Five Cowboy players exposed

[MFFL]

Here's the link

Tuesday | January 22, 2002
Cowboys must submit list for draft
Team must expose five players Tuesday for next month's expansion draft
01/22/2002
By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING – The Cowboys must submit a list of five players' names to the NFL Tuesday for the Feb. 18 Houston Texans expansion draft.

The Cowboys must expose five players, although they will not lose more than two unless they want to. Once a team has a player selected in the draft, it can remove a player from the list. If another player is selected, the Cowboys can take two players off the list.

Teams can submit only one veteran with at least 10 years experience and just one player who was placed on injured reserve after the start of the season. Kickers and punters can't be included, and no more than two players with a base salary of at least $1.2 million or an expected salary increase in 2002 of at least 75 percent can be placed on the list.

Some players who will probably be considered for the list are center Mark Stepnoski, guard Al Jackson, safety George Teague, guard-center Ben Fricke, tight end Jackie Harris, tight end James Whalen and quarterback Anthony Wright.

[TheKid]

I don't know why but I think that kid Anthony Wright can be something good. NOT GREAT, but good. He's shown flashes but he's going to be on the list to be taken for sure.

[Hales233]

KID, I'm with you...I think he's got a chance to be a pretty decent QB in this league.

[MFFL]

The list

Cowboys list Stepnoski, Teague for draft
Two starters are among five Dallas players made available to Houston
01/23/2002
By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

MOBILE, Ala. – The Cowboys included two starters, center Mark Stepnoski and safety George Teague, on the list of five players' names they submitted to the NFL for the Houston Texans' expansion draft, a source said Tuesday.

The source said backup center Ben Fricke, deep snapper Mike Solwold and H-back J.J. Huggins were also included. The expansion draft will be held on Feb. 18.

The NFL will review the contracts and health of the players the Cowboys have placed on the list. If the league approves the players, the list will be sent to the Texans on Friday.

Although the Cowboys exposed five players to the draft, they will not lose more than two unless they want to. Once a team has a player selected in the draft, it can remove a player from the list. If another player is selected, the Cowboys can take two players off the list.

The Cowboys placed Stepnoski, who struggled much of the season, on the list because he's scheduled to count more than $4 million against the club's salary cap next season.

Stepnoski, who started on the Cowboys' Super Bowl championship teams in 1992 and 1993, has always been undersized at 265 pounds. But he no longer has the lower-body strength to consistently block 335-pound defensive tackles.

Stepnoski and his agent, Ralph Cindrich, could not be reached for comment.

Matt Lehr, a fifth-round pick last year, is expected to be the Cowboys' starting center next season. Lehr weighs 296 pounds and has a scrappy attitude and work ethic that the coaching staff likes.

Teague, who's scheduled to receive a $300,000 roster bonus on March 1, is a veteran leader who would earn $700,000 and count $1.1 million against the salary cap next season.

Tony Dixon, a second-round pick, and Lynn Scott, a free agent, will compete for his job if Teague is selected by Houston. Dixon and Scott just completed their rookie seasons.

"Sometimes teams put a player on the list hoping the expansion team won't take them," said Jordan Woy, Teague's agent. "He [Teague] would love to stay with the Cowboys, but if he goes to Houston, he'll look at it as a new opportunity."

Fricke, who can play guard and center, saw limited playing time this season. Huggins, a tight end, played fullback for several games with limited success after Robert Thomas suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5.

[MFFL]

Suprising enough Wright was not on the list.

[FineCubanCigar]

Teague doesnt matter because we are resigning Woodson. I seriously doubt either Stepnoski or Teague will be taken though. Its not like the Cowboys are knee deep in talent that needs protecting from the expansion draft.