Two former Ole Miss Rebels have found new homes in the NFL. 

Jordan Ta’amu signed a deal on Wednesday with the Houston Texans and Robert Nkemdiche signed on Thursday morning with the Miami Dolphins. 

The Rebels’ starting quarterback just a year ago, Ta’amu went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft after leading the SEC in passing yards per game and setting the Ole Miss record in yards per attempt. He had signed an undrafted mini-camp contract with the Oakland Raiders back in April, but was unable to hang on long-term with the Raiders. 

Theoretically, the move to Houston is a really smart fit for Ta’amu. Prior to his signing, the team had just three quarterbacks on its roster. Presumed backup quarterback A.J. McCarron recently injured his thumb and is expected to miss some time. The only other quarterback on the roster, outside of Deshaun Watson, is 32-year-old Joe Webb, who has attempted seven NFL passes in the last seven years. If the Texans are to keep three quarterbacks on roster after the cut to the final 53-man team, Ta’amu has a very good chance. 

The Robert Nkemdiche story is quite different. Nkemdiche was cut almost two weeks ago by the Arizona Cardinals, a team that used a first-round pick on him back in 2016. The cut came after he showed up to camp out of shape and reportedly had some attitude problems with the new coaching staff. 

Now, the Dolphins have taken a chance on the former first-rounder, signing him to a one-year contract. It’s a smart move for a Miami team clearly in a rebuilding mode – taking a shot on a guy that’s clearly talented that the prior team couldn’t maximize. But if Nkemdiche doesn’t buy in and perform in Miami, it’s unlikely he’ll be there a year from now. 

Miami, a city not lacking in distractions, is also a relatively interesting landing spot for a player who’s had issues with the law and substances in his past. Regardless, the Dolphins are giving Robert Nkemdiche a second chance.