|
Ever since the NFL expanded the roster limit to 53 players, the final
cutdown day has been anticlimactic, a wholesale purge of guys whose Q-factor
extends only to family members and friends.
Certainly the names on the waiver wire over the weekend did nothing to
dispel the notion that lopping the roster to the regular-season limit is
just an exercise in esoterica. Unless you are the Houston Texans, rumored to
be considering waiver claims on several players, there was little help.
Even teams seeking just one veteran reinforcement, a latecomer who might fit
a nettlesome shortcoming, found the pickings slim.
"It's not exactly a 'who's who' out there, that's for sure," said a veteran
AFC personnel director. "It's more like a 'who's he,' to be honest. There's
not a lot to look at. The way things have been the last few years, anyone
who thinks he's going to get a contributor (on cutdown day) is deluding
himself. It's just a day for fans to get excited about some guys who might
still have name (recognition) but can't play anymore."
Indeed, five years ago, tailback Terry Allen would have had his choice of
teams had he been released, as he was by New Orleans on Sunday morning. Now
he'll probably sign retirement papers instead of another contract. Sean
Dawkins, a former first-round wide receiver, has been through five clubs in
six years. Cornerback Terry Fair, a '98 first-rounder released by Detroit,
is an intriguing name but has been battling a foot injury. Wideout Darnay
Scott has now been whacked by two teams in less than two months. Defensive
end Michael Sinclair simply can't get to the quarterback anymore.
For every Greg Biekert, the standout middle linebacker mysteriously cut by
the Oakland Raiders (or, more correctly, by owner Al Davis) and sought by
several teams now, there are a few dozen veterans at home praying for the
phone to ring.
The truth is, most coaching staffs and personnel departments spent Sunday
night and Monday morning evaluating younger players who might come in and
fill a 52nd or 53rd roster spot, perhaps a roleplayer who might make some
modicum of contribution. In that regard, there were a few players worthy of
closer scrutiny in the video room, younger veterans who might be plucked off
the waiver wire.
Here's a look at 12 such players -- all with fewer than four accrued seasons
and all subject to waivers -- who could command some interest:
WR Fred Coleman (released by: New England): Second-year veteran and former
Buffalo draft choice, he played in eight games last season and caught two
balls for 50 yards. He's knocked around for a while, and is no youngster at
age 27, but had a good preseason. Coleman has nice size (6 feet and 192
pounds) and good enough speed.
WR JaJuan Dawson (Cleveland): The former Tulane run-and-shoot wide receiver
caught only 31 passes in two seasons for the Browns and coaches finally gave
up on the onetime third-rounder. But that doesn't mean he can't play
somewhere in the NFL if he can stay healthy. Dawson played in just 16 games
in two years but his size (6-1, 197) and hints of run-after-catch skills
could get him a second chance. A burner he isn't, but he might become a
decent possession receiver in a new location.
CB Pat Dennis (Dallas): The Cowboys claimed him on waivers last October
when he was released by Kansas City, gave him every chance to win a starting
job this summer, then opted to keep a couple rookies instead of him. The
two-year pro hasn't played up to his potential since starting 13 games for
the Chiefs in 2000 (one interception, seven passes defensed and 70 tackles),
but someone is bound to consider the former Louisiana-Monroe standout. The
onetime fifth-round pick has prototype size (6-0, 203), will come up and
hit, but has to improve his coverage techniques.
DT Ernest Grant (Miami): It's unusual to find a young defensive tackle with
size (6-5, 312) on the waiver wire, but the Dolphins simply felt Grant had
not progressed much in his two seasons with the team. The former
Arkansas-Pine Bluff standout, a sixth-round pick in 2000, played in 13 games
in two years, and even started three contests last season. He totaled 23
tackles and had a half-sack during his Miami tenure. At age 26, it's time
for him to step it up, and he'll probably land on someone's roster with a
chance to do so. Teams are always scrambling for 300-pounders on the
defensive line, so his phone will ring.
CB Rodney Heath (Cincinnati): A three-year veteran, he was victimized in
part by the Bengals' decision to retain two place kickers on the roster. He
is also coming off a 2001 season marred by a torn hamstring that required
surgery and limited him to five games. The former Arena Football League
player isn't especially big or physical. Despite 23 starts in three seasons
in Cincinnati, he probably wouldn't be a No. 1 corner for many teams in the
league. But he certainly could qualify as a "nickel" or "dime" defender for
some teams and his experience alone should merit him a shot.
