Doesn't look good. Maybe they can ship him to Seattle for a pick or something.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060901/SPORTS01/609010466


Rogers may be cut by Lions
Receiver: It don't look too pretty

September 1, 2006

BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

When Charles Rogers walked off the field after Wednesday's practice, he said he thought he would be with the Lions this season. But when he walked off the field after Thursday's exhibition finale, he gave his No. 80 jersey to a young fan, and in the locker room, he said: "It don't look too pretty."

It looks like the Lions will cut Rogers by 4 p.m. Saturday, when NFL teams must have their rosters trimmed to 53 players. It looks like a disappointing departure for Rogers, who was drafted second overall in 2003 out of Saginaw and Michigan State, caught two touchdown passes in his first NFL game, then suffered two broken collarbones and served a four-game suspension for substance abuse.

Coach Rod Marinelli said Rogers and fellow wide receiver Mike Williams, the 10th pick of the 2005 draft, would get "a pretty good dose" of playing time against Buffalo. But Rogers played only the first series of the second half and made only one catch for three yards in the Lions' 20-13 loss. Williams came in afterward and played the rest of the game. He didn't have a ball thrown to him.

"Hey, you know Coach always talks about pounding the rock," Rogers said. "I was the rock that got pounded."

Assuming the Lions keep six receivers -- and Roy Williams, Corey Bradford, Mike Furrey and Eddie Drummond are the top four -- Rogers and Williams are up for the final two spots with undrafted free agents Shaun Bodiford and Glenn Martinez.

Mike Williams seems safe because he's still early in his development. His potential and contract seem to be too great for the Lions to give up on him at this point. Marinelli has acknowledged the realities of draft position and financial commitment might force him to keep a small percentage of players who haven't met his standards.

But Rogers is in his fourth year, the Lions have gotten little out of him and he seems to lag behind at least Bodiford in Marinelli's eyes. Rogers doesn't contribute on special teams and spoke of this exhibition as just another game. Marinelli said Bodiford was "impressive" on special teams and pointed out: "This guy's trying to make himself valuable for this team."

Marinelli raised his voice, pounded the lectern at his postgame news conference and said: "Are you dying to be a great player? Do you claw the wall every day? Do you understand what that means? Every day you claw the wall. 'I want to be the best player in America.' I want to get 53 men like that -- that live and die for football, that are here all day, absorb information, eat information. That's what I'm looking for ... and that's the thing we now have to evaluate. Are we getting that?"

Asked if he could have gotten a fair evaluation of Rogers from one series, after Rogers missed the last two exhibitions with a bruised knee, Marinelli said the players would be evaluated on everything they had done since the start of the off-season program. Later he added: "What is right for the Detroit Lions? When does that count? That's the most important thing. I've said it from Day One. It's Lions football. How do you make this team come together? It may not be the best 53. It may be the 53 that help you win. That's what you've got to understand."

Bodiford and Martinez got a good opportunity to show what they could do. Bodiford caught one pass for nine yards, returned two kickoffs, returned two punts and played on coverage units. He also suffered a leg injury, but Marinelli didn't give any details and it's uncertain how that might complicate things. Martinez dropped one pass and missed a chance to grab another catchable ball, but he made a big 23-yard reception. He caught three passes for 34 yards and returned a punt.

Rogers said he was "fooled" like everyone else, that he thought he would play more.

"It's a crazy thing, but hey, it is what it is," Rogers said.

Told the team didn't seem like it wanted him, Rogers said: "I mean, y'all seeing what I'm seeing. I think everybody's seeing the same thing."

http://www.mlive.com/news/sanews/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1157116855314250.xml&coll=9


Rogers on way out?

Friday, September 01, 2006
TOM KOWALSKI

DETROIT -- There was a preseason football game Thursday night at Ford Field. But in terms of drama and suspense, it couldn't hold a candle to the theater after the game.

The Detroit Lions lost their third consecutive preseason game, 20-13 to the Buffalo Bills, but what really was at center stage was the future of receiver Charles Rogers. While the team won't announce final cuts until Saturday, early indications for Rogers are that he'll exit stage left.

Rogers, a former standout at Saginaw High School and Michigan State University, played in only one series during the game, taking part in 10 plays to start the second half and catching one pass for three yards.

