Who has had a crazier odyssey in the NFL this season than former Iowa offensive guard Julian Vandervelde?

He was a fifth-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011 and spent the season on the Eagles’ 53-man active roster. Nothing wild and crazy there.

Vandervelde

But this year? Vandervelde was released by the Eagles on Aug. 31 during their final roster cuts. He was claimed two days later by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The day after that, the Bucs waived him. Two days after that, they added him to their practice squad.

That was before the season even began.

On Sept. 28, the Bucs released Vandervelde. He re-signed with the Eagles on Oct. 2, and was placed on their practice squad. And that’s where he had been for five weeks until today, when Philadelphia promoted him to the active squad.

Vandervelde, a four-year letterman at Iowa, played in one game last season for the Eagles. The way this season has gone, he’ll probably be starting for them in a few weeks.