OG Leander Jordan (Carolina): A third-round pick from a small-time school
in 2000, the former Indiana University (Pa.) standout was a disappointment
in his two seasons with the Pantherss. He played in just 13 games, starting
five in 2001 because of injuries, and never developed the way the coaches
and scouts thought he would. At 6-feet-3 and 320 pounds, Jordan has the size
to play in the NFL and there are times he shows flashes of being a solid
in-line blocker. Chances are that he'll never be a starter, and maybe not
even a contributor, in the league. But there are plenty of teams right now
looking for backup guards and he could get some attention.
WR Charles Lee (Green Bay): Another in the recent line of big, athletic
wide receivers with the Packers who didn't live up to expectations. The
staff really touted him last summer after he had 10 catches in limited
playing time during his 2000 rookie campaign, but then he seemed to regress
in 2001. He had a decent preseason this summer, and at 6-2 and 210 pounds,
he seems to have prototype size for a West Coast-style offense. Very strong
and capable of outmuscling defenders for the ball. The Packers tried hard on
Sunday to trade him, but found no takers, in part because teams figured he
would be on the waiver wire. The former Central Florida star, a
seventh-round choice in 2000, will land somewhere.
QB Tee Martin (Pittsburgh): The former Tennessee star, a fifth-round pick
in 2000, played in just one game in two seasons and was hardly impressive in
the NFL Europe League this summer. His fate was all but decided when the
Steelers signed Charlie Batch as a free agent this spring. While a terrific
athlete, he may lack the skills to play quarterback, and he probably will
not be claimed on waivers. But over the next few weeks, look for a number of
teams to bring him in for auditions, perhaps to evaluate him as a potential
acquisition in the second half of the season. Chances are that, even if he
gets a second chance, Martin is a career No. 3 quarterback. But he does
possess solid leadership skills, played in a big-time conference, and took
his team to the national championship. Translation: Teams will at least be
curious enough to look at him.
PK Tim Seder (Dallas): Lost out to rookie Billy Cundiff in the Cowboys'
seemingly annual kicker competition but won't be unemployed for long. At
least one kicker-needy club, the Minnesota Vikings, has filed a waiver claim
on him. In two seasons, he converted 36 of 50 field goal tries and all 39 of
his extra point attempts. He missed the final eight games of the 2001 season
with a severely sprained right ankle, but showed no effects of the injury in
camp, and kicked well in preseason. By Monday night, he'll be back among the
living.
RB Maurice Smith (Atlanta): A big, hard-running back with some burst, the
two-year veteran from North Carolina A&T looked like a steal when the
Falcons signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He could still be a
productive back, even a spot starter for some teams, if his knee is sound.
He started 12 games in 2001, after Jamal Anderson was sidelined, and gained
760 yards on 237 rushes. But he ran tentatively in the second half of the
year after suffering cartilage problems that required two offseason
surgeries. Has some straightline speed and will move the pile at times.
There are teams who need backup tailbacks and ought to look at him, but
check the knees closely.
FS Travares Tillman (Buffalo): The release of the former second-rounder all
but wipes out the team's 2000 draft class, but the current regime didn't
make those choices, and Tillman simply didn't fit the defensive style of the
Gregg Williams staff. Was drafted more as a "centerfielder" type of free
safety, had 10 starts in two seasons, and is likely to get a second chance
from a team with a scheme more conducive to his skills. No matter where he
goes, he will have to improve his play on special teams. Don't be surprised
if Atlanta, where former Buffalo coach Wade Phillips (the man who drafted
Tillman) is the defensive coordinator, takes a look at him. The Falcons had
problems at safety throughout the preseason.
KR Darrick Vaughn (Atlanta): The league's active leader in kickoff return
average, this two-year pro sports a 25.7-yard average and has four runbacks
for touchdowns, including three in his 2000 rookie campaign. He's still just
23 years old and would immediately upgrade just about any franchise's
special teams units. Just don't try using him as a "nickel" cornerback,
where he is absolutely brutal, as Atlanta discovered in 2001. Vaughn has
very little cover instinct and bites too easily on double moves. But if he
want to put some zip in the kickoff return game, he's your man.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
| |
|
