BALTIMORE — Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith has earned the job as the Baltimore Ravens' third-string quarterback. His place on the team, however, is not yet guaranteed.
The Ravens cut former UCLA quarterback Drew Olson on Monday, leaving Smith alone on the depth chart behind starter Steve McNair and backup Kyle Boller.
"What still has to be determined is if we'll carry two or three quarterbacks on the active roster," Baltimore coach Brian Billick said. "Last year we carried two."
Even if the Ravens go with only two quarterbacks, Smith will almost certainly earn a paycheck on Baltimore's practice squad. That's no small feat for the last player drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft, in part because he was deemed by some scouts to be too small to be a pro quarterback.
The 6-foot, 225-pound Smith had only two games to make an impression on the Ravens coaching staff. His third opportunity was washed away when lightning ended Saturday's preseason game against the Washington Redskins in the third quarter.
Smith was 3-for-11 for 34 yards in the opener against Philadelphia and 4-for-8 for 60 yards against the New York Giants. Olson was 7-for-9 for 84 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles, but only 1-for-4 for 6 yards against New York.
Rather than wait to make a decision, the Ravens cut ties with Olson — who played in NFL Europa and was on Baltimore's practice squad last year — and went with Smith.
"You just know there's loads and loads of potential there," offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel said. "It's difficult in the short time that we've been with him to get all that out of him, especially because he's trying to indoctrinate himself into a new offense, new terminology and all that kind of stuff.
"We made the decision to bank on the huge upside that Troy has," Neuheisel said.
Smith won the Heisman Trophy, threw 54 touchdown passes at Ohio State and led the Buckeyes into the national championship game last season. His outstanding college career couldn't prepare him for the NFL.
On Sunday, Smith was engaged in a friendly competition with Olson. On Monday, Olson was gone.
STEELERS CUT BARLOW: Kevan Barlow, a former 49ers and Jets running back who signed with his hometown Steelers earlier this year, was among 10 players released Monday during Pittsburgh's first roster cutdown.
The moves trimmed the roster to 75 players. The Steelers must reach the season-opening 53-man limit by Saturday, two days after their preseason finale at Carolina.
Three rookie free agents cut were wide receiver Eric Fowler, defensive end Derrick Jones and long snapper Jared Retkofsky. Also released were running back Larry Croom, punter Mike Barr, kicker Connor Hughes, linebacker Richard Koonce, center Donovan Raiola and wide receiver Dan Sheldon.
Barlow, from Pitt, was signed May 10 to compete for the backup running back's role behind Willie Parker. But Barlow quickly fell out of the rotation early in training camp and never made a strong push to make the team, despite carrying four times for 14 yards and a touchdown Sunday night against Philadelphia.
CARDINALS LOSE ROSS: The Arizona Cardinals placed starting right tackle Oliver Ross on injured reserved with a triceps injury Monday, ending his season.
The team also placed wide receiver Ahmad Merritt on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
Ross, who signed a five-year contract with Arizona in 2005, was injured in the preseason opener at Oakland. He will be replaced by Levi Brown, the team's first-round draft pick.
Also Monday, the Cardinals released former BYU wide receiver Todd Watkins.
GIANTS' TYREE INJURED: One-time special teams Pro Bowler David Tyree of the New York Giants will be sidelined up to six weeks with a broken left wrist. Tyree will have surgery, coach Tom Coughlin said Monday, adding that the team was willing to keep him on the roster in hopes of getting him back.
The five-year veteran was hurt Saturday during the 20-12 preseason loss to the New York Jets.
VIKINGS TRADE FOR HOLCOMB: Looking for more experience behind young starter Tarvaris Jackson, the Minnesota Vikings acquired veteran quarterback Kelly Holcomb in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.
The 34-year-old Holcomb is entering his 12th season and has 21 career starts, nearly twice as many as the other three quarterbacks on the Vikings' roster combined.
Coach Brad Childress announced Monday that Jackson, a second-round pick out of Alabama State a year ago with two career starts, will be the opening day starter.
The Vikings gave up an undisclosed draft pick in 2009 to get Holcomb, who will compete with Brooks Bollinger for the backup job.
"Kelly has been calling these same plays," said Childress, who brought a similar system to Minnesota when he left the Eagles before last season. "I think it's really important that you have the right mix of people in the quarterback room and that everybody understands what their role is.
SAMUEL RETURNS TO PATRIOTS: Cornerback Asante Samuel returned to the New England Patriots on Monday, moving closer to ending a contract dispute that had cost him a month of the preseason.
Samuel, who tied for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions last season, was at Gillette Stadium taking a physical on Monday, coach Bill Belichick said. But he did not practice, and Belichick said it was too soon to know if the fifth-year veteran would play in Thursday's preseason finale against the New York Giants. The Patriots open the regular season Sept. 9 against the New York Jets.
"We'll take it day by day, like anything else," Belichick said.
PORTER BACK AT PRACTICE: Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter returned to practice Monday, less than three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, and he was optimistic he'll play in the season-opener Sept. 9 at Washington.
"I didn't do too much. I just ran around a little bit and tested it out," said Porter, who was limited in drills. "I'm ahead of schedule. I've set myself up to be in a good situation come the season opener."
Porter ran last week and said he has had little swelling in his right knee. Coach Cam Cameron described Porter's status as day to day.
"You've got to see how the guy feels tomorrow," Cameron said. "But I would think we can all figure out it's pretty encouraging that he was out there practicing."
BILLS' THOMAS HURTS FINGER: Bills backup cornerback Kiwaukee Thomas is expected to play in Buffalo's preseason finale after dislocating a finger on his left hand Monday.
The Bills sent Thomas to a local hospital for tests to determine the extent of the injury before having the finger set back in place, coach Dick Jauron said. Thomas returned in time for the end of practice, which he watched from the sideline with his left hand heavily wrapped.
Buffalo (1-2) will play at Detroit on Thursday without starting cornerback Terrence McGee, who is recovering from a concussion he sustained in a 28-17 loss to Tennessee on Friday. Jauron expects McGee to be ready for the Bills season opener against Denver on Sept. 9.
JAGS CUT 11: The Jacksonville Jaguars cut 11 players from their roster Monday, including veteran tight end Jermaine Wiggins and safety Nick Sorensen.
Linebacker Jorge Cordova, wide receiver Jimmy Farris and fullback Derrick Wimbush were also released.
Wiggins signed as a free agent from Minnesota last spring to help fill a void at tight end but became expandable with the return of George Wrighster from a torn rotator cuff. Wiggins had one catch for 1 yard in three preseason games.
Jets release Dwight: Veteran wide receiver Tim Dwight was among eight players released by the New York Jets on Monday.
The Jets reached the 75-man roster limit a day ahead of the cutdown deadline by also releasing defensive end Darrell Adams, defensive tackle Zarnell Fitch, running back Tony Hollings, cornerback Rayshaun Kizer, offensive lineman Nick Smith and wide receivers Dante Ridgeway and Juan Wong.
Dwight, in his 10th NFL season and second with the Jets, was on the physically unable to perform list all summer. He had 16 catches — nine on third-down plays — for 112 yards before he injured a foot and missed the last five regular-season games and New York's playoff game at New England.