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Former Jayhawk Ben Heeney could play Sunday in London

By Stan Unruh

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Detailed view of NFL balls during the NFL International Series match between Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Detailed view of NFL balls during the NFL International Series match between Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images) /
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Former Kansas football standout Ben Heeney could see NFL action again this weekend. The linebacker is officially a member of the New Orleans Saints.

Kansas football fans enjoy following their Jayhawks in the NFL. We wondered just where and when Ben Heeney might get back on the field. It could be this weekend in London. The New Orleans Saints added the former Jayhawk standout and 5th round NFL draft pick to their practice squad in mid-September.  As a matter of fact the team’s web site includes no mention of the Heeney transaction. On the other hand, they finally did include him on the official team roster September 29.

The Saints are in England to play Miami Sunday. Heeney is on the trip. He mentioned missing his family on his social media account. The game kicks off at 9:30 a.m. EDT from Wembley Stadium.  I’ve covered a few NFL games there. It is a unique experience but a killer due to the jet lag. I hope Saint’s coach Sean Peyton gets Heeney into the game. There are only 7 linebackers on their roster this week.

Several weeks ago I wondered about Heeney’s future in the NFL. I expected him to make an easy return from last season’s ankle injury. After a great start to the 2016 season, he spent most of the year on injured reserve. The Raiders certainly expected big things for Heeney’s third NFL season. However, as training camp started the Raiders placed Heeney on a non-football injury list, according to published reports and the team website. Nobody said anything then and we still don’t know many details. The Raiders cut him on September 2.

Next: KU football must make the most of bye week

Heeney had an outstanding career for the Jayhawks. I don’t care why the Raiders dumped him. On the other hand, they could make a run in the playoffs. I would hate if Heeney misses that opportunity. I know all Kansas football fans wish him the best with the Saints.

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