Cornerback DJ James failed to make the Seattle Seahawks’ regular-season roster as a sixth-round draft pick from Auburn in 2024. In 2025, James opened the campaign on the New England Patriots’ active roster and played in Sunday’s season-opening game.

But on Tuesday, the Patriots waived James.

James got on the field for two defensive snaps and five special-teams plays in his NFL debut as New England dropped its opener 20-13 to the Las Vegas Raiders.

James made one tackle, bringing down wide receiver Jakobi Meyers after an 11-yard reception with three seconds left in the first half.

In New England’s 48-18 preseason victory over the Washington Commanders on Aug. 8, James intercepted a pass.

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An All-State selection at Spanish Fort High School in 2018, James played three seasons at Oregon and two at Auburn before joining the Seahawks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

After being released by Seattle last year, James joined the Patriots’ practice squad two weeks into the 2024 campaign and spent the rest of the season there without playing in a game.

Another player with Alabama football roots also lost his NFL roster spot on Tuesday when the Dallas Cowboys waived cornerback Christian Matthew with an injury settlement.

An injury settlement is an agreement between a player on injured reserve and his team that allows them to part ways immediately. Usually, the settlement pays a player for the number of regular-season games that his injury is likely to keep him sidelined.

Matthew’s release gives him the opportunity to play again when he’s healthy. The Cowboys placed Matthew on their season-ending injured reserve on Aug. 27 because of a groin injury.

Matthew did not play in 2024. He spent the entire season on the Baltimore Ravens’ injured reserve because of an undisclosed injury. He signed with Dallas on July 29.

Matthew played for Samford in 2018 and 2019, then moved to Valdosta State as a graduate transfer. Because the coronavirus pandemic caused the NCAA Division II schedule to be canceled in 2020, he had to wait to 2021 to earn All-Gulf South Conference recognition and help Valdosta State reach the NCAA Division II championship game.

The Arizona Cardinals chose Matthew in the seventh round of the NFL Draft on April 30, 2022. He played in 14 games, with three starts as a rookie. In addition to 180 special-teams plays, Matthew played 235 defensive snaps in 2022.

After Matthew played exclusively on special teams in the first four games of the 2023 season, the Cardinals waived the cornerback. Two days later, Matthew joined the Chicago Bears’ practice squad for the remainder of the 2023 regular season. The Bears elevated Matthew for two games of special-teams duty.

After Chicago’s season ended, the Ravens picked up Matthew for their practice squad in the 2023 postseason.

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