Howard Attractive In Expansion Draft
Either the Carolina Panthers or Jacksonville Jaguars will have a chance to get the fourth overall pick in the 1992 NFL draft - Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard.
Howard was placed on the NFL expansion draft list by the Washington Redskins, who have been disappointed in the former Michigan star. In three years, Howard has caught 66 passes.
And Howard won’t be the only big name available for the league’s two newest teams.
Reportedly also available will be the Perry brothers, William “Refrigerator” of the Philadelphia Eagles, and his younger brother, Michael Dean Perry, of the Cleveland Browns.
Except for AFC champion San Diego and NFC champion San Francisco, teams were required to turn over six names each for the expansion pool by Tuesday at noon EST. The Chargers and 49ers will add their players after the Super Bowl.
Although the names will not be released until Thursday, a number of them became known.
Besides Howard, the Redskins also placed defensive lineman Leonard Marshall and tight end Ethan Horton on the list, according to The Washington Post. All three are due to make big salaries next season and none has performed as expected. If all three are taken, the Redskins would save $4.19 million under the salary cap for 1995.
Marshall, who starred with the New York Giants when they won the Super Bowl in 1987 and 1991, and Horton signed with Washington as free agents last spring.
The list reportedly also includes such high-profile, high-priced veterans as Steve Beuerlein, Chris Doleman and Gary Clark.
Beuerlein, a quarterback, and Clark, a wide receiver, signed as free agents and were unprotected by Arizona. Beuerlein started the season as the Cardinals quarterback and passed for 1,545 yards and five touchdowns. Clark caught 50 passes for 771 yards.
Ricky Proel, another Arizona receiver, was also on the list after catching 51 passes for 651 yards.
William Perry, a 10-year veteran, won fame with the Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears in the 1985 season. He was a marketing phenomenon, celebrated by the advertising community and centerpiece of the Bears’ Super Bowl video. Released by Chicago in 1993, he signed with the Eagles and spent the last 1 seasons with Philadelphia.
A report in today’s The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer said the Browns included Michael Dean Perry, a four-time Pro Bowl selection as a defensive tackle, on their list.
Perry, 29, was Cleveland’s pick in the second round of the 1988 draft. His contract will pay him about $3 million each year for the next two seasons, The Plain Dealer reported.
Perry had four quarterback sacks and 69 tackles last season.
The Eagles also placed center John Hudson, defensive back Al Jackson, fullback Brian O’Neal, defensive back Otis Smith and tackle Broderick Thompson on the expansion list.
Doleman, a six-time Pro Bowl choice, went to Atlanta from Minnesota in a trade this season. He was the NFC Defensive Player of the Year in 1992 when he had 14-1/2 sacks.
The Falcons also listed defensive lineman Pierce Holt, signed as a free agent from San Francisco before the 1993 season.
Doleman’s salary is $2.7 million and Holt earns $2.32 million - salaries that could diminish the chances they’ll be chosen.
The Falcons also placed offensive guard David Richards, offensive tackle Irv Eatman, slot receiver David Mims and linebacker Darryl Ford on the list.
Denver offered some familiar names, including running back Rod Bernstine, linebacker Mike Croel, cornerback Ray Crockett and offensive lineman Brian Habib.
Teams may not offer more than one player with more than 10 years of experience, nor more than one player who was placed on the club’s injured-reserve list after the start of the 1994 season.
No established NFL team will lose more than three players to the draft, and once a team loses a player, it can withdraw one of its unprotected players. Jacksonville and Carolina must draft at least 30 players, but no more than 42.
xxxx