As a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Washington, rookie linebacker Carson Bruener came into the offseason with the Black and Gold facing an uphill battle to potentially grab a 53-man roster spot.
The best way for him to earn that roster spot was always going to be through special teams.
On Saturday night in the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bruener had a strong showing, finishing with six tackles, including three on special teams. Though his defensive grade from Pro Football Focus was just 45.8 in 23 snaps, Bruener had a 75.