Notes regarding former Cats in the NFL

The Arizona Cardinals trimmed their roster for the final time on Saturday to reach the 53-man roster limit, and former UK running back Alfonso Smith was one of the final two cuts.

Smith, who signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent this year, scored a touchdown in the Cardinals’ final preseason game on Thursday, but is suffering from a neck injury.

Other former Cats that have made NFL rosters include: fullback John Conner of the New York Jets, Micah Johnson of the Miami Dolphins, punter Tim Masthay of the Green Bay Packers and cornerback Trevard Lindley of the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Fantasy football enthusiasts and UK fans will be glad to know that ESPN.com’s fantasy analyst Christopher Harris picked former Cats receiver Steve Johnson, a three-year veteran and former seventh-round pick of the Buffalo Bills, as a “deeper sleeper” pick this season in the NFL.

Johnson’s chances for an increased offensive role with the Bills were helped when former second-round pick James Hardy, a promising prospect that never fully developed as Buffalo would have hoped, was cut on Saturday.

Hardy’s departure means that Johnson could likely start opposite Lee Evans, the Bills’ No. 1 receiver.