Zaire Mitchell-Paden went undrafted in 2022. After three years on the practice squad, he finally played in his first regular-season NFL game last Sunday in Buffalo.

It was worth the wait for the Maryland native, who was called up from the practice squad with fullback Patrick Ricard (calf) and tight end Isaiah Likely (foot) sidelined.

Stepping into a hybrid role, Mitchell-Paden had 15 snaps in Buffalo and threw a key block on Derrick Henry's first long touchdown run, among others.

"It was exciting," Mitchell-Paden said of his debut. "It felt just like practice. The only thing that was different was the crowd noise."

Henry said he appreciated the "incredible job" Mitchell-Paden did blocking for him, and he's excited for him if he gets another opportunity.

Offensive Coordinator Todd Monk

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