Frogs in the NFL as Kendre Miller Scores and Former TCU Players Keep Battling

Another NFL weekend gave TCU fans plenty of reasons to follow the players who once wore purple and white.

One thing I learned during my NFL career is that success in this league doesn’t always look the same. Sometimes it’s a touchdown or a game-changing defensive play. Other times, it’s earning another start, accepting a different responsibility or continuing to compete long after most people expected your career to be over.

That’s what I enjoy about following these guys.

Some are established starters. Others are still working to earn bigger opportunities. But they’re all competing in a league where nothing is guaranteed.

As we discussed in last week’s Frogs in the NFL preview, different roles come with the same fight to keep a place in this league.

Here’s what stood out from the Week 5 games.

Kendre Miller Scores His Second Rushing Touchdown for Saints

Let’s start with the former Frog who put points on the board.

Miller scored his second rushing touchdown of the season Sunday, finishing with 10 carries for 30 yards in New Orleans’ 23-13 loss to Minnesota.

His two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave the Saints a 7-3 lead. It finished a 15-play, 66-yard drive that included two fourth-down conversions.

The possession began after Chase Young recovered a Minnesota fumble, giving New Orleans a chance to turn a defensive takeaway into points.

That’s something I appreciate as a former defensive player.

When your defense creates a turnover, you want your offense to make the other team pay for it. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting the football back for your team and watching the offense give it right back without producing anything.

Miller made sure that didn’t happen.

It was otherwise a difficult afternoon for the Saints, who finished with only 142 total yards against the unbeaten Vikings.

Those numbers aren’t going to make anybody forget about the league’s leading rushers, but Miller’s touchdown deserves recognition.

I’ve always appreciated running backs who can get the difficult yards when the defense knows what’s coming.

Near the goal line, defenders have less ground to protect. Linebackers can attack downhill, defensive linemen are fighting to create penetration, and there’s very little room for a running back to hesitate.

A two-yard touchdown might not make every highlight reel, but those can be some of the toughest yards in football.

New Orleans needed two. They gave Miller the football, and he finished the job.

Brandon Coleman Handles Left Tackle Opportunity in Washington

One of the more interesting former TCU stories this season involves Washington offensive lineman Brandon Coleman.

Coleman moved back to left tackle after Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during training camp. With Tunsil facing an extended absence, the Commanders turned to a player who already had experience protecting the blind side.

Washington played the New York Giants to a 27-27 overtime tie Sunday.

For fans who haven’t played offensive line, moving from guard to tackle might not sound like a major adjustment.

Trust me, it is.

At guard, you’re dealing with powerful defensive tackles in tight spaces. Everything happens quickly, and there’s not much room to recover if you lose leverage.

At tackle, you’re often isolated against some of the fastest and most athletic defensive players in the league.

Those guys have room to threaten the outside edge, and they’re constantly looking for ways to use that threat against you.

One of the things defensive players look for is an offensive tackle who oversets trying to protect the outside. Once that tackle commits too far in that direction, you’ve created an opportunity to attack inside.

That’s why footwork, patience and hand placement become so important.

Coleman has experience at both positions, and that versatility is valuable. Washington’s need at left tackle gives him another opportunity to show what he can handle.

Kaleb Elarms-Orr Begins His NFL Journey With Buffalo

Monday night’s matchup between Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams turned into one of the most entertaining games of the NFL weekend.

The Bills escaped with a 37-34 overtime victory.

For TCU fans, Buffalo also represents a new professional home for Elarms-Orr, whom the Bills selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

I always pay attention to young linebackers because I remember exactly what that transition felt like.

The biggest adjustment isn’t necessarily the size or speed of the players. It’s how quickly you have to understand what you’re seeing.

NFL quarterbacks are constantly trying to manipulate linebackers with their eyes. Offensive coordinators use motion and formations to create hesitation. Running backs understand how to set up their blocks and punish defenders who take one false step.

In college, your athletic ability can sometimes help you recover from a mistake.

In the NFL, that mistake might turn into a 20-yard gain before you even realize what happened.

That’s why preparation matters so much for a young linebacker. Learning the defense, understanding assignments and earning the coaches’ confidence are all part of building a career.

Having gone through that process myself, I enjoy following young former Frogs as they make that transition.

