After having as few as 7 whites on his 53 man roster (not counting the kickers and long snapper), tied with the Jaguars for the fewest in NFL history, Caste System true believer Brian Billick soared all the way to 12 white players on his roster in 2006 before falling back to 10 white non-kickers this season.
The team's premier player remains tight end Todd Heap, who continues to thrive as an increasingly feeble Steve McNair has always liked to throw to the TE. Now beginning his seventh season, ASU grad Heap remains a topnotch field stretcher with sure hands.
Quinn Sypniewski is the third string tight end.
Two whites start on the offensive line -- RT Adam Terry and C Mike Flynn. Terry was a second round draft pick in 2005. Matt Katula and rookie Marshal Yanda are backups.
Kyle Boller is McNair's backup. One of the most hated players in the NFL, Boller could use a change of scenery. Billick is a notorious destroyer of white quarterbacks on his thuggish team, and Boller should leave when his contract is up and let Troy Smith try to succeed McNair, who though being, altogether now, "a great leader with incredible toughness," is ready to get on with his life's work.
Left defensive tackle Kelly Gregg remains one of the most under-rated players in the league. All he does is make a truck-load of tackles every season for a d-lineman while being studiously ignored by the media, except for an occasional laugh at his expense when he rumbles downfield after recovering a fumble.
Jarret Johnson, the fourth year man out of Alabama, is very talented but faces the unenviable task of replacing Adalius Thomas as the team's combination down lineman and roving linebacker. It's unlikely that Johnson will be given much credit no matter how well he plays.
The very capable Justin Bannan backs up both starting tackles and should be active in the team's rotation on the line.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 13
GRADE: F
The team's premier player remains tight end Todd Heap, who continues to thrive as an increasingly feeble Steve McNair has always liked to throw to the TE. Now beginning his seventh season, ASU grad Heap remains a topnotch field stretcher with sure hands.
Quinn Sypniewski is the third string tight end.
Two whites start on the offensive line -- RT Adam Terry and C Mike Flynn. Terry was a second round draft pick in 2005. Matt Katula and rookie Marshal Yanda are backups.
Kyle Boller is McNair's backup. One of the most hated players in the NFL, Boller could use a change of scenery. Billick is a notorious destroyer of white quarterbacks on his thuggish team, and Boller should leave when his contract is up and let Troy Smith try to succeed McNair, who though being, altogether now, "a great leader with incredible toughness," is ready to get on with his life's work.
Left defensive tackle Kelly Gregg remains one of the most under-rated players in the league. All he does is make a truck-load of tackles every season for a d-lineman while being studiously ignored by the media, except for an occasional laugh at his expense when he rumbles downfield after recovering a fumble.
Jarret Johnson, the fourth year man out of Alabama, is very talented but faces the unenviable task of replacing Adalius Thomas as the team's combination down lineman and roving linebacker. It's unlikely that Johnson will be given much credit no matter how well he plays.
The very capable Justin Bannan backs up both starting tackles and should be active in the team's rotation on the line.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 13
GRADE: F
