Jaguars have signed a multi-million dollar player in Louis Rees-Zammit’s position.
Louis Rees-Zammit is back on the rugby field ahead of his return to the NFL. The Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver has recently been in the United Kingdom with the NFL pre-season set to kick off soon.
As well as completing media duties for Jaguars in London, Rees-Zammit has appeared on multiple podcasts and TV. Alongside these appointments, he has linked up with long-time friend Isaac Marsh.
Known as Kaizen Rugby on social media, Marsh is a rugby coach and player for Cardiff Metropolitan University. He used to play with Rees-Zammit for the Gloucester academy, where their friendship first blossomed.
The duo took part in a rugby goal-kicking challenge on the Kaizen Rugby Instagram page, striking the ball from a series of challenging locations with a strong 30mph wind.
With a tough angle on the right side, Marsh’s final effort sailed wide left. Rees-Zammit just about slotted his attempt and secured the win by one kick against his pal.
While Rees-Zammit has been back, the pair have linked up on numerous occasions to train together in the gym and on the field. They have been friends for years and Marsh even met his now-girlfriend via Rees-Zammit. “I went and stayed with Louis in lockdown,” said Marsh to WalesOnline earlier this year.
“After lockdown I continued to be over here (Cardiff) and stay with him. My girlfriend is friends with his brother (Taylor), so I’ve been here for the last two or three years with her.”
With a second NFL season coming next, a return to America is on the horizon for Rees-Zammit. For the last couple of weeks it has been about “family and rest”, as the franchise describes it, following an off-season training camp that concluded in mid-June.
On June 26, the NFL officially confirmed the training camp dates for pre-season, with Jaguars rookies set to report to Miller Electric Centre on July 19, with veterans coming on July 22.
From there, the squad will be preparing for their three pre-season games. Here, Rees-Zammit will have the opportunity to prove to coaches he is ready for selection on either the 53-player roster or 17-player practice squad, which will be decided at the end of August.
- August 9: Jaguars vs. Steelers
- August 17: Jaguars at Saints
- August 23: Jaguars at Dolphins
However, despite having a year of practice under his belt, he has another obstacle in his path to the starting team. Jaguars have just signed 22-year-old Travis Hunter, a wide receiver (the same position as Rees-Zammit). He is widely regarded as a generational prodigy by media in the US, shooting to fame as a college football star.
Hunter has penned a stunning four-year deal with $46.65 million (£33.8m) fully guaranteed, along with a $30.57 million (£22m) bonus paid up front by the franchise. He is the first non-quarter-back who wasn’t drafted first overall to get his signing bonus entirely up front, according to his agents.
So, Rees-Zammit has a new rival in the wide receiver role, but that is perhaps an additional motivating factor in his quest to break the NFL.
Speaking on talkSPORT on the Hawksbee and Jacobs show, Rees-Zammit clarified that he is aware he has around two years to crack it in the sport, having served one of those years already.
“International players get probably two to three years to make it in the NFL,” he said.
“So, I wanted to do it at a time where I maybe could come back to rugby.
“I’m 24 now, probably got one to two more years to try and make it depending on how this year goes,” he added. “I’ll be 25, 26 when I go back to rugby. I like to think I can still play at the highest level.
“When I was playing rugby, I went to America twice to train and the things I learned there I knew straight away would help my game,” he said. “Now, having two years of it, I think if I did have to go back I’ll definitely be able to excel again.”
Rees-Zammit also spoke about Hunter on the show, recognising his unique ability in playing both defensive and attacking roles in college.
“He’s done that a fair few times,” he said to talkSPORT of Hunter’s experience. “It’s way harder (in the NFL). Just mainly because learning an offense is hard enough and then he has to go and learn the defensive side of it. But I’m sure he’s gonna be able to do it. He’s a talented kid.
“He’s been in for the past eight weeks, so we’ve got to see a lot of him. He’s full of confidence and belief. He’s an unbelievable player. Off the field as well, he’s great for the locker room, he’s energetic, just loves football. And you know, that’s what you want in one of your team-mates, he’s going to work really hard. He’s showing it. He’s been showing it for the past eight weeks, and it’s great to have him.”
