Expansion draft list released...

The list: http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2002/0122/1315608.html


Houston will have some surprising choices

HOUSTON -- So far, the Houston Texans have stocked their expansion team with free agents. That's about to change.

Each of the 27 teams that have been eliminated from the NFL playoffs had until Tuesday to submit five unprotected players from their rosters to the NFL.

There are already some intriguing possibilities for the league's 32nd franchise including three-time All-Pro left tackle Tony Boselli, surprisingly placed on the Jacksonville Jaguars' unprotected list on Tuesday.

Seven-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Willie Roaf was also left unprotected by New Orleans, as were New York Jets cornerbacks Aaron Glenn and Marcus Coleman, Baltimore linebacker Jamie Sharper and return specialist Jermaine Lewis.

If Boselli is physically ready to play, he could figure in the Texans' plans. The seven-year veteran has been one of the league's most dominating linemen but he missed most of 2001 with operations on both shoulders.

Despite the early reports, the Texans aren't talking much.

"Until we get the official list, I'm always kind of cautious about commenting," Texans coach Dom Capers said.

Capers is coaching his second expansion team after starting up the Carolina Panthers.

Many of the players left unprotected have high salaries, like Boselli' who will count $6.5 million to $7 million on the salary cap next season.

The league will give the combined list to the Texans on Friday to provide a pool for the expansion draft on Feb. 18.

Texans general manager Charlie Casserly was waiting at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., for names to start appearing but he wasn't ready to divulge the Texans' plans.

"We haven't seen any of the lists, we don't get them until Friday," Casserly said.

"We're not going to comment on any players on the list. It's going to be a process that will take a while to evaluate, not the evaluation of the talent but looking at the cap and how you want to spend your money."

The Jets list also included tackle Ryan Young, defensive lineman Shane Burton and safety Chris Hayes.

The losers of this weekend's conference championship playoff games between St. Louis and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and New England must present their unprotected players by Jan. 29.

The Super Bowl teams must make their lists available to the Texans by Feb. 7.

Casserly is concerned that the other 31 NFL teams will put high-priced players in the latter stages of their careers on the expansion list, causing the Texans early salary cap problems.

Until July 15, the Texans must retain at least 30 players on their active list from the expansion draft, excluding restricted free agents, or if they choose, fewer players with a total 2002 salary of at least 38 percent of the salary cap.

"Until we have the whole list, we don't know what we'll go with 30 players or 38 percent," Casserly said. "We'll know the lists of 27 teams by Friday and obviously we'll go right to work."

Glenn is the type of player Casserly fears will heavily dot the expansion offerings.

Glenn is coming off a strong season despite an injury but he will be 30 in June and he is in the final year of a five-year, $19.4 million deal with a cap hit that could exceed $7 million. Coleman's cap could reach as high as $4 million.

The New Orleans Saints' list also included quarterback Jeff Blake, offensive lineman Tom Ackerman, linebacker Darrin Smith and guard Wally Williams.

The Tennessee Titans, formerly the Houston Oilers, added an unlikely possibility: former Oilers All-Pro Bruce Matthews, who just completed his 19th pro season.

The Tennessean in Nashville said other Titans on the unprotected list are wide receiver Chris Sanders, defensive backs Michael Booker and DeRon Jenkins and defensive lineman Juqua Thomas.

Matthews, the Oilers first-round selection in 1983, has played more NFL games than any other non-kicker in league history. He has hinted he'll end his 19-year career but has made no announcement.

The Bengals left offensive tackles John Jackson and Jamain Stephens, tight end Tony McGee, linebacker Riall Johnson and defensive end Jevon Langford unprotected.

Meanwhile, the Texans signed free agent linebackers Shane Elam and Jason Lamar and kicker James Tuthill, giving them a roster of 22 players.


Players I find intriguing: Tony Boselli, Bruce Matthews, Keenan McCardell, Willie Roaf, Jeff Blake, Kavika Pittman, Freddie Jones, Jamie Sharper, Randall McDaniel, and Chris Chandler.