Wadsworth

[dmoney]

Jets | Team works out Wadsworth
Sun, 4 Mar 2007 08:11:55 -0800

Randy Lange, of the Bergen Record, reports the New York Jets reportedly worked out free agent DE Andre Wadsworth (Cardinals).

 

[SuperSpck]

Dammit Wadsworth Come Here!

We Still Love You!

 

[kerouac9]

Good luck to him.

 

[TheCardFan]

From Espn(I think)...no link.

Well, more than six years after Wadsworth played in his last NFL game, midway through the 2000 season, the former can't miss prospect who indeed missed terribly is trying to resurrect his football career. ESPN.com has learned that Wadsworth, now 32, will audition next week for Tampa Bay officials. And the bet here is that once Wadsworth's name appears on the league's internal transactions documents, he'll get a few more calls from curiosity seekers.

Why so?

Because while a comeback by Wadsworth, realistically, is pie-in-the-sky stuff, every team in the NFL always is looking for edge pass rushers. And because, as long as Wadsworth can get one foot in front of the other during his workout for the Bucs, there will be at least a few more teams willing to part with airfare and a night's lodging to get a look at him for themselves.

Heck, the Bucs registered just 25 sacks in 2006, second fewest in the league. With star defensive end Simeon Rice limited to only eight games before going onto injured reserve with a shoulder problem, no individual defender had more than five sacks last season. So even if the session with Wadsworth is just a crapshoot, it's a gamble worth taking, one with essentially no risk.

Wadsworth underwent four knee surgeries between November 1999-January 2001, including the controversial microfracture procedure. But he has spent the past year getting into shape, has his weight at about 278 pounds (the weight at which he was drafted), and just wants one more chance at a career he feels was snatched from him.

Those who know Wadsworth insist he doesn't need the money. He invested well, owns a car dealership in the Phoenix area and has spent the last six years mostly raising his children. "All he wants," said a friend, "is for someone to let him get on the field and see what he can do."

Hard to believe that, nearly nine years ago, Wadsworth was viewed as the equal to Manning on some draft boards. In a week when Manning will try to win a Super Bowl ring, Wadsworth will attempt, against much longer odds than the Indianapolis star faces, to win back his past.

 

[Goodyear Card]

I am glad to hear his health is better. I heard at one time there were considering amputating his leg. I hope he succeeds.

 

[Skkorpion]

Biggest flop in the 19 years the team has been in Az.

 

[TheCardFan]

Biggest flop in the 19 years the team has been in Az.

Pssst...Wendell Bryant.

 

[RedViper]

Pssst...Wendell Bryant.

Negative. Wadsworth wails the holy crap out of Bryant. Don't disrespect Wads that way. Its like comparing the fire at the APS transfer station last year to Three Mile Island. Wadsworths up there with the biggest busts in NFL history.

 

[ajcardfan]

Negative. Wadsworth wails the holy crap out of Bryant. Don't disrespect Wads that way. Its like comparing the fire at the APS transfer station last year to Three Mile Island. Wadsworths up there with the biggest busts in NFL history.

Wadsworth actually had one decent season, and even two sacks in the playoff win over Dallas. Bryant never played worth a damn. However, in terms of draft position, money and expectations, yes, Wadsworth is a HUGE bust.

 

[vinnymac]

Wadsworth wasn't a bust. His knees couldn't hold up. Wadsworth had the talent and the skills to be one of the best DE in the NFL. Bust are people like Ryan Leaf, Heath Schuller, Andre Bruce, and Tony Mandrich. They were viewed to have the skills to make it in the nfl, but didn't produce. Injury issues are a different matter.

 

[Mr.Dibbs]

i think Wadsworth is one of the unluckiest moments in Cardinal history, but not a bust. Nobody could have seen these injuries coming. Wendell was a bust.

 

[Redrage]

i think Wadsworth is one of the unluckiest moments in Cardinal history, but not a bust. Nobody could have seen these injuries coming. Wendell was a bust.

Ditto.

 

[cardsfanmd]

I loved the Wads. You cant predict injuries, like a couple of guys have already said. To call him a bust is wrong in my opinion. To me, "bust" is meant for a player that either would put out the neccessary effort, or was overestimated by scouts. Wads was neither, he was the real deal. I remember watching him blow tackles off the line in his first day of training camp. i wish him all the best and am proud to say that my favorite organization had something to do with someone who has the inner strength and love for the game that he obviously does. Many people with his injury would have given up only not only football, but life in general. As many of you on this board know, I suffered a pretty bad injury late last year. I know personally what he had to have felt like. I respect the man for not taking no as an answer.

