The Expendables: 20 Unheralded Players Trying To Land a Roster Spot
If you watch ESPN, or any network for that matter, you're likely to watch "experts" spend the vast majority of their time talking only about the upper echelon players in the NFL. You'll hear the Christ Mortensen's of the world talk about Tony Romo, or Chris Johnson, or of course the ageless wonder Brett Favre.
However, one thing you will not hear them talk about, are the players that you'll see in the 3rd quarter of a preseason game that come out of nowhere to make themselves known.
You know who I am talking about: The 5th round pick no one heard of. The wily veteran that everyone has forgotten about. The player coming from the Canadian Football League to surprise everyone. This article isn't about Tom Brady, it is for them.
So just who are some of these players who have left a mark this preseason?
Antwan Applewhite
1 of 20
Antwan Applewhite is entering his third NFL season. While he had 16 tackles in 2008, he only made one appearance last year and had zero tackles. However, thus far in the preseason he has had three sacks and is making a case to see increased playing time in the Chargers lineup.
Anthony Dixon
2 of 20
Last April, Anthony Dixon was probably just happy to be drafted by the San Francisco 49'ers in the sixth round. However the sudden retirement of backup running back Glen Coffee has given Dixon a chance to shine, and he's taking advantage of it.
Dixon has rushed for 151 yards, caught six passes and scored two touchdowns so far in the preseason and is making his case to be Frank Gore's backup, despite the recent signing of veteran Brian Westbrook.
Devin Aromashodu
3 of 20
Perhaps you will argue that Devin is no longer amongst the league unknowns. After all, he did appear in several games in 2009 and left his mark against the Minnesota Vikings.
Still, Aromashodu came to training camp this year with the likelihood he would be competing for the teams fourth receiver spot behind Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox.
Aromashodu though, has only continued to impress and is now fighting for a chance to be one of the top two receivers on the depth chart. Not bad for a guy, who up until last season, had toiled on practice squads throughout his entire career.
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John Kuhn
4 of 20
I admit this choice might be a bit of a homer one on my end because I went to college (Shippensburg University) with this man.
This will be Kuhn's 3rd year with the Green Bay Packers, having previously spending time on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad following .
The undrafted player enjoyed relative success with Green Bay, even scoring an important touchdown last year against the Arizona Cardinals. Despite his emergence, the Packers drafted Quinn Johnson in 2009 with the intention of making him their fullback of the future.
However, all Kuhn has done is continued to impress on the football field, and could even surpass Corey Hall as the Packers starting fullback.
Joique Bell
5 of 20
Bell is an undrafted rookie from an unknown football school called Wayne State. He signed with a team that has depth at perhaps only one position; running back. However, Bell is making the most of the opportunities that have been presented to him, and has looked very impressive in his first two games, running for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
Bell may not get much playing time in Buffalo behind first round pick C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson, nor is it a guarantee he will even make the team. But if Bell can perform like this the last two weeks of the preseason, you can bet good money that at the least, Bell will be on the sidelines for some NFL team come the fall.
Luke McCown
6 of 20
Many of you may have heard of Luke McCown. This is his 7th year in the league, serving as a backup quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for many of them.
McCown has never stood out in this league and never really competed for a starting role. While that is unlikely to change in Jacksonville, the Jaguars coaching staff has to feel good at how well their backup has produced. McCown has thrown for 396 yards and four touchdowns thus far, and is all but a lock to remain on the teams roster.
Stevie Brown
7 of 20
Little to nothing was said of Stevie Brown when he was drafted in the 7th round by the Oakland Raiders. While Brown only has two tackles in two games thus far, he has excelled in another statistic much more important for a cornerbackhe has two interceptions.
That's very impressive for a player who is fighting to land a roster spot. If Brown can put in two more solid performances, he may very well have a job with the Raiders.
*Photo courtesy of www.raiders.com*
Garrett Mills
8 of 20
The Minnesota Vikings are all of a sudden in desperate need of players who can catch the ball in lieu of the injury to Sidney Rice and the worrying migraine issues with Percy Harvin. Could one of the saviors be former 4th round pick Garrett Mills?
Mills has been on the Vikings roster since 2006 but has only played in nine games including zero last year. However, Mills has five receptions and 121 yards and a touchdown thus far in the preseason. While Mills isn't going to start on this team, the Vikings could use any player right now that can catch.
Nate Davis
9 of 20
When you see a quarterback draft chart of Alex Smith, David Carr and Nate Davis, you can easily see one of those names is not like the others. Carr and Smith are both former #1 picks in the draft while Davis was a 5th round draft pick out of Ball State in 2009.
However, Davis has looked very well so far this preseason with Chris Collinsworth heeping so much praise on the rookie, you questioned whether he wanted to adopt him.
While Davis most likely will be charged with holding a clip board, he has played impressive enough that David Carr needs to play solid football in order to hold on to his role as back up.
Michael Hoomanawanui
10 of 20
This is a name I'd love to hear for the next decade! Michael Hoomanwanui! And there is a chance at least we'll hear more from the 5th round draft pick.
Hoomanwanui has had three good preseason games right now and has steadily improved, getting two touchdowns in his last game against New England. For a team with no stud tight end, the future could be bright for the rookie.
Anthony Gonzalez
11 of 20
What a difference a year makes for this hard luck receiver.
A year ago, Anthony Gonzalez was slated to replace Marvin Harrison, as the Colts #2 receiver behind Reggie Wayne. He had a successful rookie season in 2008 and the future was bright....until an injury just one week into the season derailed everything.
