Do you remember the short-lived Vikings wide receiver named Moritz Böhringer? I'm sure you do, he was a bit of a big deal for a short period of time back in 2016.
Böhringer originally made headlines when he was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 6th round of the 2016 draft. His highlight reel from his time dominating the NFL Europe competition turned heads and gave people a bit of hope that this really cool story from oversees might be the next Calvin Johnson.
Yeah he was big, yeah he was fast, but there was one problem. He wasn't the best at this game we call football. To nobody's surprise that's rather important in the NFL.
Böhringer lasted one season with the Vikings on the practice squad before being released...but he's re-surfaced again thanks to an experimental program enacted by the NFL.
It's called the International Pathway Program and it's being used with 8-players and teams in the NFL. The teams get an exemption and are allowed to carry one extra international player on their practice squad giving them 11 spots on their practice squad for the season. For Moritz, the Cincinnati Bengals opted to give him a go but will do so having moved him from wide receiver to tight end, another move that's probably not all that surprising.
Right now the program is only being used in the NFC South and the AFC North but is expected to expand to the entire league as early as next season.