"I feel a little bit bitter," said Rogers, who was the second overall draft pick in 2003. "Going into your last preseason game, the starters didn't play that much, so I thought I was going to play a little bit more than what I did. But it just didn't happen."

After the game, Rogers took off his jersey and gave it to a youngster in the crowd.

"Yeah, that's what I did, I thought it was time," Rogers said. "That's what I wanted to do. I thought it was time for me to do that. You know, we'll wait until Saturday but it don't look pretty. It would be hard for me to believe I'm still here after what just happened in this situation. I'd say my days are numbered."

After the game, reporters asked Lions head coach Rod Marinelli if he thought the coaches could fairly evaluate Rogers based on just 10 plays.

Rogers didn't play in the previous two preseason games because of a knee injury.

"You talk about fair? It's what's right for this team. You ask me to be fair, what's fair to this team?" Marinelli said. "It's not always the individual, what is fair and right for this football team? We've got to look at what's right for the Detroit Lions, when does that count? That's the most important thing.

"I've said it from day one, it's Lions football. My thing is 'How do you make this team come together?' Who are the right guys? It might not be the best 53 (guys on the roster), it might be the 53 that help you win. That's what you've got to understand. That's our job, to find the right 53 and it's not about any one guy."

Marinelli made it clear that whatever Rogers did at Michigan State or in his first few years with the Lions didn't matter. He is only interested in how Rogers has responded since beginning off-season workouts last March.

"It's everything since we've been together. There are other things, have you digested the offense," Marinelli said, then slamming the podium with his fist, he said sternly, "Are you dying to be a great player? Do you claw the wall every day? Do you understand what that means? Every day. You claw the wall and want to be the best player in America. I want to get 53 men like that, who live and die for football. That's what I'm looking for."

By all appearances, Rogers isn't going to be one of them. Last year, then-head coach Steve Mariucci benched Rogers for poor practice habits and intensity. Rogers performed poorly during most of the off-season workouts, but really came on in the final couple of weeks. When training camp started, though, Rogers tailed off.

At one point, he was even benched for a practice and didn't get a single repetition with the offense. It appeared the Lions were going to give Rogers one last chance to redeem himself but, based on only 10 plays in Thursday's game, that might not have happened.

"Their mind was already made up before the game was played," Rogers said. "You watch the game like I watch the game, everybody saw the same thing. Everybody's thinking the same way."

The No. 1 candidate to replace Rogers on the roster is undrafted rookie free agent Shaun Bodiford, who played most of the first half at receiver on Thursday. Bodiford, though, suffered a leg injury in the second half on a kickoff return and his status is unknown. But even if Bodiford is out for an extended period, the Lions are expected to keep another undrafted free agent, second-year receiver Glenn Martinez from Saginaw Valley State University, over Rogers.

"They feel like they've got better wide receivers on this team than me," Rogers said. "They feel the guys they've got at wide receiver give them a chance to win and take it to the next level. I feel like they feel I'm not one of those guys."

In Rogers' first year with the Lions, he started five games and caught 22 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns before breaking his collarbone. In his second year, Rogers broke his collarbone in the first game.

Last season, the NFL suspended Rogers for violating the league's substance abuse policy and finished with 14 catches for 197 yards and one touchdown. He started three games and played in nine.

If the Lions release Rogers, other NFL teams can claim him, with the worst teams from last year getting the first choice. If no team claims him, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and is free to sign with any team.

In 2003, Rogers signed a seven-year contract worth $20.8 million. With incentives, escalators and bonuses, the deal could have reached as much as $54 million.

The pact called for Rogers to participate in 35 percent of the team's offensive plays his first year and 45 percent his second and third years. The fractured collarbone his first and second year, and the drug suspension last year, prevented him from reaching those incentives. He also failed to meet contract terms involving receptions, yards receiving, yards per reception and touchdowns.

"If I'm gone, I'll find me another team and play some football," he said. "(Marinelli) always talks about pounding the rock. You know, I was the rock that got pounded. It's the craziest thing but, you know, it is what it is."

Marinelli is an idiot. He's supposed to field a winning football team which last I checked required a lot of talented players.

Instead, he's making like he's the casting director for THE REPLACEMENTS 2;


Marinelli raised his voice, pounded the lectern at his postgame news conference and said: "Are you dying to be a great player? Do you claw the wall every day? Do you understand what that means? Every day you claw the wall. 'I want to be the best player in America.' I want to get 53 men like that -- that live and die for football, that are here all day, absorb information, eat information. That's what I'm looking for ... and that's the thing we now have to evaluate. Are we getting that?"

