I remember a DT for the Az. Cardinals. Final game of a losing season. He was auditioning. Tore up a knee. Marginal player who played well in college-Washington Huskies. Adam Timau- something like that. What little hope he had that was it.
Happens. I remember a runningback in Pittsburgh. Brought up from the practice squad so they could rest starters. Ran for 102 yards in 3 quarters spent the next 5 seasons as their starting RB. Willie Parker.
Sometimes you get the breaks, sometimes you don’t. But the ones that tank it NEVER get the breaks. Marginal player tanking to protect his body this week will be just as out of a job next year as the marginal player that gets hurt.