British players in the NFL: What next for Louis Rees-Zammit & Travis Clayton?

We take a look at what the future could hold for British NFL hopes Louis Rees-Zammit and Travis Clayton after both players were expelled from their respective clubs 53-player roster lists on the eve of the new season.

Louis Rees-Zammit (WR / RB)

Kansas City Chiefs

Former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit will remain a part of Kansas City Chiefs practise squad, for now, after missing Andy Reid's 53-man roster cut.

The 23-year-old opted to switch sports earlier this year as he bid to become the first British player to successfully make the transition from professional rugby to American Football via the NFL's International Player Pathway program.

Rees-Zammit made three pre-season appearances for the NFL Champions - 11/2 to complete a three-peat this season - remarkably the only games of organised American Football he has ever played in his life.

Despite impressing with his natural athleticism, coach Reid feels the Welshman's best hopes of forging a career in the NFL are best served as part of his side's practise set-up.

“It will be good for him to see and study himself on that, in live action like that (following his pre-season showing against the Chicago bears)," he said.

"He’s a heck of an athlete. It’s just a matter of getting more familiar with it as he goes here. We’ll see how everything works out for him."

The former Gloucester man, who scored 14 tries in 32 appearances for Wales, isn't the first British player of a rugby background to have turned his hand to American football, with former England and Wasps winger Christian Wade taking the IPP route in 2019.

However, after registering an outstanding 65-yard touchdown for the Buffalo Bills in pre-season, Wade never managed to make a regular season appearance for the AFC East side and subsequently reverted back to rugby in 2022.

Rees-Zammit's cut means he has been placed on the waived list, allowing any of the other 31 NFL clubs to pursue a deal for the rookie in the coming weeks and months.

But it is reported that Reid, and other Chiefs hierarchy, are hoping that a move to another side fails to materialise so that they can continue to hone the skills of the British talent.

It will be interesting to see how long the Welshman continues to pursue his own American Football career before switching his attentions, like Wade, back to his first love.

Travis Clayton (OL)

Buffalo Bills

To say the past 12 months has been a whirlwind for new Buffalo Bills offensive Tackle Travis Clayton would be an understatement!

The 23-year-old was representing local rugby team Basingstoke in the eighth tier of English rugby this time last year, whilst also working full-time carrying out pre-employment background checks.

Fast-forward a year and the 6ft 7ins, 300lbs, giant is gearing up his maiden NFL campaign after penning a multi-million dollar contract with the Bills.

Clayton's pathway into the sport has been similar to Rees-Zammit's, with the two attending a trial for the NFL's International Player pathway program together back in 2017, before receiving the call-up to be amongst the 16 athletes selected for the 2024 programme.

In January this year, Clayton, along with Rees-Zammit, spent 10 weeks at an NFL US-based training camp, and immediately caught the eye as a potential Offensive Linesman due to his gigantic frame, and remarkable speed.

He registered a mesmerising 40-yard dash time of just 4.79 seconds, the fastest time recorded by a player in his position in over a decade - it was a feat that amongst his other qualities, had NFL clubs around the country purring.

Clayton went on to visit five NFL teams ahead of the 2024 Draft, although that list didn't include the 12/1 NFL Championship hopes Buffalo Bills, who stole a march on their rivals to swoop for the services of the Hampshire-native with their seventh round pick.

An untimely shoulder injury during pre-season derailed his hopes of being named in the Bills' 53-player roster, but after being placed on the Bills IR (Injured Reserve) list, Clayton will be keeping everything crossed that it's only a matter of time until he is able to make his mark on the gridiron.

British players in the NFL

Who are the current active British players in the NFL?

• Louis Rees-Zammit (Kansas City Chiefs - Wide Receiver)
• Travis Clayton (Buffalo Bills - Offensive Line)
• Graham Gano (New York Giants - Kicker)
• Jermaine Eluemunor (New York Giants - Offensive Tackle)
• Julian Okwara (Philadelphia Eagles - Linebacker)
• Efe Obada (Washington Commanders - Defensive End)
• David Ojabo (Baltimore Raves - Linebacker)
• Jamie Gillan (New York Giants - Punter)