UA, I think you may the first at this site to call Marinelli an idiot.

The fact that he made it this long proves that he's the best head coach we've had in a while.

I suspect you won't be the last to call him that, however.

i LIKE the idea of sacrificiing the short term success of this team for the long term. no doubt, the lions need a culture change.

but didnt we already do this five years ago? why does millen get a second chance? do any of these guys really think theyre going to be around long enough for this to pay off?

the "experts" say this team is going to score a bunch. how? the way i see it, we have a 2 year window with martz here. we should have given him every weapon we had. instead, we're going to be building a "culture" for the next two years and hes going to have division II wide recievers to work with. i wonder how happy martz is with his decision to come here right now.

Rogers is an idiot. he had a clean slate when Marinelli took over and he wasted it. send him packing.

charles roges was cut.

DETROIT (AP) — Charles Rogers was cut by the Lions on Saturday, just three years after they drafted the receiver second overall.

Rogers' career with Detroit ended with just 36 receptions for 440 yards and four touchdowns along with two broken collarbones and a four-game suspension.

First-year coach Rod Marinelli and offensive coordinator Mike Martz were unimpressed with Rogers' work ethic and lack of production during training camp, which was slowed by a sore knee. The new staff also did not have a history with Rogers like team president Matt Millen did after drafting the former Michigan State star and giving him a $14.2 million signing bonus.
Rogers simply wasn't deemed good enough to make Marinelli's team, which is valuing hard work over talent.

Rogers is an idiot. he had a clean slate when Marinelli took over and he wasted it. send him packing.
BS. When the Martzinelli cabal took power, they said C-Rog looked great, he was running fast and hard, and re-establishing himself.

Then they held him out of the 3rd preseason game even though he said he was able to play, and the 4th game where he was supposed to get heavy work was a joke.

Here are all the cuts.

http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=447545

I had high hopes for Marinelli, but the more I hear from him, the more I think he sounds like Marty Morningstar. Absolutely clueless. His podium pounding episode when questioned after Game 4 wasn't too far from Bobby Ross' infamous "I am a good coach" speech.

Note also but the end of the presser, he goes all bi-polar and sounds like he has to be ushered away from the reporters because he starts to shrivel.

Anyways, we'll see. 6 wins would amaze me. You need talent and coaching. Coaching up a bunch of Kroger's bag boys isn't going to get this team to the playoffs. Someone has to make big plays. All eyes on Roy Buddha Williams. Better not drop any balls Roy...

Btw, I don't follow NCAA. I could care less that Rogers was a Sparty. For $450,000 in salary this year, why would we let this guy go without a trade?

not trading him was boneheaded in millen's part. but as far as saying he was playing well. they said nice things about alot of guys. but the proof is in them not playing him. never trust kind words my friend. [smilie=burgerking.:

Same ol, same ol' Lions. What else is new?

If there is another disappointing year, I hope there is another Millen Man March. Even though Dumb Jock Millen laughs it off, at one point it will become embarassing to the Fords and they will have to make a move.

I don't think Martz, Henderson or Marinelli are prepared for the Lions home crowd when the team stinks up the joint. It shattered Mariucci who had seen it all in San Francisco. And Ross. And Morningstar.

Noone was going to trade for a 2 strike bust like him, at least nothing more than a 7th rounder.

I get not being able to trade him with his lack of production and possibility of 1 year off with another drug slip up, but I don't agree with cutting him and keeping Millen. 2 of his first 3 1st rd picks busted and got cut, it only shows how deep the problem is, nothing changes where it counts.

I don't think anyone will argue against you on the Millen point.

Killer was on the radio this morning say that Rogers cleared waivers (any team in the league could have picked him up for only 700,000 for the year) and that he's been available for any team to simply pick him up and pay him by the week (like 17 grand per), since Monday I think he said, to see if they'd be interested in keeping him for the year or see if he's got any potential. No one has done so, as of yet.

Now, its a rather busy time what with the season starting in just days but I think its a pretty significant couple of points.

i think he has a poston agent. that always hurts you.

Is that a typo Gutz?

