NFL teams spent most of yesterday reducing their respective rosters to 53 players. There were plenty of surprising names looking for work by the close of business, and today, these same teams are scrambling to sign the newly out of work to fill various needs up and down the depth chart. Exhibit A: Enrico wrote that the Eagles had decided to part ways with 2003 first-round pick Jerome McDougle, who suffered through various injuries (including getting shot in '05 during an attempted robbery) and only managed three sacks in five years.
Less than 24 hours later, McDougle is gainfully employed, thanks to Michael Strahan opting to stay retired after Osi Umenyiora was lost for the season with a knee injury. That's right, McDougle's a Giant.
The Giants have signed former Eagles DE Jerome McDougle to a one-year, $1-million contract, according to someone familiar with the deal. McDougle, 29, cut yesterday by the Eagles, will add depth to a position thinned by the knee injury to Osi Umenyiora in the preseason. ...Heckert's comments made the decision to cut McDougle sorta shocking. The former Miami star had a history of underachievement, but he recommitted himself during training camp and was playing some of the best football of his NFL career.
"It was an extremely difficult decision for us," Eagles GM Tom Heckert said yesterday. "He's a great guy and he's worked real hard to come back from adversity. ... Every year he showed the determination to come back. We thought long and hard about this. We're keeping so many defensive linemen that we couldn't rationalize keeping another one."
The Giants hope that remains the case because they went from having one of the league's best defensive lines to a unit struggling to scrape up some warm bodies to dress on game days. McDougle definitely qualifies as a warm body, I'm just not sure how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will make up for all the lost sacks.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-08-2008 @ 12:19PM
Mike B. said...
While McDougle has had some tough breaks, he never impressed even when healthy. Taking Osiumenyiora's place is really taking Strahan's place and that is no place for a 2nd stringer !
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