Steve Avila’s Rams Fall Short in Monday Night Shootout

On the other sideline Monday night was another familiar TCU name, Rams offensive lineman Steve Avila.

Los Angeles came up short in overtime, but its offense gave Buffalo everything it could handle.

Matthew Stafford threw for 383 yards and three touchdowns, and the Rams scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

For fans watching the game, most of the attention naturally went to Stafford and the Rams’ receivers.

As a former linebacker, I tend to watch what happens up front.

When an offense is throwing the football that effectively, I’m interested in how the offensive line handles pressure, communicates protections and gives the quarterback opportunities to make plays.

I spent plenty of time trying to create confusion for offensive linemen during my career.

We’d show pressure from one direction, drop somebody into coverage and bring another defender from somewhere else.

Sometimes the goal wasn’t even to get a sack. It was to force a protection adjustment or disrupt the timing of the quarterback’s throw.

That’s why communication between offensive linemen is so important.

Games like Monday’s provide another reason to appreciate the responsibilities that come with playing up front.

Los Angeles didn’t get the result it wanted, but that fourth-quarter comeback was impressive.

Austin Schlottmann’s NFL Longevity Deserves Recognition

Tennessee offensive lineman Austin Schlottmann is another former Frog whose career deserves recognition.

Schlottmann entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He’s now in his ninth NFL season.

That’s impressive no matter how you look at it.

Tennessee struggled offensively Sunday in a 26-3 loss to Houston, but Schlottmann’s longevity is worth appreciating.

Every year, NFL teams draft new offensive linemen. Every training camp, younger players arrive trying to take somebody’s job. Coaching changes bring new systems and new evaluations.

Schlottmann has continued finding opportunities through all of it, bringing experience at both center and guard.

The center position carries responsibilities that most fans never notice. Depending on the offense, the center may help identify defensive fronts, communicate blocking assignments and make protection adjustments.

As a linebacker, I loved trying to make those decisions difficult.

A center has to process all of that while preparing to snap the football and block a professional defensive lineman.

An undrafted player reaching his ninth season is something worth recognizing, regardless of what happened on one particular Sunday.

Quentin Johnston Misses Week 5 as Chargers Fall to Denver

The Los Angeles Chargers fell 23-17 to Denver on Sunday, with Quentin Johnston inactive because of a chest injury.

That left Los Angeles without one of its established receiving options.

Fellow former Frog Derius Davis brings a different skill set, with the speed and quickness that make him an interesting player to follow in the return game and whenever he gets opportunities in space.

As a defensive player, I can tell you that speed changes how you approach a play.

A returner like Davis forces coverage players to take proper pursuit angles. One mistake can create a lane that turns into a significant gain.

Johnston’s availability will be worth monitoring as the Chargers prepare for Kansas City. Any additional offensive opportunities for Davis will depend on the Chargers’ personnel decisions and game plan.

More Former Horned Frogs Around the NFL

Carolina safety Tre’von Moehrig had the week off with the Panthers on their bye. Carolina returns to action against Philadelphia.

Veteran offensive lineman Matt Pryor is another example of a former Frog who has built an NFL career through experience and versatility.

Josh Newton, L.J. Collier, Garret Wallow and Jared Wiley are also familiar names whose roster situations and opportunities remain worth following.

Not everybody is going to have a touchdown, interception or double-digit tackle performance every week.

Some guys are starting. Others are contributing in specialized roles or waiting for an opportunity to earn more playing time.

That doesn’t make their careers any less interesting to follow.

Where to Watch Former TCU Players in NFL Week 6

Before the NFL games begin, TCU fans have their own rivalry to follow Saturday. Catch up with our TCU-Baylor scouting report and Revivalry preview by the numbers.

Then keep an eye on these NFL matchups. All kickoff times are Central.

Player availability is subject to the teams’ injury reports and game-day roster decisions.

The NFL doesn’t guarantee anybody a long career, and not every player gets the same opportunities.

That’s what makes following these former Frogs enjoyable.

Miller found the end zone. Coleman continued his opportunity at left tackle. Avila’s Rams fought through an overtime thriller, while Schlottmann continued adding to a professional career that began without a draft selection.

Different players, different roles and different accomplishments.

But all of them give TCU fans another reason to keep an eye on the NFL every Sunday.

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