Ex-rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit is currently without an NFL franchise ahead of next season after his contract at Jacksonville Jaguars ended.

The Welshman joined the Florida-based outfit after the Kansas City Chiefs, whom he initially signed for in March, opted to cut him from their roster.

Jacksonville signed him to their practice squad in the hope that at some point he would be elevated to the main 53-man roster.

Head coach Doug Pederson believed that Rees-Zammit would get his chance eventually, even claiming that the 23-year-old’s opportunity “will come.”

Sacked after dreadful season

However, Pederson has since been sacked by the Jaguars after a dreadful season which saw them win just four of their 17 regular season matches.

The previous head coach was clearly a fan of the ex-Wales and Gloucester player’s natural talents, despite acknowledging the improvements he needed to make.

“We love his skill set, his talent, his speed, his physicality,” Pederson said in October. “He’s got great size. Just learn, just continue to learn, and just be patient, opportunity will come.

“It will be great for him to get some action and fingers crossed that might happen.

“There’s a lot for him to learn. His natural talent will stand him really well in the NFL but he needs to learn the nuance of the game.

“He is doing well and hopefully we’ll see him if not this season, next year.”

Louis Rees-Zammit opens up on ‘brutal’ nature of his NFL axing from Kansas City Chiefs

The speedster was never selected during their 2024/25 campaign, though, and with his deal now ending, it leaves his NFL future up in the air.

Jacksonville have already signed seven players to reserve/futures contracts – deals that are used to tie practice squad members or free agents to a team – but Rees-Zammit is not on that list.

It does not mean that they will not invite him back for pre-season, but that they do not see him as a priority to retain in order to ward off other potential suitors.

He is therefore free to sign for another franchise should one come calling and, according to WalesOnline, Rees-Zammit and his team are in the process of “figuring out” his next move.

Despite the current uncertainty around his future in American football, it is understood that the flyer is determined to be a success in the sport and it could well be in Jacksonville.

NFL story so far

It is a year to the day since Rees-Zammit sensationally quit rugby to join the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

Alongside a number of fellow top-class athletes from a range of sports, the Welshman underwent an intensive 10-week training camp at the IMG Academy in Florida.

After that was completed, the speedster was free to sign for a team. He met with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, but eventually signed a three-year deal with the defending Super Bowl champions, Kansas City Chiefs.

That meant he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce for a few months, while he also got his first taste of action on the field.

Rees-Zammit featured in three pre-season matches, but he did not do enough to impress the coaches and was waived by the Chiefs, allowing Jacksonville to come in for the former wing and tie him down to their practice squad for the remainder of the regular season.

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