DATE: Monday, August 25, 1997               TAG: 9708250162

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   74 lines

SKINS CUT LINEMAN WHO WAS TEAM'S TOP '96 PICK ANDRE JOHNSON NEVER PLAYED IN A REGULAR NFL GAME.

Another episode in one of the most turbulent periods in recent Washington Redskins history was played out Sunday with the waiving of offensive lineman Andre Johnson, the team's first-round pick in 1996.

In paring the roster to the league limit of 53, coach Norv Turner also waived defensive end Dexter Nottage, a sixth-round pick in 1994, reserve running back William Bell and offensive lineman Michael Batiste.

Today, Turner will announce the team's five-man practice squad. Sources say that Chesapeake's Jim Kitts will be one of the five players put on the squad. None of the players released Sunday is eligible to man the other spots.

Since 1990, the Redskins have used first-round picks to draft defensive tackle Bobby Wilson, receiver Desmond Howard, cornerback Tom Carter, quarterback Heath Shuler, receiver Michael Westbrook, Johnson and rookie Kenard Lang. Only Westbrook and Lang are left.

The waiving of Johnson leaves only three players on the roster from the class of '96, none of them

starters - safety Leomont Evans, running back Stephen Davis and defensive end Kelvin Kinney.

The Redskins made a draft-day trade with Dallas, sending second- and third-round selections to the Cowboys, to move into the first round and select Johnson, a 6-foot-5, 314-pound former Penn State star. Although he was named second-team All-Big Ten as a senior, Johnson leaves the Redskins never having played in a regular-season game.

He was on the team's inactive list for 15 weeks last season. He did not play in the one game in which he dressed.

From the start, Redskins coaches had been hopeful Johnson would come around. Last summer, they took pains to publicly state that they considered an offensive lineman's transition from college to the pros the most difficult. They told everyone they would be patient with Johnson.

They were pleased when Johnson spent the offseason in Washington and was a regular in strength coach Dan Riley's workout room. Concerned that he wasn't quick enough to play left tackle, they moved him to the right side a couple of weeks ago, behind veteran Ed Simmons.

But injuries forced a move back to the left side. Johnson then had a miserable game against Miami on Thursday night. He was beaten for two sacks and consistently appeared flat-footed and reaching to keep defensive ends away from the quarterback.

``Like a lot of young players, Andre plays pretty well for three or four plays, then makes a bad one,'' Turner said after the 28-7 loss. ``Right now, he's not able to avoid the real bad play. When you're playing out there at tackle, that negative play has an effect on everyone.''

Nottage was the first of a series of ``projects'' Turner allowed former defensive line coach Bob Karmelowicz when he first joined the staff. Nottage attended Florida A&M through his sophomore season, then quit in 1992 to tend to his ailing mother and sister.

While her husband worked pulling cable, washing cars and hauling office furniture, wife Roxanne phoned NFL teams inquiring as to how Dexter could become eligible for the NFL draft. Karmelowicz put Nottage through a workout and liked him so much that Washington drafted him late in 1994.

Last season, Nottage had a career-best 50 tackles and five sacks and appeared on his way to becoming the player Karmelowicz envisioned.

But a series of offseason problems involving his family helped prevent Nottage from doing conditioning work. Early in camp, he suffered a back injury and wasn't able to play in any of the team's preseason games.

Bell was the lead blocker for Brian Mitchell on punt and kickoff returns. But he lost his position when rookie James Thrash forced the Redskins to keep six receivers instead of the usual five because of his special-teams work. In three seasons with the Redskins, Bell carried just four times and caught three passes.

Meanwhile, Westbrook will practice today for the first time since jumping Davis and bloodying his face at practice last Tuesday. Saturday, Westbrook apologized to Davis and the team. Reportedly, Davis and Westbrook have feuded since Davis joined the team last season. In the moments before the fight, Davis reportedly needled Westbrook about his frequent injuries and also called him a homosexual.

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