Louis Rees-Zammit has taken a step closer to realising his dream of playing in the NFL after the Jacksonville Jaguars confirmed that they have changed his roster status at the club.
The 24-year-old departed rugby union in spectacular fashion last January to join the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP), which gives elite athletes from around the world the chance to earn a spot on an NFL roster.
Rees-Zammit initially signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs but was then cut from their roster before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars last August.
Made a positional switch after changing clubs
The former Wales, Gloucester and British & Irish Lions speedster initially played as a running back during his stint with the Chiefs but changed positions to wide receiver when he joined the Jags.
Despite that switch, Rees-Zammit did not make his debut for the Jaguars during the 2024 NFL regular season although he was part of the Florida-based outfit’s practice squad as he continued to learn the finer details of American football.
His contract was initially not renewed by the Jags which meant he was a free agent but the club eventually offered him a new contract which boosted his hopes of finally making his NFL debut and he signed the active roster deal for the forthcoming 2025 season.
However, the Jaguars announced earlier this week that Rees-Zammit’s roster status has changed “from Active to Exempt/International Player”. The latest development comes after the club also agreed terms with two undrafted players, who like Rees-Zammit also play as wide receivers.
A statement read: “We have changed WR Louis Rees-Zammit’s roster status from Active to Exempt/International Player. We have agreed to terms with two undrafted free agents: WR Darius Lassiter and WR Dorian Singer.
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‘One roster exemption’
“The Jaguars currently have 91 players on the roster, including one roster exemption (Rees-Zammit).”
Under IPP rules which were introduced in 2024, players who come through the pathway programme are eligible to fill a 17th roster spot on the otherwise-16 man practice squad of any of the NFL’s 32 clubs.
That position is reserved exclusively for international players and prevents any of the other clubs from signing them while they are part of the the practice squad.
It also gives them the chance to be elevated to their club’s active roster for up to three times during the course of the season.
There is a catch, however, as the international exemption only counts during the off-season ahead of the roster being reduced to 53 players, and it does not exist once the regular season gets underway.
It was expected that Rees-Zammit would fill the Chiefs’ single allotted roster exemption for an international player during 2024’s regular season, but that spot ultimately went to Nigerian offensive lineman Chukwuebuka Jason Godrick, who also came through the IPP to join their practice squad.
Rees Zammit’s new status change with the Jags could mean that he is held in high regard by the club’s coaching staff who might feel optimistic about his chances of making the 53-man roster, who will now not be able to be poached by another club over the coming months.
However, it could also mean that they are preparing for the eventuality that he leaves the franchise.