Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 2, 1991 TAG: 9102020351
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The Redskins also left veteran offensive linemen Russ Grimm, Mark May, Mark Adickes and linebackers Monte Coleman and Greg Manusky off their protected 37-man roster.
Coleman has said he wants to return to Washington after 10 years with the Redskins, and Grimm, also a 10-year Redskin, has said he will retire after the 1991 season.
The Redskins protected all eight of their defensive linemen while leaving several veterans to the free-agent market.
They also failed to protect wide receiver Walter Stanley, a Plan B signee last year who led the NFL in punt returns in 1989 with the Detroit Lions. Stanley missed the last half of the season with a sprained knee.
Bowles, 27, was the only starter unprotected by the Redskins, who hope to add speed to their defense next season. Manusky was a victim of the search for speed last season when he lost his starting middle linebacker job to Kurt Gouveia.
The defensive signal-caller, Bowles started every game last season and was second on the team with 113 tackles and had three interceptions. But the Redskins kept backup safety Brad Edwards, a Plan B signee last season, protected while allowing Bowles to seek other offers.
"You don't know what can happen," said his agent, Howard Shatsky. "He loves Washington and the Redskins. But you can't say what's going to happen in the open market."
Bryant's injury-marred career with the Redskins is essentially over. A former USFL star, he has spent part of each of his five NFL seasons on the disabled list and was left unprotected last year after missing all of the 1989 season.
Bryant made the team in last summer's training camp and caught 21 passes almost exclusively as a third-down back before injuring a knee in the 15th game.
Grimm, 31, a former Pro Bowl player, has been left unprotected before but chose to remain in Washington despite a more lucrative offer from the Kansas City Chiefs. He already has told the Redskins he would play only one more season.
"I understand," Grimm said after he was told this week he would not be on the protected roster. "We're all part of the family, but some of us have to be the red-headed stepchildren."
Other players the Redskins left unprotected were quarterback Jeff Rutledge; tight ends John Brandes and Ken Whisenhunt, who played primarily on special teams last season; running back Reggie Branch, who broke a foot just before the 1990 season; running backs Tom Brown and Reggie Dupard; wide receivers Stephen Hobbs and Joe Howard; punter Kelly Woodburn; linebacker Jon Leverenz; and defensive backs Alvoid Mays, Sidney Johnson and Clarence Vaughn.
Rutledge, an 11-year veteran and former New York Giant, started one game after Mark Rypien and Stan Humphries suffered through inconsistency and knee injuries. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs already has said he would invite Rutledge back to the 1991 training camp to compete for the third-string job with second-year player Cary Conklin.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB