The deep disappointment at having been released the day before was short-lived. Both Antony Auclair, Pier-Olivier Lestage and JJ Molson finally have their place in the NFL this season.
Auclair, a tight end, was hired on the reserve team of the Houston Texans, who had thanked him the day before. Same conclusion for offensive lineman Lestage with the Seattle Seahawks and kicker Molson with the Green Bay Packers.
This is a common practice in the NFL. After being released or waived, players can return to the reserve team when the organization sees good development potential in them or believes they can raise a player in the season during the season. regular alignment.
In times of COVID, teams have the flexibility to hire 16 players on the reserve team. Each team can dress their reserve team players for two games per season and, if they want more, they can move the players in question to the regular roster.
Good news for Auclair
Where many would translate this passage on the reserve team as a regression for a veteran of four seasons of experience like Auclair, his agent Sasha Ghavami sees it rather as good news.
“Antony had a very good camp. He fought, there were seven tight ends at the camp and three more were cut before him. At this point, the important thing is not a place on the regular roster or the reserve team, but that it forges a role and that we see for the rest of the season, ”said he does.
The Texans have in particular bet on five ball carriers and “each position impacts another,” said Ghavami.
The latter also explored the possibility of a contract with another organization.
“There have been discussions with other teams, but Antony feels good about organizing the Texans and his work is appreciated,” said his agent.
Technically, any other team would be free to offer Auclair a contract on the regular roster as long as he is on the reserve team in Houston.
Happy for Ballast
Ghavami, who also represents the interests of Pier-Olivier Lestage, could not have hoped for a better scenario for the former Carabins man, who worked as a guard and center at the Seahawks training camp.
“His journey has been strewn with challenges. He hasn’t had a college season in 2020, no All-Star games to show off, no Pro Day. He was operated [pour une hernie] and he missed the first two weeks of the camp. ”
“The team saw a lot of potential in him. For him, it’s a great opportunity to develop. He will work hard and will progress, ”he said.
Another client of Sasha Ghavami, Los Angeles Chargers offensive lineman Ryan Hunter, has also been rehired on the reserve team.