Good luck Wads

 

[Goodyear Card]

Biggest flop in the 19 years the team has been in Az.

Skkorp,

I don't what you have against Wadsworth but he was a tremendous player who's career was tragically cut short by injuries. I don't consider a player a bust because of injuries.

 

[ajcardfan]

Skkorp,

I don't what you have against Wadsworth but he was a tremendous player who's career was tragically cut short by injuries. I don't consider a player a bust because of injuries.

Skkorp thought that Wads was a malingerer in the category of Swann.


I really liked Wadsworth. Maybe the nicest Cardinals player I ever talked to. He, and Pat Tillman, talked to you like they were just a normal guy. He would ask about my kids and stuff and he remembered them. That was pretty cool.

That said, you have to call him a "bust." I don't think it's his fault, but his production fell far, far short of his hype. Remember, Ron Wolf said he would've traded his entire draft for him.

 

[Shane]

Pssst...Wendell Bryant.

Wow to even compare those two as being on the same level is laughable at best! Wadsworth was easily the biggest bust this team has ever had.

 

[devilalum]

Any time someone tells you a player is "can't miss" just say Andre Wadsworth.

 

[nurnay]

I still have a Wadsworth jersey tucked away somewhere. Good luck to him in the future.

 

[RedViper]

Wow to even compare those two as being on the same level is laughable at best! Wadsworth was easily the biggest bust this team has ever had.

Such a fraud. Remember when Fergie cried on draft day. If we had only known what was actually behind door number two, I'm pretty sure all of us would have been crying. To me the term "bust" only describes a massive difference between the expecation and the actual result.

But for the life of me, I don't know why so many swoop in every time I call the guy what he is, a bust. Its not like his character was so impeccable either. The only time that guy showed any passion whatsover, was during his holdout.

 

[Skkorpion]

Such a fraud. Remember when Fergie cried on draft day. If we had only known what was actually behind door number two, I'm pretty sure all of us would have been crying. To me the term "bust" only describes a massive difference between the expecation and the actual result.

But for the life of me, I don't know why so many swoop in every time I call the guy what he is, a bust. Its not like his character was so impeccable either. The only time that guy showed any passion whatsover, was during his holdout.

I agree. He swore he would never play for us, then took the money and was an instant flop. He was not injured his first year, showed no moves, and was slow.

If you'd care to search back, I called that one before we drafted him. My point was that no one was as good as he was being made out to be and I wanted to trade down again.

 

[RedViper]

I agree. He swore he would never play for us, then took the money and was an instant flop. He was not injured his first year, showed no moves, and was slow.

If you'd care to search back, I called that one before we drafted him. My point was that no one was as good as he was being made out to be and I wanted to trade down again.

Good call Skkorp. Not me though. I fell for all of it. Even after the first sucky year, when people were saying that its because he missed camp, its his rookie year, etc. I believed he would be Bruce Smith, through the bloody end. Even after he started having surgery, I believed he'd still come through. I'm such a homer. O well.

I'd forgotten about that promise to never play for us. I remember almost having a nervous breakdown through that holdout. Such much stress and grief for nothing. Seems pretty funny now. I think I'm maybe just barely better at not getting too worked up with anything that happens in the offseason now. Just barely.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

thinking back to those days, we had some athletes on defense if they could have just stayed healthy. Rice, Swann, Wadsworth, Miller, Hill, Aeneas.

 

[Duckjake]

I agree. He swore he would never play for us, then took the money and was an instant flop. He was not injured his first year, showed no moves, and was slow.

If you'd care to search back, I called that one before we drafted him. My point was that no one was as good as he was being made out to be and I wanted to trade down again.

There was almost a 50/50 split on Cards Corner back then between Wadsworth and Charles Woodson. Those in favor of the latter envisioned a killer secondary with Woodson and Williams.

 

[TheCardFan]

I can't believe Wendell Bryant doesn't get more votes!

Interesting stat:

Rookie season stats for Andre Wadsworth and Mario Williams:

AW
57 Tackles and 5 Sacks

MW
47 Tackles and 4.5 Sacks.

 

[Zeno]

I initially wanted Randy Moss in that draft but I was swayed to the Wadsworth side. I bought in to the hype, in hinsight we could have stole draft picks from someone for him, of course as to whether we'd use those picks right is another question.