| |
 Flurry of activity on final cut day
Posted: Sunday September 05, 1999 02:22 PM
There’s a flurry of activity around NFL offices on final cut day. Baltimore will release running back/wideout Eric Metcalf, and Cleveland coach Chris Palmer told me that the Browns, desperate for a home-run threat in their offense, would consider claiming the ex-Brown on waivers. Seattle will let veteran receiver Michael Jackson go. But one veteran who HAS saved his job with a strong summer is Denver defensive end Neil Smith, who will make the Broncos' 53-man roster. Lots of attempted dealing going on Sunday morning. New Orleans is trying to move running back Lamar Smith for a midround pick. Ditto for Tampa Bay and former No. 1 pick Regan Upshaw. Two moments of truth are coming early this week for the Dallas Cowboys, and they'll have much to do with whether the team can stop anyone on defense this year. One, I've learned that defensive tackle Leon Lett will be suspended for a minimum of four and maximum of eight games for his recent substance-abuse violation. This means he'll be out of the Cowboys lineup until at least mid-October. Lucky for Dallas that Alonzo Spellman has been reborn and will take Lett's spot -- for now. Two, cornerback Deion Sanders, who hasn't played in seven months, has had his surgically repaired left big toe fitted with a special steel casement. He'll cover his first receiver since February on Monday, and he hopes to be able to play in a Week 2 Monday-nighter against Atlanta. In Denver, linebacker Bill Romanowski could face a four-week NFL suspension for violating the league's ban on illegally obtained prescription drugs. Romanowski has admitted to coach Mike Shanahan that he got Phentermine from a Colorado doctor who wrote prescriptions to others. These people then funneled the energy-enhancing appetite suppressant to Romanowski. I asked Romanowski why the prescriptions weren't written to him. He said, "The doctor was trying to protect my privacy. I don't want anyone to know my business." It's important to point out that Romanowski has not been charged with any offense yet. But if he's found guilty of a felony involving these prescriptions, the roof could cave. Shanahan made the decision to start Brian Griese over Bubby Brister for two reasons. One, Griese clearly outplayed Brister both in practice and in camps this preseason, even though Griese was going against lesser guys. Two, Shanahan didn’t see the footwork and athleticism in Brister that he saw last year. Here’s what he’s thinking: "I have two weeks to prepare for the opening game of the season. I know I’m going to have to replace Bubby at some point. Let’s take these two weeks for Brian to be able to play against our No. 1 defense and prepare for the Dolphins." Still, all is not sweetness with Brister’s demotion in Denver. Shanahan had to have a second meeting with Bubby after Brister blistered him publicly. Sources tell me Shanahan's made up his mind that if Brister blows up on the coach again, Brister will be fired. In Seattle, the Seahawks have made their final offer to wide receiver Joey Galloway and now it's increasingly likely that Galloway will miss the season opener Sunday against Detroit. Seahawks negotiator Randy Mueller told me Galloway wants more money than recently signed Packers wideout Antonio Freeman and, in Mueller's words, "That's not going to happen and I don't know how this gap gets bridged." Freeman will earn $25 million in his first five years of a new seven-year contract. Galloway has been offered five years, $23 million. Look for Mike Holmgren to start Sean Dawkins and Michael Pritchard in the opener. Dick Jauron deciding to start Shane Matthews in the Bears opener makes the most sense for now because Cade McNown has not digested all of the offense. He still is at 50-60 percent level of what he feels comfortable running with the offense. But in two or three weeks I feel certain that Chicago will hand the job to McNown. Kansas City president Carl Peterson was scheduled to stop in Phoenix to see unsigned first-round pick John Tait this weekend, either before the Chiefs went to their preseason game in San Diego or afterwards. That meeting, however, did not take place because the Tait family feels that Peterson needs to apologize to both Tait and his agent, Ethan Lock, for his outburst during negotations earlier in the week. Tait, a tackle from BYU who is a devout Mormon, didn’t appreciate Peterson’s language and walked away from a $4 million offer on the table. No further meetings between the team and the player have been scheduled.
| |||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||||||