Now with receivers like Pierre Garcon having thrived since Gonzalez's injury, he is spoken about not nearly as much these days. Can Gonzalez recapture his rookie productivity? Or will the once former great Buckeye fade into the sunset?
Rob Gronkowski
12 of 20
There is a lot of talk about Aaron Hernandez, the 4th round draft pick Tight End for the Patriots. There are those saying he could be a sleeper this year and could finally be the game breaking tight end the Patriots have been clamoring for.
It's amazing how everyone seems to be forgetting about their 2nd round pick, Tight End Rob Gronkowski, a 6'6" monster. He has seven receptions for 104 yards. and three touchdowns thus far in the preseason.
Between the successes of he and Hernandez, veteran Alge Crumpler now might very well becoming The Expendable at this position.
J.P. Losman
13 of 20
Perhaps this player, more than any player defines the NFL expendable. The one time franchise quarterback of the Buffalo Bills toiled around with the UFL last year trying his best to reclaim the magic he once had at Tulane University.
Now, with no fanfare, he has come to the Seattle Seahawks behind Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst in the hopes of merely making an NFL roster. Will he succeed? Will another team give him a shot if Seattle cuts him? These questions will be in answered in due time.
Barry Church
14 of 20
If you want a prime example of an unheralded rookie, look no further than Barry Church, an undrafted rookie playing strong safety for the Dallas Cowboys.
Despite not being drafted, Church right now ranks 12th in the NFL preseason with 13 tackles. With only four safety s on the entire roster, there is a very good chance that Church will find himself playing for one of the NFL's best teams.
Chase Daniel
15 of 20
The former University of Missouri standout was told a year ago that he didn't have the size nor the skill to make it in the NFL. You know who a lot of people said was too small? None other than reigning Super Bowl champion Drew Brees.
Daniel is currently trying to make it on the Saints roster, sitting behind Brees and Patrick Ramsey. But if Daniel can continue to produce at the level he has thus far in his limited playing time, he might put pressure on Ramsey before long as the teams backup.
Daniel has gone 21 for 31 so far with 232 yards passing, and three touchdowns. So far has two interceptions, and making a roster and learning under one of the generations best quarterbacks can do nothing but help the 2nd year player.
Kareem Huggins
16 of 20
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't have many strengths, but what they do have is a quarterback who is unproven and a team that is rebuilding at virtually every position...except running back.
The Bucks backfield is stacked with Cadillac Williams, Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward. Don't tell 2nd year player Kareem Huggins though that there isn't room for four.
In two games, Huggins has 16 carries for 99 yards (six yard per carry average) and two receptions for 16 yards. With a league that is putting a bigger emphasis on spreading the running wealth, Huggins might be playing himself into playing time for the Bucs.
Mike Williams
17 of 20
Mike Williams and JP Losman actually have a lot in common in Seattle. They both were first round hopefuls several years ago, yet both of their bright flames went dim when they entered the league.
Now, Pete Carroll is giving them second chances. Williams who failed to come even remotely close to living up to his expectations in Detroit has reunited with his college coach, and has thus far done very well. In two games has has had five receptions for 95 yards, and a touchdown.
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect to Williams's game is the fact he's accumulated his statistics in such different ways, having his only catch in the first game be a 51 yard touchdown.
His second game was a solid four catch 44 yard effort. If Williams can keep it up, Williams may indeed find himself back in the league.
Frank Zombo
18 of 20
The undrafted Central Michigan linebacker has a name that just feels synonymous with the Green Bay Packers. However, he didn't believe he had much of a shot to make the roster when training camp began. T
Three games, 15 tackles and two sacks later (thanks to some injuries on their linebacking corps), and Zombo is making an extremely strong case to stick with the big club. Zombo has done nothing but impress with the playing time given to him, including nine tackles on Thursday night against the Colts.
Max Komar
19 of 20
It's been a rough preseason for the Arizona Cardinals. No quarterback appears to be worthy of starting and they have seen much of their receiving corps get injured. But with an injury for one becomes an opportunity for another.
Enter Max Komar, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Idaho. With Anquan Boldin wearing the purple and black of the Baltimore Ravens, the Cardinals are looking for some new receivers and with Larry Fitzgerald and company injured, players like Komar have now gotten an opportunity to shine.
In two games, Romar has five receptions for 90 yards including Arizona's only touchdown in their last game against Tennessee. If Komar can produce like this against Chicago this weekend, he may very well be catching passes this season. The next question is from whom?
Victor Cruz
20 of 20
And this brings us to the head of The Expendables. No no, it's not Sylvester Stallone, it's Victor Cruz! The New York Giants undrafted rookie grew up in nearby Paterson, New Jersey and did his best Rudy impression two weeks ago against the New York Jets.
Cruz caught six passes for 145 yards and had not one, not two, but three touchdowns (one of which in spectacular fashion). He followed this up with two more grabs for another 30 yards last week.
It's been a wild ride for Cruz who has a very real shot of making his hometown team. It would truly be the kind of story movies are made of.
And there you have it. I am sure there are other players on your team that were not mentioned here. There are far more than 20 players trying to make it on their squad. Whether it's a J.P. Losman, or a Victor Cruz, they all want the same thing: an NFL team to want them on their roster. For me, these 20 players were a great slice of the unheralded player trying to make it in the league.
Who do you believe belongs on this list?
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