in the 6th Round in April, Taylor signed a multiyear deal and was never in much danger of failing to make the team.

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Lane Taylor (Green Bay Packers) Oh, you forgot about him, didn’t you. An unexpected contributor on the Packers’ offensive line, Taylor seems to have landed a permanent spot protecting Aaron Rodgers and opening holes for the next Green Bay backs.

He also just signed a new 3-year contract extension which will keep him in the green and gold through 2020.

Dez Bryant (Dallas Cowboys) Bryant is considered an elite receiver. He produces on the field and is a dangerous weapon the Cowboys can use in a variety of ways to attack NFL defenses when he is healthy.

Dan Bailey (Dallas Cowboys) Bailey is a household name in fantasy football circles as the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He’s virtually automatic and should have plenty of chances to continue to add to his amazing stats.

Lenzy Pipkins (Green Bay Packers) A graduate transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, Pipkins was a bit of a surprise. We knew he was a decent defender, but we weren’t expecting him to land a roster spot out of camp ahead of other players we’ve seen at Boone Pickens Stadium. Pipkins demonstrated enough during the preseason for Green Bay to give him a chance to back up at corner.

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Tyler Patmon (Jacksonville Jaguars) Another one we’ve forgotten about, Patmon was a grad transfer from Kansas who made the most of his year in Stillwater and conveyed it to a career in the NFL, where he has spent several seasons with several teams.

Ashton Lampkin (Kansas City Chiefs) Lampkin, playing alongside former Cowboy backfield mate Sterns, impressed so much that the Chiefs were expected to keep him on the roster. However, he suffered an ACL injury that ended his season and will have to work his way back from injured reserve for the 2018 season.

Emmanuel Ogbah (Cleveland Browns) Ogbah became a force for the young Cleveland defense and will get the chance to do even more damage with No. 1 selection Miles Garrett on the opposite side of the line. If the Browns are to pull out of the cellar, Ogbah and company are going to have quite a hand in it.

Russell Okung (Los Angeles Chargers) Okung has been a Pro Bowler and remains one of the premiere offensive linemen to have come through OSU. An anchor for Seattle and Denver in successful years, Okung now makes his home in Los Angeles with the newly-moved Chargers as protection for Philip Rivers’ blind side.

Michael Hunter (New York Giants) Signed by the Giants after going undrafted in 2016, Hunter was cut prior to last season but then re-signed with the team earlier this year. This former Cowboy (by way of transfer from Indiana) hopes to give Big Apple fans something to cheer for in his first full year in the NFL.

Blake Jarwin (Dallas Cowboys) Jarwin was cut by the Cowboys, but once he cleared waivers, the Cowboys resigned him to the practice squad. Jarwin may not be on the practice squad for long, as the TE position in Dallas is not the greatest, according to Blogging The Boys.

They’ve got Jason Witten on gold jacket/veteran status, Rico Gathers who could be headed for IR, and two tight ends who had season-ending injuries a year ago in James Hanna and Geoff Swaim.

Remember, this list is always subject to change with injuries and additions to each team’s practice squad.