For five German professional football players, the dream of playing in the NFL lives on. Lorenz Metz, Paul Rubelt, Julius Welschof, Kilian Zierer, and Niklas Henning have secured spots on the practice squad following the roster cuts.

After being cut during the reduction of rosters to 53 players, five German pros have a happy ending. All were added to their respective practice squads by their current teams.

Lorenz Metz remains with the New England Patriots, Paul Rubelt with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Julius Welschof with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kilian Zierer has been given another chance with the Jacksonville Jaguars, while Niklas Henning will continue his development with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The five players are therefore not part of the active 53-man roster but will continue to train fully with their teams. In addition, practice squad players can be called up to the game-day roster for individual games or permanently added to the active roster.

Together with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Brandon Coleman, and Marlin Klein, this brings the total to eight professionals with German roots currently under contract with an NFL team.

Lorenz Metz remains with the New England Patriots

Lorenz Metz continues his pursuit of his first NFL appearance with the New England Patriots. The offensive tackle was initially released as part of roster cuts but is returning to the practice squad of the reigning AFC champions.

The Bavaria native only joined New England in January 2026. Prior to that, Metz spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad. The former Cincinnati Bearcats player got his first NFL opportunity with the Chicago Bears in 2023.

The 2.06-meter-tall offensive lineman appeared in 43 games during his college career, starting 27 of them. His versatility could serve him well in New England, as Metz can play both tackle and guard.

Metz even has the chance to play in a special game: The Patriots will open the new NFL season on September 9 against the Seattle Seahawks. The game is a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl, which Seattle won against New England.

Welschof enters his third year with the Steelers

Julius Welschof is also staying with his current team. The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed the linebacker on the practice squad for the third consecutive year.

Welschof joined Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft. Since then, the Miesbach native has been trying to earn a spot on the active roster. He has yet to see action in a regular-season game.

During the preseason, Welschof made several positive contributions. Among other things, he recorded a sack against the Green Bay Packers. However, given the strong competition from T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, it wasn’t enough to secure a spot on the 53-man roster.

Before joining the NFL, Welschof played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and the Charlotte 49ers. His 2023 season in Charlotte ended prematurely due to injury after four games.

Paul Rubelt Can Still Hope for His NFL Debut

For Paul Rubelt, his first NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continues. The offensive tackle signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie after the 2026 draft and remained with the team throughout the entire preseason.

Rubelt played six seasons at the University of Central Florida, appearing in 60 games there. He started 22 times. Standing 2.08 meters tall, the Frankfurt native is one of the tallest players in the entire league. During his college days, he earned the nickname “Tall Paul” as a result.

Tampa Bay lists Rubelt as a participant in the International Player Pathway Program. This allows him to take up an additional spot on the practice squad without counting against the team’s regular roster limit.

The rookie saw plenty of playing time during the preseason. In particular, during the victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Rubelt was on the field for the entire game and logged a total of 60 offensive snaps. Nevertheless, he was initially unable to make the leap to the active roster.

Zierer continues his journey with the Jaguars

Kilian Zierer is staying with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The offensive lineman had already joined the franchise’s practice squad during the 2025 season and is once again receiving an additional roster spot through the International Player Pathway Program.

The Munich native played college football for Auburn and started all twelve games as left tackle during the 2022 season. After the 2023 NFL Draft, he signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent.

Since then, Zierer has played for several teams. In addition to Houston, he was under contract with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and San Francisco 49ers before Jacksonville signed him in October 2025.

The 26-year-old is still waiting for his first regular-season appearance. Through the practice squad, he can once again prove himself in training as a potential reinforcement for the offensive line.

Henning Chooses the NFL Path

Niklas Henning has one of the most unusual stories among the German quintet. The offensive tackle, who was born in Munich and raised in Canada, played college football for Queen’s University in Ontario.

Henning began his college career as a tight end but later switched to the offensive line. In the 2026 CFL Draft, he was even selected second overall by the Toronto Argonauts.

However, the 23-year-old decided to pursue his opportunity in the NFL. After a tryout at the rookie minicamp, he signed a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders in May and subsequently impressed the team enough to earn a spot on the practice squad.

The Raiders list the 1.98-meter-tall rookie, who weighs around 130 kilograms, as a tackle. Unlike Metz, Rubelt, Welschof, and Zierer, Henning does not occupy an additional spot through the International Player Pathway Program, but rather a regular practice squad spot.

How the Practice Squad Works

An NFL team may generally include up to 16 players on its practice squad. If a qualified international player is added, an additional 17th spot can be created.

These players participate in regular practice sessions and help, among other things, with preparations for the next opponent. However, they are not automatically part of the game-day roster.

A practice squad player can be temporarily promoted to the active roster for up to three games during a season. Afterward, the team would have to permanently add him to the 53-man roster so that he can play in additional games.

However, the spot is not guaranteed. Practice squads can be changed throughout the season. In addition, other franchises may sign the players for their own active roster under certain conditions.