Checking in on the Tar Heels in the NFL

The National Football League is just over a third through the regular season, and for most of us our interest in the season is waning due to a bad start by a certain team. So let’s distract ourselves by taking a look at what some former North Carolina Tar Heels are up to on their respective NFL clubs.

Connor Barth (K – Chicago Bears)
Barth has struggled in his first year with the Bears. The kicker is 8-for-11 on the year, his longest being a 49-yard field goal. Barth has made all extra point attempts this year for Chicago. He was perfect last week against Jacksonville, hitting three field goals and an extra point attempt.

Giovani Bernard (RB – Cincinnati Bengals)
Bernard is part of a tailback duo in Cincinnati, along with Jeremy Hill. The Bengals are not the offensive power they were last season, and there has been a decline in Gio’s stats. He’s rushed for 167 yards and has 256 reception yards, including one receiving touchdown. Bernard has started the past two games for the Bengals.

Russell Bodine (C – Cincinnati Bengals)
Bodine is the starting center for the Bengals, and has started all games in 2016. He left the game early on Sunday against the Patriots, and it’s not clear the extent of the injury.

Tre Boston (FS – Carolina Panthers)
Boston began the season as the starting free safety for the Panthers and was back in a starting role last week. Boston has 17 tackles, two sacks, and a pass defended on the year.

Zach Brown (ILB – Buffalo Bills)
Brown has emerged as a defensive force this year. He has 67 tackles, which is second in the NFL behind Luke Kuechly. He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 4 after his monster performance against the New England Patriots. In that shutout victory, Brown had 17 total tackles and forced two fumbles, including knocking this one loose on a monster hit on Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

Bruce Carter (MLB – New York Jets)
Carter has been used as a backup at middle linebacker, seeing limited time and registering three total tackles this year.

Jonathan Cooper (OL – Cleveland Browns)
Cooper was picked up by Cleveland after being waived by New England. He saw action for the first time this year last week versus Tennessee.

Shaun Draughn (RB – San Francisco 49ers)
Draughn is the backup running back in San Francisco. He has 26 carries on the year, good for 55 yards and a touchdown. Draughn has made appearances in each of the 49ers games this year.

Eric Ebron (TE – Detroit Lions)
Ebron got off to a good start this year as the starting tight end for Detroit before a lower body injury sidelined him. He has 18 receptions totaling 210 yards and hauling in a touchdown.

James Hurst (LT – Baltimore Ravens)
Hurst has seen action in all games this year for the Ravens, including two starts at left tackle.

Kareem Martin (LB – Arizona Cardinals)
An injury in a meaningless preseason game derailed Martin for the beginning of the season. He made his debut in Week 4 and had a couple of tackles and a forced fumble in Week 5.

Romar Morris (RB – New York Jets)
The rookie tailback is on New York’s Reserve/Injured list.

Julius Peppers (LB – Green Bay Packers)
The 2016 Pro Bowler and 15-year veteran is part of a rotation at linebacker in Green Bay’s 3-4 defense. Peppers has a couple starts this year, and has recorded six combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.

Jabari Price (CB – Minnesota Vikings)
Price is on Minnesota’s Reserve/Injured list.

Robert Quinn (DE- Los Angeles Rams)
Quinn was off to a hot start this year before a shoulder injury during Week 4 put him out of the lineup. He has two sacks and two forced fumbles on the year.

Da’Norris Searcy (SS – Tennessee Titans)
Searcy was having a productive year as the starting strong safety for the Titans until an ankle injury sidelined him. Through the first four games of the season, Searcy had 19 total tackles and a couple of passes defended.

Brandon Tate (WR – Buffalo Bills)
Tate has been used on special teams, returning kicks and punts for the Bills.

Cam Thomas (DT – Los Angeles Rams)
Thomas is a reserve on the defensive line, and is listed as a backup at defensive tackle. He has a couple of tackles on the year.

Landon Turner (OL – New Orleans Saints)
The rookie guard is a backup on the Saints’ line. He has made a couple of appearances this year in that capacity.

Greg Warren (LS – Pittsburgh Steelers)
The veteran long snapper is still tossing them back for the Steelers.

Sylvester Williams (NT – Denver Broncos)
Super Bowl Champion (it still hurts to type that) Williams is the starting nose tackle for the Broncos and has recorded a sack on the season.