Cardinals Allocate Three Players To NFL Europe

[Jim O]

Cardinals Allocate Three Players To NFL Europe
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 5, 2004

Tempe, Arizona — Three Cardinal players — center Steven Grace,
wide receiver Reggie Newhouse, and fullback J.P Comella — have
been allocated to NFL Europe.

NFL Europe training camps open February 27 and seasonal play
begins April 3. The NFL Europe season culminates with World Bowl
XII in Dusseldorf, Germany on June 12.

Grace, a three-year starter at the University of Arizona, signed
with the Cardinals as a free agent in 2002. He opened 2002 on the
active roster, spent the next 11 weeks on the practice squad,
then was re-signed to the active roster near season’s end. He
played in the season finale at Denver. After attending training
camp with the Cards last year, he was released prior to the start
of the season, then was added to the practice squad on November
5.

Newhouse attended the Cardinals’ 2003 training camp after leaving
Baylor as the school’s all-time leading receiver with 182 pass
receptions and ranking second with 2,552 receiving yards. He
caught at least one pass in his final 34 games for the Bears.
Newhouse ranks third in career receptions and fourth in all-time
receiving yardage in Big 12 Conference history. Released prior
to the start of the 2003 season, Newhouse was signed to the
practice squad on November 26 for the final five weeks of the
season.

Comella, the younger brother of former Tennessee Titan fullback
Greg Comella, originally signed with the Cardinals on June 12,
2003. He attended training camp with the Cardinals last year,
but was released on August 24. The 5–11, 241-pounder was utilized
primarily as a blocking back and special-teamer at Boston
College. In 30 games (nine starts), he recorded 21 pass
receptions for 267 yards and 11 kickoff returns for 140 yards. In
2002, Comella started three of 10 contests and caught eight
passes for 118 yards (14.1-yard average) and returned one kickoff
17 yards.

Grace and Newhouse re-signed with the Cardinals on January 12,
2004. Comella signed February 4.

— cards —

 

[spanky1]

Doesn't this give us "credits" come compensatory pick time?

 

[AzCards21]

Originally posted by spanky1
Doesn't this give us "credits" come compensatory pick time?

I believe all you get is three more roster spots. Thats how you can get 58 players instead of 55. They have to stay on the team though. They can't be replaced by another player.

I think.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by AzCards21
I believe all you get is three more roster spots. Thats how you can get 58 players instead of 55. They have to stay on the team though. They can't be replaced by another player.

I think.

I thought that that was just through training camp. You can keep your NFLE players up to the last round of cuts without going over the roster limit.

 

[AzCards21]

Originally posted by kerouac9
I thought that that was just through training camp. You can keep your NFLE players up to the last round of cuts without going over the roster limit.

That could be it. If you cut them you can't bring in a replacement into that roster spot, I know that.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Originally posted by kerouac9
I thought that that was just through training camp. You can keep your NFLE players up to the last round of cuts without going over the roster limit.

I believe you are correct.

 

[spanky1]

Originally posted by AzCards21
I believe all you get is three more roster spots. Thats how you can get 58 players instead of 55. They have to stay on the team though. They can't be replaced by another player.

I think.

That's it....not comensatory picks but roster spots.....thx. guys!

 

[pinnacle]

I have no idea whey we kept J.P Comella around and bothered to resign him (when the season ended). Rue is way better..and we have hodgins and perhaps bush to play fullback...

comella is a training camp body...but we obviously did not think much of him as we started camp without rue and brought him in a little later in camp - and he instantly beat out comella...

not that it matters...I think newhouse and grace have a shot to play somewhere (someday)....I would send a guy with more promise like diamond or goss..or someone....heck..bring back alton moore if he has not resigned with someone..he is athletic - just green as grass..

 

[Skkorpion]

Originally posted by pinnacle
I have no idea whey we kept J.P Comella around and bothered to resign him (when the season ended). Rue is way better..and we have hodgins and perhaps bush to play fullback...

comella is a training camp body...but we obviously did not think much of him as we started camp without rue and brought him in a little later in camp - and he instantly beat out comella...

not that it matters...I think newhouse and grace have a shot to play somewhere (someday)....I would send a guy with more promise like diamond or goss..or someone....heck..bring back alton moore if he has not resigned with someone..he is athletic - just green as grass..

I agree with Pinnacle. Grace and Newhouse have upside. Comella is a joke.

 

[Jim O]

Remember, just because Comella is going over there and Rue is not doesn't mean that Comella is better than Rue.

With the Cardinals having two extra mini camps, they want Rue to be around to get in the mix. NFL Europe has changed in terms of the quality of players that are sent over. Teams are more reluctant to send guys who are about to make an NFL impact than they are about sending guys who are longshots.

The success rate of NFL Europe players making the NFL squads has gone down over the years because the teams are sending less talent over to develop.

 

[JeffGollin]

I'm surprised we didn't assign Parsons - He needs more game experience both to learn and to show us what he can do.

(Unless, of course, the Cards are trying to hide him - and, if so, is that best for his career?)

 

[Northern Card]

Originally posted by Jim Omohundro
Remember, just because Comella is going over there and Rue is not doesn't mean that Comella is better than Rue.

With the Cardinals having two extra mini camps, they want Rue to be around to get in the mix. NFL Europe has changed in terms of the quality of players that are sent over. Teams are more reluctant to send guys who are about to make an NFL impact than they are about sending guys who are longshots.

The success rate of NFL Europe players making the NFL squads has gone down over the years because the teams are sending less talent over to develop.

Over the years NFL Europe has been more of a training ground for players ending up in the CFL than the NFL...

 

[EnglishCardinal]

Originally posted by Northern Card
Over the years NFL Europe has been more of a training ground for players ending up in the CFL than the NFL...

but has proved invaluable to some players Delhome, Warner, Dante Hall, Reggie Newhouse.........

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
I'm surprised we didn't assign Parsons - He needs more game experience both to learn and to show us what he can do.

(Unless, of course, the Cards are trying to hide him - and, if so, is that best for his career?)

Jeff, I was thinking the exact same thing...especially given the number of apparent stiffs being sent over to QB in Europe. If he is going to have anything resembling an NFL career, he needs to play and get reps and I doubt he gets much of that even during off-season workouts.

The Cards may be trying to hide him, but forget what that may do to his career, I would also suggest the Cards, if they are hiding him, could be actually hurting themselves since he could be a tradeable option or could prevent the Cards from using a high pick on a rookie...or even alot of money on a vet.

Does anyone know exactly how these players are chosen by their teams for Europe...and specifically how the QBs are allocated?

 

[kerouac9]

Yeah, some teams use NFLE as a training ground for their players (NO sent Delhomme, I don't know who sent Warner at the time, DAL is sending Hutchinson) and other teams (like the Cards) just send people that they're pretty sure that they're going to cut in camp.

If the Cards were smart, they'd send some of their O-linemen (like that OT that they drafted out of Clarion) to figure out who should stay and who should go.

I wonder if Mr. Bidwill is even in favor of the league. I know the owners have to renew the league (which doesn't make any money) every few years.

 

[Jim O]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
I'm surprised we didn't assign Parsons - He needs more game experience both to learn and to show us what he can do.

(Unless, of course, the Cards are trying to hide him - and, if so, is that best for his career?)

The problem with sending a QB over is that they would miss the mini camps. With a new offense, two extra camps this year, and only one other QB on the roster at this time, it would hurt the team more than help it.