Last year, during Emmitt Smith's holdout, the Dallas Cowboys inquired about the availability of running back Cleveland Gary.
Now, needing a backup for Smith, they can have Gary for nothing - provided they can fit him under the salary cap.Gary, who has a penchant for fumbling and a $450,000 salary, was released Sunday by the Los Angeles Rams, perhaps the biggest name on the waiver wire as teams got down to the limit of 53 players.
At the same time, the Cowboys kept Lincoln Coleman as Smith's backup despite three fumbles in the last three games.
"We'll still keep looking at the waiver wire," coach Barry Switzer said.
Well, Gary is on that wire now, just two years after rushing for 1,125 yards and catching 52 passes for the Rams.
So is Eric Martin, New Orleans' career receiving leader; 13-year-veteran linebacker Jimmy Williams, cut by Tampa Bay, and defensive tackle Bruce Walker, the 37th player taken overall in the draft last April, who was cut by Philadelphia.
In less of a surprise, John Offerdahl, the injury-plagued Miami linebacker, announced his retirement.
"I never wanted to be the type of player that is sometimes viewed as a player that should've got out of the game earlier," said Offerdahl, who had started only 24 of 50 games since 1991 because of many injuries.
Gary, the Rams' No. 1 draft choice in 1989, lost his starting job a year ago to Jerome Bettis, who rushed for 1,429 yards and became the rookie of the year. That left Gary, who had nine fumbles in 1992 and a high salary, purely a backup.
Unlike past seasons, when veterans were released in the final cut, most released on Sunday were free agents and marginal veterans. That was in part because teams already had gotten under the salary cap by releasing declining, high-salaried veterans before training camp.
The 33-year-old Martin, a 10-year veteran who holds Saints' records for receptions (532), receiving yards (7,854) and touchdowns , and has caught passes in 105 straight games, was an example of player who had already been a salary cap casualty. He had his salary reduced in the offseason from $1.24 million to $300,000.
Eagles
In addition to Walker, Philadelphia released two veteran backups, tight end Joey Mickey and guard Eric Floyd, as well as wide receiver Tom Garlick, linebacker Jock Jones and running backs Markus Thomas and Al Wooten. They also placed linebacker Corey Barlow on injured reserve and claimed offensive lineman Mike Finn off waivers from Pittsburgh.
Walker was the only surprise.
"He really didn't have much motivation," Kotite said. "It's a darned shame."
Rams
Los Angeles also released cornerback Darryl Henley, who is awaiting trial for allegedly running a nationwide cocaine network.
Henley was a second-round choice in 1989 and started at cornerback in 1991 and 1992 before taking a leave of absence last year after being charged in the drug case. Last week, a judge ruled that to travel with the Rams, he would have to post $1 million bail and pay for a court officer to accompany him on road trips.
Cowboys
Seeking their third straight title, the Cowboys will go with a rookie kicker, Chris Boniol, as well as Coleman as a backup to Smith.
"If Emmitt goes down we have a guy who knows the position, who gives us a chance," Switzer said. "He's worked with the Cowboys the last five months."
The Cowboys also traded a 1996 draft pick to Chicago for linebacker Jim Schwantz.
Colts
Indianapolis kept both Don Majkowski and Browning Nagle as backups to starting quarterback Jim Harbaugh and waived Paul Justin.
Among others cut was running back Rodney Culver, who scored three of the Colts' four rushing touchdowns in 1993.
Dolphins
The cutdown task was made simpler with Offerdahl's surprise retirement.