Football: Riverhead’s Ethan Greenidge listed on Saints’ initial roster
Riverhead graduate Ethan Greenidge’s dream of playing in the NFL is one step closer.
The 6-foot-4, 330-pound offensive lineman survived the final round of cuts Saturday and was listed on the team’s initial 53-man roster to begin the 2019 NFL season. He’s one of nine offensive linemen listed on the Saints’ roster after the team made its final cuts.
While NFL teams faced a roster deadline Saturday afternoon, positions on the roster can remain fluid before the season officially begins. So it’s unclear if Greenidge will definitely be in uniform when the Saints open the season Sept. 9 against the Houston Texans in New Orleans on Monday Night Football. Greenidge turns 22 Sept. 10. Starting Sunday, teams can begin forming their 10-man practice squads.
Greenidge missed a chunk of the preseason with a minor injury and only played in one preseason game. He appeared in Thursday’s 16-13 loss against Miami and played 63% of the offensive snaps. The final preseason game is typically the last audition for players trying to earn one of the final spots on the roster while the starters sit out. Greenidge has versatility to play both guard and tackle on the offensive line.
The Saints played in New York against the Jets last Saturday, which could have been a homecoming. But Greenidge did not make the trip due to the injury, his father Robin told the News-Review.
Among the bigger surprises on the Saints’ 53-man roster: undrafted rookie OL Ethan Greenidge and undrafted rookie DT Shy Tuttle. The undrafted receivers got all the hype, but they were doing work in the trenches. Also, S/special teamer J.T Gray did make the roster. https://t.co/mN9mSalRxf
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) August 31, 2019
Greenidge, who grew up in Flanders, was undrafted after a four-year career at Villanova, but quickly signed with the Saints after the draft concluded in April. He was a two-time selection to the CAA Football All-Conference Team at Villanova. This past season he was first team all-CAA, starting 10 games.
At Riverhead, Greenidge excelled in basketball and track in addition to football, where he helped lead the Blue Waves to county championships in 2012 and 2013.
Photo credit: New Orleans Saints
