The Jacksonville Jaguars made an expected move on Tuesday as rookies reported to training camp, with the team placing undrafted rookie linebacker Dylan Moses on the non-football injury (NFI) list.
This was the expected outcome for the start of Moses' rookie season, especially after he underwent surgery during the offseason. Moses will now spend at the least the start of his NFL career on the sidelines as he awaits the chance to be fully healthy.
"A player who is placed on a Nonfootball Injury or Illness list (“N-F/I”) will not be entitled to any compensation under his contract while on such list but, except as provided below, his contract will continue to run while in such status," the NFL's collective bargaining reads.
"A player on N-F/I who is in the final year of his contract (including an option year) will have his contract tolled. However, if the player is physically able to perform his football services on or before the sixth regular season game, the Club must pay the player his negotiated Paragraph 5 Salary (pro rata) for the balance of the season in order to toll such player’s contract. If such player is taken off N-F/I during the period when such action is allowed by League rules, his contract will not be tolled."
Moses played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2017 and was named an SEC All-Freshman, but missed two games due to a foot injury. Moses then started 15 games in 2018, leading the team in tackles with 86 and being named Second Team All-SEC, but he then tore an ACL in his right knee in a fall practice leading up to the 2019 season, causing him to get surgery and miss the season.
Moses returned to the field for Alabama in 2020, leading the team in tackles while starting 13 games, but he noted he had to play through pain throughout most of his entire last season with the Crimson Tide.
"It had nothing to do with what kind of football player he is," Saban said via AL.com at a Team Focus fundraiser in Mobile following the draft “It was based on medical grades by the teams, which, frankly, was a little surprising to me.
Moses ended his college career with 30 starts, 196 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles, six pass deflections, and two interceptions. He ultimately didn't hear his name called during the draft and instead quickly signed with the Jaguars.
"You know, in my time in the league, when guys were injured and they came back and played, that usually got out of that 5 medical grade, which is undraftable," Saban said.
"It might have been a 4 medical grade, which means a guy does have an injury, it could be a problem in the future, but he’s come back and played with it so we ought to give him an opportunity, which I certainly think that’s where Dylan Moses should’ve fallen for sure and should’ve gotten an opportunity because he played all season long for us. And I think that should be good enough indicator that he, you know, can play in the NFL.”
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