Donahue pushing for NFL job

A few notes about former University of Iowa players striving to make NFL rosters:

Rookie punter Ryan Donahue was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Detroit Lions. The odds were against him unseating incumbent Nick Harris. But Donahue is running neck-and-neck with Harris. This from the Detroit News:

"Both guys have punted very, very well," (Lions Coach Jim) Schwartz said. "We'll go into this (Thursday's preseason) game and we've been alternating a lot of different ways. We've been charting just about every single punt those guys do and holds are also important. When you're a punter you're also the holder, so those will all be important factors in the decision."

Donahue has averaged 44.1 yards per punt (34 net) in eight attempts during the exhibition season with a long of 58. Harris is averaging 43.2 yards (35 net) on six punts with a long of 54.

Converted defensive end Bryan Mattison continues his quest to earn a place on the Baltimore Ravens as a center. From the Baltimore Sun:

“I think he's done well,” (Ravens Coach John) Harbaugh said prior to Saturday's practice at the team's training facility in Owings Mills. “He's playing center for the first time ever in his life. The things that happened with Bryan, I'm a little surprised at how well he's done blocking people. He's done a good job blocking both run game and pass game. I'm not surprised at the fact that we've had some late snaps, some early snaps and some missed call protections. So that shouldn't be surprising at all. I think he's done better than we anticipated, but those things are going to come up with a guy who really hasn't played the position." ...

“It says he's a football player,” Harbaugh said. “It says he's smart and tough and incredibly dedicated, and he works really hard at it. I mean, he's changed his body. He was a 285-pound guy and now he's about a 315-pound guy, and it's all good weight. He's worked really hard.”

Rob Bruggeman, seeking to make the Atlanta Falcons as a center, may not be able to play in the team's preseason finale Thursday night because of something the league is now calling concussion protocol.

Rookie Julian Vandervelde could start at offensive guard Thursday night when his Philadelphia Eagles wind up the preseason against the New York Jets.

And a player who has his job secure, offensive guard Robert Gallery, is the old man on the offensive line of his new team, the Seattle Seahawks.