photo by: AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steven Sims (18) reacts against the Houston Texans in the first half of an NFL football game Friday, Dec 27, 2024 in Houston. The Ravens defeated the Texans 31-2.

Before a new crop of former Kansas football stars enters the professional ranks — a particularly large one, given that so many foundational players graduated following the 2024 season — the start of the NFL postseason provides an ideal opportunity to check on those who are already in the fold.

Several Jayhawks in the NFL, such as veteran wide receiver Steven Sims, made midseason moves from one team to another; some have departed the NFL for the moment to pursue their dreams in other professional football leagues; still others, including recent draft picks like San Francisco 49ers lineman Dominick Puni, enjoy a high degree of security with their current teams.

As he approached the end of his second season with the Houston Texans, Sims got released on Dec. 20. However, he quickly caught on with the Baltimore Ravens three days later, just in time for their game against, as it happened, the Texans.

Sims has returned five punts in two games for his new squad. Last season, Sims took a punt back for a touchdown in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Ravens. This year, he finds himself on Baltimore’s roster as the Ravens prepare to host their rival Pittsburgh — another one of Sims’ former teams — in a wild-card playoff matchup on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Versatile former KU linebacker Craig Young made as many moves as any Jayhawk this season. In his rookie season, he went from the Indianapolis Colts to the Steelers to another AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, and showed them enough in two weeks on the practice squad to earn a reserve/future contract on Tuesday. That essentially allows the Bengals to retain Young in advance of next season despite his non-roster status.

Another linebacker, Kyron Johnson, caught on with the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad in September, though he didn’t get into a game. Tennessee is bound for some personnel overhaul given that it has a new general manager coming in after posting the worst record in the league, but for the moment Johnson has a team entering 2025, as he inked his own reserve/future contract on Monday.

Quarterback Jason Bean of the Colts and center Mike Novitsky of the Seattle Seahawks also signed future contracts in recent days; in Novitsky’s case, it came after he spent four months off the Seahawks’ roster but eventually rejoined their practice squad in December.

photo by: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (18) is tackled by Washington Commanders defensive end Dorance Armstrong in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024.

photo by: AP Photo/Scot Tucker

San Francisco 49ers guard Dominick Puni (77) blocks during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, December 12, 2024, in Santa Clara, Calif.

Another more experienced player who figures to remain in place for a while is defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., whose Washington Commanders, one of the year’s breakout teams, face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in playoff action on Sunday. Armstrong tallied five sacks on the season in his first year of a three-year contract.

Offensive lineman Dominick Puni will figure prominently in the San Francisco 49ers’ future plans. A third-round pick, he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 10 rookie of the regular season with an 80.5 grade as a starter throughout the season at right guard. Fellow 2024 draftee Austin Booker played a bit more sparingly at defensive end for the Chicago Bears, but still saw 283 defensive snaps with 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks in a part-time role.

Offensive tackles Hakeem Adeniji, of Cleveland, and Earl Bostick Jr., of Dallas, spent the season on injured reserve and did not play.

Meanwhile, a few young Jayhawks have made moves to other leagues beyond the NFL. Wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter II, who made his first regular-season catch for the Cincinnati Bengals last season, spent much of 2024 on the free agent wire before signing with the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League, which opens its second season on March 28.

Tight end Mason Fairchild is also bound for the UFL’s DC Defenders after a couple of brief stints with the New Orleans Saints and some time helping out on the coaching staff at his alma mater, Andale High School, as KSN-TV reported.

One of the longtime leaders of the KU defense, safety Kenny Logan Jr., didn’t catch on with the Los Angeles Rams in the fall. The Florida native will now be headed for a dramatically different climate as he plays for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League.