Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 30, 1993 TAG: 9308300041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Not Letterman in the Ed Sullivan Theatre on CBS. The New York Jets like their Roanoke rookie, David Ware, who has moved to offensive left guard from tackle, where he was a two-year starter at Virginia.
That does not mean, however, that Ware will survive today's NFL cut to a 47-man roster. In Ware Friday's preseason loss to Washington, Ware was the last of the Jets' 10 offensive linemen to play. That makes a statement, but so does the club's offensive line coach, Larry Beightol.
"We think David can be a very good NFL player," Beightol said of the former William Fleming High star. "He's made a lot of progress in training camp. He definitely has the potential to play down the road.
"Is he there now? I think the fact that he played only the last six minutes answers that. He's one of about seven guys we have on the bubble."
That bubble will burst today. NFL owners increased rosters to 53 players for this season, but NFL update. B3 each team first must trim from 60 to 47, then add six from their own cuts or those players released by other teams. After those 53 - from whom the 45 active players will be chosen for each week's games - every club may create a five-man practice squad.
"Whether David can be one of the 47 is tough," Beightol said. "I'm counting on him being one of the 53. Last year, we kept nine linemen on a 47-man roster. This year, with 53, we should be able to keep one more."
If Ware, 23, could talk his way into a job, he'd be headed for the Pro Bowl. Having majored in drama at UVa, Ware is definitely Broadway material. If he sticks, Ware's talkativeness could make him a ring master of the New York media circus.
"Being the 10th guy to play, it's quite obvious I'm not in a leading role," Ware said while dressing in the visitors' locker room at RFK Stadium. "Still, I think I have a pretty good chance to stay with the team.
"They moved me to guard. You need to be quicker to play tackle here. Defensive guys like to bull-rush and knock your head off. We have about 200 percent more plays here than we did at Virginia. You could call it a barrage of offense. The biggest adjustment is that I was used to playing against people 240 or 250 pounds. Now, everyone is 290 or 300.
"It's like getting smacked in the face. Everyone is good. In college, maybe you could get away with loafing on a play now and then. Here, every guy will smoke your brains out if you're not ready to draw and fire."
Ware, a 6-foot-6, 285-pounder who was the Jets' fourth-round pick in April, was the first Roanoke high school product chosen in the NFL draft since Catholic grad Tom Pettigrew was an eighth-round choice as an Eastern Illinois tackle by the Los Angeles Rams in 1980. No Roanoker has played in the NFL since former Jefferson High star Rich McGeorge finished nine seasons as the Green Bay Packers' tight end in 1978.
"We hope he's a keeper," Beightol said. "David's smart and he's learned, but it has been a struggle. The experience factor has caught him as much as anything. He's competing with guys who have been here five, six, eight years. It's hard to make that up in six weeks of practice."
If the Jets didn't like Ware, they wouldn't have gambled a fourth-round pick on him. If they didn't like him, he would have been among the first 20 cuts last week.
"I haven't given a lot of thought about what I'd do if I got cut," Ware said. "Whatever happens, it's a fact that I've been here, I've worked hard and given my all. If it doesn't happen here, there are other places.
"The business aspect on this level, you know about it before hand, but it doesn't hit you until you're part of it. They do release and cut people here. You're a commodity. If I'm cut, I can go back to school and get a master's in teaching or business administration. I do like to talk. I may try to take up TV broadcasting.
"I'm counting on being in the 53 though."
Keywords:
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by CNB