New Louis Rees-Zammit footage emerges as Welsh star finds out his chances
New Louis Rees-Zammit footage emerges as Welsh star finds out his chances
The Jaguars made an important announcement this week detailing where Louis Rees-Zammit's opportunities could come.
Ex-rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit
(Image: (Photo by Peter van den Berg/) )
New footage shows former Wales international Louis Rees-Zammit's in training with Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Welshman has spent the last few months back in the United Kingdom, spending valuable time with family and friends.
However, pre-season training is under way and Rees-Zammit is back Stateside ahead of another campaign in the NFL. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
New footage posted by the Jaguars shows their stars back on the training paddock. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence could be seen pinging throws to his team-mates, and one of those was Rees-Zammit.
The Jaguars' number 89 can be seen making a catch at around 48 seconds into the clip below.
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The man from Penarth also attended the Jaguars' voluntary off-season workout at the Miller Electric Centre in mid-April, so remains determined to develop as an American football player.
On Thursday this week the Jaguars revealed their pre-season schedule, which revealed what opportunities Rees-Zammit and his fellow fringe team-mates would be getting in the coming months.
Jaguars will play Pittsburgh Steelers at home to kick off their schedule, with a further two matches against New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins before the regular season begins in September.
Jaguars v Steelers - August 9
Jaguars v Saints - August 17
Jaguars v Dolphins - August 23
Pre-season will be a very exciting time for Rees-Zammit, who will get an opportunity to express himself after a season of not playing.
Before he was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs, Rees-Zammit got his opportunity to play pre-season games with them, getting his first taste of American football in a genuine elite-level scenario.
The British & Irish Lion then signed up with the Jaguars as a member of their practice squad. He had the opportunity to be elevated to the main roster throughout the season, but was not elevated once.
The first campaign was more of a learning curve for Rees-Zammit, who will be hoping he can get his chance this season.
Following the culmination of the season, where Jaguars performed poorly, Rees-Zammit was left without a club again, albeit a common occurrence in NFL.
Jaguars picked him back up shortly after and signed him to their active roster - a significant development for the Welshman. However, at the end of April, Jaguars confirmed they had changed his status from an active roster player to International Player Pathway player.
This news came after Jaguars signed two undrafted players in Rees-Zammit's position - wide receiver.
There are currently around 90 players on the Jaguars roster. At the end of August, that will be trimmed down to 53 active roster players and a 17-player practice squad, with the latter including a special place for an IPP athlete.
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Fellow IPP class of 2025 athlete Patrick Murtagh, and friend of Rees-Zammit, may have been competing with the Welshman for that IPP place, but the Australian was cut by Jaguars last week.
NFL expert Phoebe Schecter confirmed to WalesOnline earlier this year that NFL teams can only designate a player in the special IPP place on the practice squad for two years.
Therefore, if Rees-Zammit is selected as the IPP player on the practice squad again this season, that will be the last time he is eligible to be placed there. In that situation, in the 2026/2027 season he would have to be selected like any other player does.
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