Shaun Rogers may be one of the most underrated talents of the last decade, but the guy on the 2010 Browns roster was reduced to a part-time player that never practiced.
Browns G.M. Tom Heckert said that all the losing Rogers has done over the years has affected him.
“Shaun’s a different cat,” Heckert told Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. “Shaun’s whole thing -- and he’s stated a million times -- is that he’s never been on a team that’s any good. Every team he’s ever been on has been bad. Right or wrong, I think it’s taken a toll on him.”
Translation: Rogers half-assed his way through his last season despite having the highest base salary on the team. So it was easy to cut him.
Rogers’ first trip as a free agent was to Washington. Rogers has suffered through ten straight losing seasons as a player and the Redskins don’t seem like the best option if he’s concerned with winning above all.
“I think if he went to a good team, things might change. I don’t know,” Heckert said.
Rogers can probably be a productive part of a winning team if he’s willing to take less money. Players rarely make that sacrifice, though, so Heckert’s comments should serve as a warning to Washington’s front office.
They don’t exactly have a great track record with mercurial veteran defensive tackles.