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Washington signs former Lowndes star for linebacker depth
Staff, wire reports
ASHBURN, Va. — With Marcus Washington nursing an elbow injury, the Washington Commanders signed veteran linebacker Randall Godfrey on Tuesday and surprisingly released versatile linebacker Lemar Marshall.
Godfrey, a Valdosta native, has played for Dallas, Tennessee, Seattle and San Diego over 11 NFL seasons. He spent the last three years with the Chargers, who opted to not re-sign him this offseason after calf and hamstring injuries hampered him late in 2006.
Godfrey was a second-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 1996. He has played in 159 games, starting 145 of them, and has 17 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and six interceptions. He will be reunited in Washington with assistant coach Gregg Williams, who was Tennessee’s defensive coordinator when Godfrey played with the Titans in 2000.
Godfrey is a 1992 graduate of Lowndes High School, where he was a prep All-American linebacker for the Vikings. He went on to play four years for the University of Georgia, becoming the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Year and twice earning All-SEC honors, before getting drafted by the Cowboys.
Last season, Godfrey made 58 tackles, forced two fumbles and had four sacks in 13 games for the Chargers. San Diego went 14-2 in the regular season, before losing 24-21 to the New England Patriots in the second round of the AFC playoffs.
In 2005, Godfrey was the Emil Karas Memorial Award recipient as the team’s Most Inspirational Player, and the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award for “displaying commitment to principles of courage and sportsmanship, while serving as an inspiration inside the locker room.” In his career, Godfrey has 819 career tackles, 17 sacks, 17 forced fumbles, six interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.
The Commanders are looking for help at linebacker after Washington dislocated his right elbow in Saturday’s preseason game against Pittsburgh. Washington is expected to be sidelined at least a couple of weeks, leaving his status for the Sept. 9 season opener uncertain.
Godfrey replaces Marshall, who was a feel-good story for several years with the Commanders. An undrafted player who bounced from team to team, Marshall signed with the Commanders in 2001 and worked his way into a starting role in 2004.
In 2005, Marshall anchored the middle of the defense as the Commanders made the playoffs for the first time in six years, but his play regressed last year, in part because of knee and ankle injuries. He lost his starting job when London Fletcher signed as a free agent this offseason, but had been expected to remain on the team as a reserve.
The Commanders on Tuesday also signed receiver Jerel Myers, who spent the last two seasons with Kansas City of the Arena Football League. He replaces Mike Espy, who is out for the season with a knee injury.
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for more updates visit http://gryphononcowboys.blogspot.com/
Staff, wire reports
ASHBURN, Va. — With Marcus Washington nursing an elbow injury, the Washington Commanders signed veteran linebacker Randall Godfrey on Tuesday and surprisingly released versatile linebacker Lemar Marshall.
Godfrey, a Valdosta native, has played for Dallas, Tennessee, Seattle and San Diego over 11 NFL seasons. He spent the last three years with the Chargers, who opted to not re-sign him this offseason after calf and hamstring injuries hampered him late in 2006.
Godfrey was a second-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 1996. He has played in 159 games, starting 145 of them, and has 17 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and six interceptions. He will be reunited in Washington with assistant coach Gregg Williams, who was Tennessee’s defensive coordinator when Godfrey played with the Titans in 2000.
Godfrey is a 1992 graduate of Lowndes High School, where he was a prep All-American linebacker for the Vikings. He went on to play four years for the University of Georgia, becoming the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Year and twice earning All-SEC honors, before getting drafted by the Cowboys.
Last season, Godfrey made 58 tackles, forced two fumbles and had four sacks in 13 games for the Chargers. San Diego went 14-2 in the regular season, before losing 24-21 to the New England Patriots in the second round of the AFC playoffs.
In 2005, Godfrey was the Emil Karas Memorial Award recipient as the team’s Most Inspirational Player, and the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award for “displaying commitment to principles of courage and sportsmanship, while serving as an inspiration inside the locker room.” In his career, Godfrey has 819 career tackles, 17 sacks, 17 forced fumbles, six interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.
The Commanders are looking for help at linebacker after Washington dislocated his right elbow in Saturday’s preseason game against Pittsburgh. Washington is expected to be sidelined at least a couple of weeks, leaving his status for the Sept. 9 season opener uncertain.
Godfrey replaces Marshall, who was a feel-good story for several years with the Commanders. An undrafted player who bounced from team to team, Marshall signed with the Commanders in 2001 and worked his way into a starting role in 2004.
In 2005, Marshall anchored the middle of the defense as the Commanders made the playoffs for the first time in six years, but his play regressed last year, in part because of knee and ankle injuries. He lost his starting job when London Fletcher signed as a free agent this offseason, but had been expected to remain on the team as a reserve.
The Commanders on Tuesday also signed receiver Jerel Myers, who spent the last two seasons with Kansas City of the Arena Football League. He replaces Mike Espy, who is out for the season with a knee injury.
__________________
for more updates visit http://gryphononcowboys.blogspot.com/