Week 2 of the NFL season brought another round of opportunities for former Colorado Buffaloes, although the results were mixed. Nate Landman helped the Rams bounce back from their season-opening loss, Travis Hunter continued to make his presence felt in Jacksonville’s secondary, and LaJohntay Wester saw an increased offensive workload in Baltimore. Meanwhile, two familiar faces from Colorado’s 2024 offense are teammates once again.
LaJohntay Wester (Baltimore Ravens)
Wester’s offensive role expanded in Week 2, even as Baltimore suffered a disappointing 24–17 loss to the New Orleans Saints. With the Ravens dealing with injuries at wide receiver, Wester played 31 offensive snaps and caught one pass for 14 yards, an increase from his 20 offensive snaps in Week 1. I know these numbers might not jump off the page, but the additional playing time is worth noting. Wester has now recorded a reception in each of Baltimore’s first two games after primarily contributing as a return specialist during his rookie season.
Travis Hunter (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Hunter’s second game of the season offered another encouraging look at what he can bring to Jacksonville defensively. Travis recorded four solo tackles and one pass defended in the Jaguars’ 20–13 loss to the Denver Broncos. Hunter was not targeted in the passing game and finished without an offensive reception or rushing attempt. After playing a limited number of offensive snaps in Week 1, Hunter’s early-season production has come primarily on defense. Hunter was asked about this after the game on Sunday and responded by stating, “My job is to go out there and play, no matter where they put me.” For Colorado fans who know how electrifying No. 12 is on offense, it seems like a no-brainer to make him a more prevalent weapon, but, for now, the offensive opportunities remain few and far between.
Nate Landman (Los Angeles Rams)
Mr. Consistent himself, Nate Landman followed his eight-tackle season opener with another productive performance Monday night, recording seven tackles (three solo and four assisted) in the Rams’ 28–6 victory over the New York Giants. Los Angeles held New York to just six points, giving Landman and the Rams defense a much-needed response after surrendering 27 points to San Francisco in Week 1. Through two games, Landman has accumulated 15 tackles and continues to be a steady presence in the middle of the Ram’s defense.
Chidobe Awuzie (Baltimore Ravens)
Awuzie’s role remained extremely limited in Baltimore’s loss to New Orleans. The veteran cornerback played just one defensive snap and did not record a tackle or another defensive statistic. That comes after he played six defensive snaps in Week 1. Baltimore has considerable depth in its secondary, and Awuzie has yet to carve out a substantial role in the rotation. His playing time will be worth monitoring as the season progresses.
Brady Russell (Seattle Seahawks)
The former undrafted Buff has carved out his NFL career primarily through special teams and blocking. After recording the first two receptions of his career in Week 1, Russell did not register a catch or carry in Seattle’s 31–7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Shedeur Sanders (Cleveland Browns)
Sanders did not take a quarterback snap for the second consecutive week, but Cleveland earned its first victory of the season, defeating Tampa Bay 23–19. Deshaun Watson remained the Browns’ quarterback throughout the game, leaving Sanders without a passing or rushing stat line through the first two weeks of the regular season. The more interesting development for Colorado fans came off the field with one of Shedeur’s former teammates at Colorado joining the Dawg Pound alongside Sanders.
Jimmy Horn Jr. (Cleveland Browns) practice squad
After being waived by Carolina following Week 1, Horn found a new opportunity in Cleveland. The Browns signed the former Colorado receiver to their practice squad on September 18, reuniting him with Sanders. Horn did not appear in Cleveland’s Week 2 victory and therefore did not record any game statistics. It is an encouraging development for Horn, whose speed and shiftiness are always a threat. But even more than that, all reports connected to Horn have shown that he works hard and is beloved by his former teammates. That is something Coach Prime spoke on when asked about Jimmy being cut from the Panthers, even claiming that he “made some calls” on Jimmy’s behalf to make sure he did everything he could to find his former player another opportunity. The NFL is as cutthroat as any business in the world, so even though Jimmy possesses all of the intangibles, he will have to find his way onto an active roster by on-field performance. That is something I still believe Jimmy can do.
B.J. Green II (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Green did not play in Jacksonville’s loss to Denver. After suffering an elbow injury in Week 1, the Jaguars placed the former Buff on injured reserve on September 16. His absence is an unfortunate setback for a player who entered the season hoping to take on a larger role in Jacksonville’s defensive rotation. We are all hoping B.J. can recover quickly and continue to solidify his importance to the Jags.
Josh Tupou (New York Giants) and Will Sherman (New Orleans Saints) were also both active in week 2.
