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Running back Audric Estime was released from the Eagles’ practice squad on Tuesday.
Audric Estime is a free agent once more.
The 22-year-old running back was released from the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad on Tuesday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Estime had been with the Eagles since getting cut by the Denver Broncos in August, but he was never able to crack the roster on gameday.
Estime Ran Out of Opportunities with Eagles
The Eagles opened the season with Saquon Barkley, Will Shipley and A.J. Dillon at running back, and they traded for Tank Bigsby after their Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Estime was inactive for the first six games, and with everyone healthy, he had no clear path to playing time.
As such, Estime is now a free agent and will look to latch on with another team.
The Notre Dame product was picked by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2024 draft. He appeared in 13 games as a rookie but never gained traction on the Broncos’ depth chart, rushing for 310 yards and two touchdowns on 76 carries.
Estime scored his first NFL touchdown in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Chargers but was a healthy inactive for the AFC wild card loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Estime Became Odd-Man Out in Denver
The Broncos opted to keep four running backs on their initial 53-man roster — J.K. Dobbins, R.J. Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie — leaving Estime as the odd-man out.
After a strong finish to the preseason, which saw him rush eight times for 45 yards and a touchdown in a win over the New Orleans Saints, Estime was waived as part of final roster cuts on Aug. 25.
“The bottom line, we were just able to keep four (running backs),” general manager George Paton explained. “It’s hard to keep more than that.”
The Broncos (4-2) have been one of the NFL’s top rushing teams through six weeks, averaging 130.2 yards per game on the ground.
Eagles Cut Receiver From Practice Squad
On Tuesday, the Eagles also released wide receiver Javon Baker from their practice squad. Chosen in the fourth round of the 2024 draft from UCF, Baker played in 11 games as a rookie with the New England Patriots. The Eagles signed him following Week 1.
Baker’s release comes a day after defensive end Za’Darius Smith abruptly retired.
Douglas Bonjour is a breaking news contributor covering the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy. He is also a contributing writer for The Associated Press and has worked for Point Spreads, the Connecticut Post and Hearst Connecticut Media as a reporter and editor. More about Douglas Bonjour
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