LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The Washington Redskins announced today that they have parted ways with a few veteran players: defensive end Adam Carriker, punter Sav Rocca and tight end Richard Quinn. They also waived running backs Jawan Jamison and Davin Meggett.
The decision to terminate Carriker was likely motivated by money. While the team will enter the 2014 free agency period with a normal salary cap number (after dealing with the $36 million penalty over the last two years), the front office is obviously trying to avoid any dead money. The 29-year-old, when healthy, was a huge contributor to the defense. However, he missed all but two games in 2012 due to torn quadriceps and then, after surgery early in 2013, he went on IR and never played a down. Carriker became expensive to the team, his $6.5 million salary counting against the cap. By terminating him, Washington saves $2.98 million.
A fan and media favorite, the 6′ 6″, 300 lbs. defensive lineman is easy-going and was always willing to chat during open locker room sessions. He is an avid professional wrestling fan and has recently hosted a local radio show about the sport. Finally, here is an interesting factoid regarding Carriker: he was offered a boxing scholarship to Nebraska Wesleyan University while deciding where to attend college but ultimately decided to go to the University of Nebraska. This, obviously, was a good decision.
The former Cornhusker was drafted in the first round (13th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams and signed by the Redskins in 2010. He started all 16 games his first year in Washington and all but one game in 2011. But ever since the quad injury in 2012, he has not been able to get onto the field. Carriker has always been a hard worker and former head coach Mike Shanahan was hesitant to release him last season… even after deciding to put him on Injured Reserve.
Sav Rocca was signed by the Redskins as a free agent in July of 2011 and his termination will save the team just over $1 million. The Australian was a decent punter for Washington in 2011 and 2012, but his 33.8 yard net average in 2013 was a career low. This may or may not have been a result of a new special teams coach and system in 2013; and terrible overall performances by the unit. Special Teams lost the Redskins at least one game in 2013.
Richard Quinn played college football at the University of North Carolina and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft but his dream was to play basketball. But he didn’t follow in his idol, NBA star LeBron James’ footsteps… instead, he has been a sort of journeyman in the NFL, going from the Broncos to the Redskins to the Cincinnati Bengals to the Arizona Cardinals and then back to the Redskins when he signed a reserve/future contract with Washington in December of 2013.
Jawan Jamison was drafted out of Rutgers in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In college he compiled 1,972 rushing yards on 486 carries with 13 rushing touchdowns. He was named second-team All-Big East in 2012, becoming only the seventh player in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season after rushing for 1,075 yards on 255 carries (4.22 avg.) with four touchdowns.
Davin Meggett came into the NFL by way of the Houston Texans as a college free agent in May of 2012. He was signed to the Washington Redskins’ practice squad in November of 2013.
Hail.