What NFL teams still need an International Pathway Program Player? (2024 NFL IPP Signing Tracker)

| 2024 NFL Draft | 04/21/2024

In September of last year, the NFL dropped a huge announcement giving all 32 teams the option to add depth to their practice squad with the addition of an international player starting in 2024.

The new rules allow NFL teams to add an international player to their practice squad as a 17th player on what was previously at 16-man squad. These players can be elevated at any point during the season. This allows NFL teams to develop international talent and groom them for a chance at pro football on Sundays.

Last year, the teams in the AFC West and NFC North each saw a new player from the NFL IPP Program. This led to several pre-season heroes such as LA Chargers CJ Okoye getting a sack in his first-ever football game. 

The year prior in 2022, only one division the AFC South collected an international player for each team, including European League of Football defensive rookie of the year Marcel Dabo.

This year’s 2024 NFL IPP class features 16 talented athletes at various positions including recent Kansas City Chiefs signee Louis Rees-Zammit. This year’s class also includes kickers and punters for the first time allowing these specialists to fall under the program’s umbrella.

Below are all the NFL International Player Pathway Program Players signed for the 2024 season and the teams that have yet to fill that spot.

NFC North:
Green Bay Packers: DL Kenneth Odumegwu (Nigeria)
Minnesota Vikings: DL Junior Aho (France)
Detroit Lions: None
Chicago Bears: None

AFC North:
Pittsburgh Steelers: DT Julius Welchof (Germany)
Baltimore Ravens: None
Cleveland Browns: OL Roy Mbaeteka (Nigeria)
Cincinnati Bengals: None

NFC East:
Washington Commanders: DL Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi (Nigeria)
Dallas Cowboys: None
New York Giants: None
Philadelphia Eagles: None

AFC East:
New England Patriots: None
New York Jets: None
Miami Dolphins: OL Bayron Matos (Dominican Republic)
Buffalo Bills: OL Travis Clayton (England)

AFC West:
Kansas City Chiefs: OL Chukwuebuka Godrick (Nigeria) & RB Louis Rees-Zammit (Wales)
Los Angeles Chargers: DL CJ Dillon (Nigeria)
Las Vegas Raiders: DL David Ebuka Agoha (Nigeria)
Denver Broncos: None

NFC West:
Arizona Cardinals: TE Bernhard Seikovits (Austria)
San Francisco 49ers: OL Alfredo Gutiérrez (Mexico) & OL Isaac Alarcon (Mexico)
Seattle Seahawks: OL Max Pircher (Italy)
Los Angeles Rams: None

AFC South:
Jacksonville Jaguars: TE Patrick Murtaugh (Australia)
Tennessee Titans: TE Thomas Odukoya (Netherlands)
Indianapolis Colts: DB Marcel Dabo (Germany)
Houston Texans: None

NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons: None
Carolina Panthers: None
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OL Lorenz Metz (Germany)
New Orleans Saints: Kicker Charlie Smyth (Ireland)

Half of the AFC North and the entire AFC East along with 10 other teams do not have an NFL International Player under contract, bringing the total to 16 (half the league). These teams will no doubt be contacting NFL International scouts such as Mark Dulgerian to see if they can start to add international players will high athletic potential and the right attitude for the NFL.

Alex is a former NCAA and semi-pro American football player who is now located in London, where he works in digital marketing. His goal in writing for AFI is to stay involved with the game that has given him so much. Alex enjoys covering leagues and