No team will lose more this week than the Tennessee Titans.
The NFL's waiver system goes back into effect Tuesday, meaning clubs officially can begin releasing players to get in compliance with next season's $85.5 million-per-team salary cap by the March 2 deadline. The Titans are about $25 million over the cap, and it has been clear for weeks that their necessary purge likely would include the release of wide receiver Derrick Mason and cornerback Samari Rolle -- each of whom will be among the most coveted players on the free-agent market. Each is among the league's best players at his position, and each should have some productive seasons left.
Mason, 31, has had four straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Over the last five years, he has averaged 81 catches for 1,101 yards and seven touchdowns per season, and has reached two Pro Bowls. But the cap-strapped Titans can't afford his $1.5 million roster bonus and $3.2 million salary for next season, and they have younger wideout Drew Bennett emerging as the centerpiece of their passing game.
Rolle, 28, is a former Pro Bowler and is one of the league's better coverage cornerbacks, but has a $500,000 roster bonus and a $5.5 million salary for next season.
The Tennessean reported over the weekend that the Titans planned to get under the cap by releasing Mason, Rolle, defensive lineman Kevin Carter, offensive tackle Fred Miller, fullback Robert Holcombe and kicker Joe Nedney.
The moves will come one year after the club, also facing a cap squeeze, released tailback Eddie George and allowed defensive linemen Jevon Kearse and Robaire Smith to leave via unrestricted free agency last offseason. The Titans have been a consistent winner under Coach Jeff Fisher but are coming off a 5-11 season, and the real intrigue could come when quarterback Steve McNair announces whether he'll play next season.
McNair said during his injury-filled 2004 season that he would contemplate retirement in the offseason. Every indication since then has been that McNair, 32, merely was talking out of frustration and he indeed will return. He even has been negotiating a contract restructuring to save the Titans salary cap space. But if he feels that the team has been gutted by its salary-cap woes and is headed toward a rebuilding season, could that convince him to retire?
Henry To Be Traded For Shelton?
Two players who have been granted permission by their teams to pursue trade possibilities, Buffalo Bills tailback Travis Henry and Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle L.J. Shelton, perhaps could be traded for one another when the league's trading and free agency periods begin on March 2. Shelton visited Buffalo to meet with Bills officials late last week. . . .
University of Kentucky defensive coordinator Mike Archer, a former LSU head coach, appears to be the latest candidate to be the Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator. Dolphins Coach Nick Saban has been turned down by at least two candidates (New England defensive backs coach Eric Mangini, who became the Patriots' defensive coordinator, and Houston Texans defensive line coach Todd Grantham, who became the Cleveland Browns' defensive boss) and there were reports that he was turned down by a third prospective defensive coordinator, Florida State linebackers coach Kevin Steele, over the weekend. . . .
The Green Bay Packers have opened discussions on a contract extension with Coach Mike Sherman, who has one season remaining on his current deal. . . .
Oakland hired John Shoop as its quarterbacks coach. He was Tampa Bay's quarterbacks coach this past season. . . .
Denver completed a contract restructuring with quarterback Jake Plummer late last week. The Broncos also reworked the deals of wide receiver Rod Smith and safety John Lynch. . . .
Tuesday is the deadline for teams to designate franchise players. Six players already have been given franchise tags by their clubs (San Diego quarterback Drew Brees, Cincinnati tailback Rudi Johnson, St. Louis offensive tackle Orlando Pace, Philadelphia defensive tackle Corey Simon and defensive ends Darren Howard of New Orleans and John Abraham of the New York Jets) and about a half-dozen more could be tagged by Tuesday. The Seattle Seahawks must decide whether to use the franchise tag on quarterback Matt Hasselbeck or tailback Shaun Alexander. . . .
The league-wide focus by midweek will be on the NFL scouting combine, which begins Wednesday in Indianapolis.
