THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 29, 1994 TAG: 9408290140
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
The Redskins made no earth-shattering moves Sunday in getting down to the league roster limit of 53 players. Rather, they waived 6 players, and took advantage of their surplus talent on the offensive line to gain a pick in the 1995 draft.
That happened when general manager Charley Casserly peddled third-year offensive tackle Darryl Moore to the Green Bay Packers for a sliding, conditional draft pick next spring. Simply, the more the 6-2, 292-pound Moore plays for the Packers, the higher the pick the Redskins receive, though it's highly unlikely the choice will rise above the third or fourth round.
Moore, a third-round pick from Baylor, showed signs of improvement during the summer, but not nearly enough to oust veteran starter Jim Lachey or rookie second-round selection Tre' Johnson for backup duties.
The move to the Packers should be a good one for Moore. Green Bay has been looking for help on the offensive line ever since top draft pick Aaron Taylor of Notre Dame tore up a knee in camp and was declared out for the season.
The trading of Moore leaves Casserly with only two members of his Class of '92 still on the roster - receiver Desmond Howard and defensive end Shane Collins.
Waived were veteran linebacker/ defensive end Rich Graf and defensive back Robert Williams. Under a clause in the collective bargaining agreement, they automatically become unrestricted free agents and are not subject to the waiver process.
The other players cut were from the offense: center Greg Huntington, receiver Damon Wright, fullback Cedric Smith and tailback Tyrone Rush.
Five players will be brought back for the practice squad, and Rush and Wright could be strong candidates.
Rush, in fact, had made the roster until a serious neck injury suffered against Buffalo caused the Redskins to back off their initial enthusiasm.
Rush has been cleared to play by a couple of specialists, but the Redskins are leery of the possible insurance ramifications if Rush were injured more severely the next time.
Huntington, from Penn State, didn't have much of chance to make the Redskins once they signed free agents John Gesek and Trevor Matich during the offseason. Gesek will start if his back spasms subside. Matich is the team's long-snapper.
Most likely, with the season opener six days away, coach Norv Turner isn't finished cutting and putting together his first Redskins roster.
They have been actively seeking a young, bigger receiver to add to the roster. Their hope is that one will turn up on the waiver wire.
For the moment, however, there are 21 players on this year's team who weren't around last season. Twelve play offense - rookie tackles Johnson and Joe Patton; Gesek and Matich; tight ends Ethan Horton and rookie Keith Haws; receivers Henry Ellard and Tydus Winans; quarterbacks Heath Shuler, John Friesz and Gus Frerotte and running back William Bell.
The nine new defensive players are ends Leonard Marshall, Tony Woods and Dexter Nottage; tackles Anthony Abrams and Lamar Mills; linebackers Ken Harvey and Tyronne Stowe; safeties Keith Taylor and Martin Bayless.
In addition, Turner may announce his decision on a starting quarterback today. by CNB