With wide receiver Braylon聽Edwards , let's reassess some notable veterans who still reside on the NFL's Island of Misfit Toys, better known as the free-agent pool.
Roy Williams, WR: Williams with the Houston Texans on Thursday, but it was later reported to be a case of the dreaded "due diligence" by the team. Coming off a woeful one-year run with the Chicago Bears, we'd be surprised if Williams found a home.
Instant Debate: A team for T.O.?
Ryan Grant, RB: Grant is living proof of how quickly an NFL career can go off track. In 2009, he was a running back who racked up 11 touchdowns and nearly 1,500 yards of total offense for the the Green Bay Packers. In 2010, Grant ripped up his ankle in Week 1 and disappeared for a year. Last season, Grant saw his workload cut in half, then wasn't offered a contract. Grant has the track record, but not the benefit of the doubt.
Cedric Benson, RB: This isn't a dynamic back by any stretch, and his off-the-field problems don't help his cause, but shouldn't there be teams interested in adding depth to their backfield with a player coming off three straight 1,000-yard seasons?
Plaxico Burress, WR: he's not in camp right now, but that's hardly a unanimous sentiment. The soon-to-be 35-year-old receiver had a sneaky bad season in 2011, his eight touchdown catches masking the fact he was simply too slow to make a regular impact outside the red zone. Burress can still make plays, but all that baggage is weighing him down.
Andre Carter, DE: Carter, 33, said earlier this month his torn quadriceps muscle will be fully healed by Week 1, but the former New England Patriots pass rusher has yet to get a call from the Foxborough area code. If he's healthy, there should be a market for a player who's had three seasons of 10 or more sacks since 2007.
Jim Leonhard, S: A Rex Ryan favorite, Leonhard was quarterback of the secondary on some very good New York Jets' defenses. But he's also coming off back-to-back season-ending leg injuries. Leonhard, 29, has declared himself healthy and able, but the Jets' adds more doubt about his durability.
Jeremy Shockey, TE: Shockey has taken his lumps over the years and is closing in on his 32nd birthday, but he's coming off a season in which he posted his best yards-per-reception average (12.3) since his New York Giants mid-aughts heyday. Also: The man has a tattoo of an angry bald eagle wrapped in an American flag on his right arm. You don't want that on your sideline?
Terrell Owens, WR: .
