The Michigan Panthers signed quarterback Danny Etling and kicker Jake Bates for the 2024 season on Sunday.
Danny Etling is six foot three and weighs 220 pounds. The 29-year-old from Terre Haute, Indiana, was on the Green Bay Packers practice squad in 2022. In the 2022 preseason, Etling completed 17 of 22 passes (77.3%) for 220 yards, one touchdown, nine carries for 73 yards, and one touchdown in three games.
Before Green Bay, the New England Patriots drafted Etling in the seventh round (219th pick) of the 2018 NFL Draft. He also had stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, B.C. Lions, Denver Broncos, and Jacksonville Jaguars. He was on the Patriots practice squad in 2018 when they won Super Bowl LIII.
Collegiately, Etling played two seasons at Purdue (2013-14) completing 238 of 429 passes (55%) for 2,490 yards, 16 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 88 carries for -104 yards, and four touchdowns in 13 games for the Boilermakers.
Then, he transferred to LSU (2016-17) completing 325 of 544 passes (59.7%) for 4,586 yards, 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 23 carries for 113 yards, and three touchdowns in 24 games for the Tigers.
Jake Bates is five foot ten and weighs 202 pounds. The 23-year-old from Tomball, Texas, made two of three extra points in one preseason game for the Houston Texans against the New England Patriots in 2023. The Texans signed Bates as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
Collegiately, Bates played soccer for two seasons at Central Arkansas playing 36 games, of which 29 were starts for the Bears. In 2017, Bates earned six points scoring one goal and four assists on 13 shots on goal in 18 games during his freshman season. In his sophomore season, Bates played 18 games, of which 11 were starts finishing second on the team with nine points scoring three goals, and three assists. He scored the lone goal helping Central Arkansas clinch its second straight MVC championship with a 1-0 victory over Missouri State.
Next, he transferred to Texas Tech (2020-21) with 113 kickoffs for 7,021 yards (62.1 AVG), 67 touchbacks, five kicks out of bounds, and two tackles (2 solo) in 24 games for the Bobcats. Then, Bates transferred to Arkansas in 2022 with 75 kickoffs for 4,835 yards, 64 touchbacks, and one kick out of bounds in 13 games for the Razorbacks. He was named First Team All-SEC and finished fourth nationally with an average of 64.5 yards per kickoff.
