Shaun Alexander's Career Isn't Officially Over, But It Might as Well Be

It's not very often names like Shaun Alexander, Kevin Jones, Travis Henry, Cedric Benson and Ron Dayne -- all first-round picks save Henry, a second-rounder -- are still looking for gainful employment. As recently as a year ago, teams were clamoring for their services, and now, nothing.

Some combination of age, ineffectiveness, injury and off-field silliness led these players to their current predicaments, and while some of them will no doubt get second or third or fourth chances at redemption, Alexander's career, whether he's ready or not, looks to be over.

CBSSports.com's Clark Judge polled NFL coaches and GMs for some insight into Alexander's future, and here's what he discovered:

"First of all," said a head coach who saw a lot of Alexander, "he had a reputation as being a 'soft' runner. But when the scheme was blocked up, and he got to the second level he had the speed where he could be effective. The problem is: He no longer has the speed, so he no longer can be effective."

Hardly earth-shattering. Anybody who even briefly saw Alexander last season would readily agree. But how do you go from NFL touchdown leader to also-ran in two seasons?

"He doesn't have anything left," said an NFC general manager. "People are always talking about the numbers, but the numbers don't tell the story. There's the injury factor. And the hands factor. And a desire and competitiveness that don't seem to be there. He's never been known as a very tough player, and there have always been questions about his attitude."

All variations of stories we've heard before. But here's the thing (and I'm not Alexander apologist): the guy probably deserves some credit for what he accomplished in eight NFL seasons. I mean, for as soft and selfish as he's sometimes portrayed, he did managed to rush for almost 9,500 yards and scored 100 touchdowns.

That won't be enough to get him a job -- not yet, anyway -- but it's still impressive, especially given all his alleged shortcomings.