Howard’s Nfl Stock Continues To Plummet

This could be the final NFL roundup for Green Bay wide receiver Desmond Howard, the 1991 Heisman Trophy winner.

He’s now with his third team in three seasons and is a longshot to make the Packers. Howard was the fourth overall pick of the 1992 draft by Washington, but caught only five TD passes there in three years. The Redskins left him unprotected in the 1995 expansion draft, and he was claimed by Jacksonville but couldn’t crack the lineup and caught only 26 passes.

The Packers then signed him as a low-value, low-risk free agent (one year at $300,000) hoping that he could return kicks for them. But Howard already has missed 15 practices with a hip pointer, and his work ethic is once more being questioned.

Cowboys are popular in Mexico

With appearances in Mexico and El Paso, the Dallas Cowboys are waging a marketing campaign aimed at one of their strongest fan bases - Hispanics.

Sure, tonight’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Monterrey, Mexico, will present a nice payday because ABC is televising it nationally.

But more than that, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been paying attention to the census counts.

“We’re going to Dallas Cowboys country,” Jones said. “We have tremendous support in Monterrey and in Mexico.

“Playing in Azteca Stadium (in Mexico City two years ago) and here in Monterrey is recognition of the great Hispanic following that we have,” Jones said. “We want to improve on that and reward that. We want to increase the interest in the Cowboys across the border.

Rams rookie turns heads

St. Louis fullback Derrick Harris, the sixth-round draft pick from Miami, could be in the starting lineup for the Rams on opening day.

He’s the best fullback in camp and gives coach Rich Brooks exactly what he’s looking for - someone to clear the path for franchise tailback Lawrence Phillips.

“He’s a block of granite,” Rams’ general manager Steve Ortmayer said. “He’s a rock-solid blocker. He’s also a more accomplished receiver than we thought.” All Harris ever did was block in college. He touched the ball only 26 times as a senior.

49ers tight ends endangered

The Cowboys aren’t the only team with summer injury woes. The 49ers have only one healthy tight end in camp, free agent Luther Morris.

Pro Bowl starter Brent Jones has been out a week with a pulled hamstring, and backup Adrian Cooper hasn’t practiced yet after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in early July.

Ted Popson has been in and out of practice with lower back problems, Brett Carolan pulled a hamstring Thursday, and draft pick Sean Manuel has been slowed this month with a viral infection.

Arizona missing top picks

The Cardinals are missing their top three draft picks in contract holdouts, so coach Vince Tobin is trying to piece together a starting lineup without first-rounder Simeon Rice, second-rounder Leeland McElroy and third-rounder Johnny McWilliams.

Rice is a defensive end, McElroy a halfback and McWilliams a tight end.

“It looks like they all think they’re first-rounders,” Tobin said. “You can’t pay them all first-round money.”

Where’s McNair?

It seems everyone in Houston wants Steve McNair to start at quarterback except coach Jeff Fisher. And he has the only voice that matters.

So, Chris Chandler is the starter, McNair the backup. But Fisher has a booster from afar.

“I don’t think Steve should be Number One right now,” said former Oilers quarterback Warren Moon. “The Oilers have a great development program for him, and he seems to be right on schedule. The proper development for a quarterback is a long process. They don’t want to ruin his confidence, and they’re building a good team around him.

Around the league

Tampa Bay wanted to use No. 1 draft pick Regan Upshaw as a nickel rusher this season. But a broken hand suffered by Chidi Ahanotu, the incumbent right end, has opened the door for Upshaw to win a starting spot. … The Giants are considering the possibility of re-signing their former Pro Bowl strongside linebacker Carl Banks, who left New York in free agency in 1993. … Miami rookie halfback Karim Abdul-Jabbar was a star in college at UCLA. But he’s no star in coach Jimmy Johnson’s eyes. A sore ankle has been keeping him off the field in training camp. “He’s going to have to fight through it,” Johnson said. “This isn’t UCLA.”