After being released by the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, former UConn Huskies linebacker Danny Lansanah was reported to be talking with multiple teams. The Packers offered him a spot on their practice squad but he turned it down because of the talks with other teams.

It turns out the Miami Dolphins were one of those teams as they announced he was one of eight players they’ve signed to their practice squad.

Lansanah signed with the Packers after the draft in 2008 as a non-drafted free agent. He was released before the season started last year but was quickly signed to the practice squad. He spent the first five weeks of the season on the practice squad before being added to the 53-man roster on October 7, 2008.

He appeared in five games in 2008 and made two tackles on special teams. Lansanah made eighteen tackles in four preseason games this year.

He will join former Husky Donald Thomas, the starting right guard for the Dolphins, in Miami. It was Lansanah who found Thomas playing intramural basketball at UConn and recruited him to play for Randy Edsall.

Donald Thomas credits his career to new Dolphins teammate [Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel]

While the UConn Huskies had four former players cut this week in the NFL, they did place ten former players on 2009 NFL rosters.

Here are the nine Huskies in the NFL:

• Deon Anderson – Dallas Cowboys
• Will Beatty – New York Giants
• Tyvon Branch – Oakland Raiders
• Donald Brown – Indianapolis Colts
• Cody Brown – Arizona Cardinals (on injured reserve, will not play in 2009)
• Darius Butler – New England Patriots
• Dahna Deleston – Chicago Bears (on injured reserve, will not play in 2009)
• Dan Orlovsky – Houston Texans
• Donald Thomas – Miami Dolphins
• Julius Williams – Jacksonville Jaguars

While former UConn Huskies Alfred Fincher, Tyler Lorenzen, Dahna Deleston, Danny Lansanah and Keith Gray got cut from their teams in the NFL, it was a great Saturday for former Husky defensive end Julius Williams.

After signing as a non-drafted free agent after the 2009 NFL Draft with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Williams learned on Saturday that he made their 53-man roster.

Williams appeared in four preseason games with the Jaguars and recorded four tackles.

It was a rough Saturday for two former UConn Huskies as NFL teams were busy getting their rosters down to the mandatory limit of 53.

Offensive lineman Keith Gray was cut loose by the Carolina Panthers while second-year linebacker Danny Lansanah was let go by the Green Bay Packers.

Lansanah signed with the Packers after the draft in 2008 as a non-drafted free agent. He was released before the season started last year but was quickly signed to the practice squad. He spent the first five weeks of the season on the practice squad before being added to the 53-man roster on October 7, 2008.

He appeared in five games in 2008 and made two tackles on special teams. Lansanah made eighteen tackles in four preseason games this year.

Gray saw action in just two preseason games after signing with the Panthers as a non-drafted free agent after the 2009 NFL Draft.

They join three other former Huskies, Tyler Lorenzen, Alfred Fincher and Dahna Deleston on the unemployment line.

Former UConn Huskies quarterback Tyler Lorenzen was trying to make the Jacksonville Jaguars as a tight end.

Unfortunately for him, his NFL dream came to an end for now as the Jaguars cut him as they got their roster down to the NFL mandatory limit of 75 on Tuesday afternoon.

Lorenzen was signed by the Jaguars as a non-drafted free agent after the 2009 NFL Draft. His Huskies teammate Julius Williams survived the first cut with the Jaguars.

Lorenzen played in three preseason games and had one catch for twenty yards and a touchdown.

He becomes the second Husky to be cut during the first round of cuts during the NFL preaseason. Alfred Fincher was cut by the Redskins over the weekend.

In a move that was expected, the Arizona Cardinals have placed former UConn Huskies DE/LB Cody Brown on injured reserve after he dislocated his wrist in a preseason game against the San Diego Chargers on August 22nd.

Here is what his agent, Nate Haber had to say about the injury on his Twitter account:

It appears to be a devastating, rare injury that will sideline him for his rookie season. He is staying strong in this tough time and will do everything he can to return stronger than before.

Brown was drafted by the Cardinals in the 2nd round, 63rd overall, in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Cardinals signed him to a 4-year, $3.067 million contract and gave him a signing bonus of $956,00.

He was third on the depth chart at outside linebacker behind starter Clark Haggans and Victor Hobson. He was also expected to contribute on special teams.

Brown is expected to have surgery on his wrist to repair tendon damage and will have a recovery period of 4-6 months once he does. He should be back in time for spring mini-camps.

The Washington Redskins announced today that they have cut former UConn Huskies linebacker Alfred Fincher.

Fincher was originally drafted by the New Orleans Saints back in the 3rd round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played in twenty-three games over the course of three season with the Saints, recording 20 tackles. During the 2007 season, he was placed on injured-reserve on November 4th after suffering a concussion and was released about three weeks later.

He then signed with the Detroit Lions before the 2008 season and was released before training camp. He latched on with the Redskins and was primarily a special teams player for them in 2008. He made six tackles.

In 2004, the Orlando Magic had to decide between taking high schooler Dwight Howard and former UConn Huskies All-American Emeka Okafor with the first pick in the draft. We all know what happened with that one as Okafor ended up going second to the Charlotte Bobcats.

After signing a 6-year, $72 million contract extension with the Bobcats before last season, Okafor now has a new home as he was traded to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler.

Okafor averaged 13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds last season while Chandler averaged 8.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in 45 games.

“Emeka is one of the premier centers in the NBA with All-Star caliber scoring and rebounding averages throughout his career,” Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said. “His potential to improve is endless once you put him on the court running with Chris Paul.”

Okafor will join another former Husky on the Hornets roster in Hilton Armstrong.

Center swap: Okafor for Chandler [ESPN.com]

Former UConn Husky Charlie Villanueva has confirmed the AP report from yesterday on his Twitter page that he is going to sign with the Detroit Pistons.

Villanueva will join former Huskies Ben Gordon, who also agreed to a deal, and Richard “Rip” Hamilton in the Motor City.

Charlie Villanueva Twitter [Twitter.com]

According to the Associated Press, former UConn Husky teammates Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva will be reunited as they’ve agreed to contracts with the Detroit Pistons.

Both contracts are for five years with Gordon getting $55 million and Villanueva $35 million over the life of the contracts. Due to NBA rules, the Pistons cannot announce the contracts until next week.

Gordon averaged 20.7 points for the Chicago Bulls while Villanueva averaged 16.2 last year for the Milwaukee Bucks.

They will join another former Husky in Richard “Rip” Hamilton.

Pistons agree to deals with Gordon, Villanueva [AP via Yahoo! Sports]