Finally, the last weekend of NFL exhibition games is here.
Games that mean something begin next week, although the last of the preseason games will go a long way toward deciding who is on what roster when the regular season gets under way."We have ideas in our mind about players right now," Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren said. "But I do believe an outstanding performance by a player in the final preseason game will allow a player to make the team."
That's a quote quite a few players are taking to heart. There are a limited number of spots open for fourth-string running backs, three-deep linemen and situational receivers. All the 47-man rosters must be set by Monday.
The Patriots did some major juggling Thursday, trading Jon Vaughn, their leading rusher last season, to Seattle for an undisclosed draft choice and claiming linebacker Keith McCants, offensive lineman John Earle and linebacker Jason Carthen off the waiver wire. To make room for them, the Patriots released offensive lineman Steve Trapilo, defensive end Tim Edwards and linebacker Arnold Ale.
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound McCants, the fourth player selected in the 1990 draft out of Alabama, was released by Tampa Bay earlier this week. New England offensive coordinator Ray Perkins was the Buccaneers coach when McCants was drafted, and he recruited McCants out of high school to play for the Crimson Tide.
The final exhibition games started Thursday night when Minnesota beat Pittsburgh 30-13. Tonight's schedule has Kansas City at New England, Atlanta at Buffalo, Philadelphia at Cincinnati, Cleveland at Tampa Bay, Detroit at New Orleans, Indianapolis at Green Bay, the New York Jets at Washington, Dallas at Chicago and Denver at Phoenix.
On Saturday night, the New York Giants are at Miami, Seattle is at Houston, San Diego is at San Francisco and the Raiders and Rams meet in an intra-Los Angeles game.
The Colts-Packers game will be a homecoming of sorts for Don Majkowski, the quarterback known as "The Majik Man" when he reached the Pro Bowl while becoming the darling of Green Bay. A lengthy holdout, a shoulder injury and the emergence of Brett Favre ended the love affair, and Majkowski is now a backup with Indianapolis.
Jeff George, who held out most of training camp to the tune of $144,000 in fines, could play, but Jack Trudeau will start, with Tom Tupa getting most of the backup work for the Colts.
Wide receiver Haywood Jeffires will sit out Houston's game on Saturday because of an irregular heart beat, but expects to return for the season-opener.