HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans will have plenty of
high-priced veterans to consider in next month's expansion draft.
Current NFL teams, looking to ease their salary caps, have
exposed players with big contracts, such as Denver linebacker Bill
Romanowski, Miami defensive tackle Tim Bowens, Atlanta running back
Jamal Anderson, Jacksonville offensive tackle Tony Boselli, and New
Orleans offensive tackle Willie Roaf.
Texans owner Bob McNair, who was in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior
Bowl and a chance to meet with Fresno State quarterback David Carr,
wouldn't elaborate on the growing list of available players for the
Feb. 18 expansion draft.
"We've heard some pretty interesting names, and we hope there
will be some surprises," McNair said. "But we're not going to get
into talking about specific names at this time."
The 27 teams not still playing had until Tuesday to submit five
unprotected players from their rosters. The NFL won't release the
full list of 135 players until Friday, but many of the names have
been made public through individual teams and numerous media
reports.
The four teams still in the playoffs will release their lists
after their seasons end.
Romanowski said coach Mike Shanahan told him that he is one of
the players being exposed. Denver is $8 million over the salary cap
for next season and the 35-year-old Romanowski is scheduled to
count $3.5 million, so he is likely to be gone from the Broncos
regardless.
Bowens would count $8.75 million against next year's cap. The
Dolphins are more than $13 million over the projected cap of $72
million.
Boselli, the first player drafted by Jacksonville when it was an
expansion team in 1995, was left unprotected by the Jaguars. He
will count up to $7 million on the salary cap next season after
missing 13 games last season after surgery on both shoulders.
"I'll be sad to leave Jacksonville, but I'll approach it the
way it needs to be approached," said Boselli, who has allowed just
14½ sacks in his NFL career.
Anderson, a former Pro Bowl player, was exposed by Atlanta.
Anderson, who tore ligaments in his right knee in 1999 and then
went down with the same injury in the other knee last season, is
scheduled to make $5 million next season plus get a $1 million
bonus.
Atlanta also made available 14-year veteran quarterback Chris
Chandler, a former Pro Bowler who would cost the Falcons $8.5
million if he's around.
Cornerback Corey Fuller, one of the first free agents to sign
with the expansion Cleveland team in 1999, was exposed by the
Browns. He is scheduled to make $3.8 million next season.
The New York Jets left starting cornerbacks Aaron Glenn and
Marcus Coleman unprotected. Glenn is in the final year of a $19.4
million, five-year deal that could exceed $7 million in salary cap
implications and Coleman's hit could be as high as $4 million.
New Orleans made available seven-time Pro Bowler Roaf and
quarterback Jeff Blake.
Among the other available players are Kansas City receiver
Derrick Alexander, who had an injury-plagued 2001 season after
1,391 receiving yards in 2000, and two Minnesota starters,
linebacker Ed McDaniel and safety Orlando Thomas.
Among the Giants players left unprotected is linebacker Jessie Armstead, a Pro Bowl participant each of the past five seasons.
The Texans, the NFL's 32nd franchise, will be able to choose
between 30-42 players in the expansion draft. Current teams won't
have to give up more than two players.
Houston must retain at least 30 players on its active list from
the expansion draft until July 15. If the Texans choose to have
fewer expansion draftees, those players' salaries must represent at
least 38 percent of the team's salary cap -- or about $26 million.
Meanwhile, the Texans signed free agent linebackers Shane Elam
and Jason Lamar and kicker James Tuthill, giving them a roster of
22 players.
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