I'd have to say it was attitude more than anything else. It's funny that no one mentions the drug problems he's had. Clean slate? no... the whole team was put on notice. I don't think anyone came in with a clean slate... (see Joey Harrington). Marinelli is trying to clean up the joint and it's gonna get uglier before it gets better (see Kitna instead of taking Leinert)

Nice post Sly, welcome.

http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/290550595544957.bsp


Draft mistakes spelling doom for poor Lions

BY NATE THOMPSON
nthompson@grandhaventribune.com

In the make-or-break event otherwise known as the National Football League Draft, luck eventually outweighs logic, sure things can be no such things with one bad move on artificial turf, and spectacular Michigan State wideouts don't always turn into the next Jerry Rice.

For every Peyton Manning selected with the No. 1 overall pick, there's a Joey Harrington at No. 3 that will come along and haunt a franchise for the next 4-5 years. Of course, there's also the rare occurrence when someone like Tom Brady slips to the sixth round, where New England snatches him up as an "insurance quarterback."

And he ends up turning into the next Joe Montana.

Unfortunately, the Detroit Lions have had no such luck during the past five seasons, as evidence of its two most high profile No. 1 draft picks — Joey Harrington and Charles Rogers — now being afterthoughts within the organization.

I'll admit — I was thrilled when the Lions drafted Rogers with the second overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft for a number of reasons. The team lacked serious firepower at the receiver position at that time; it needed a comparable target for new franchise quarterback Harrington; and did you see Rogers' career at Michigan State? He had 14 touchdowns during the 2001 season alone. Surely, the second-coming of Rice was indeed wearing green and white and wearing No. 1.

But with a franchise that has been plagued with more bad luck than arguably any other franchise, outside of the Cleveland Browns, Rogers' once-promising career went south faster than blue-haired grandmothers during the winter.

Back-to-back season-ending collarbone injuries ruined whatever glimmer of hope Rogers provided after his pro debut, a 2-touchdown showing against Arizona in 2003.

What could have been without the injuries? Most likely, we wouldn't be discussing Rogers being beat about by some guy named Shaun Bodiford and the star Saginaw High product now looking for a new place to call home. Would he had turned into an All-Pro without the injuries? Who knows.

Unfortunately, coulda, woulda, shoulda defines the Lions and their miserable track record when it comes to the Draft. Rogers and Harrington aren't the only failed picks since 2000. Only one in that time has made the Pro Bowl (Shaun Rogers, 2nd round, 2001), and only a couple of others are borderline All-Pro players, led by Jeff Backus (1st round, 2001), and Roy Williams (1st round, 2004).

True, a player's ultimate fortune shouldn't really be decided until they've had at least four years in the league. So the jury is still out on Lions' picks such as Kalimba Edwards, Boss Bailey, Cory Redding, Kevin Jones and Teddy Lehman.

But take a look at the Lions' Week 1 opponent, the defending NFC Champion, Seattle Seahawks. In 2000, they drafted the reigning NFL MVP, Shaun Alexander, as well as another strong contributor to their offense, wide receiver Darrell Jackson. In 2001, the prize was Steve Hutchinson, now the best guard in the NFL, who just signed a huge free agent contract with Minnesota. 2002 and 2003 netted bright up-and-coming players Jerramy Stevens at tight end and Marcus Trufant at corner back.

And in 2005, in the second round, the Seahawks picked hard-nosed middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, a man who transformed their soft defense into one of the best units in the NFC.

Meanwhile, Lions' general manager Matt Millen added an overweight, lazy wide receiver in Mike Williams, who, at this point, seems likely to join Rogers and Harrington on the list of Lions cast-offs.

Yes, success in the NFL and at the Draft often boils down to who can stay healthy and that sheer intangible known as luck. But why does it seems that the solid, respected franchises get lucky every year, while the Lions continue to rebuild?

Dude, the Grand Haven Tribune? Jethro's "Fire Jonsey" piece> Grand Haven Tribune.

Normally I would agree, but I thought the guy did a decent job.

I always like articles that point out what our drafts "should" have been like in terms of player quality.

BAM!

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2008/10/charles_rogers_must_repay_lion.html


Charles Rogers must repay Lions $8.5 million
by Tom Kowalski
Wednesday October 08, 2008, 10:30 PM

The Detroit Lions finally won. Not a game, but their grievance against former wideout Charles Rogers. ALLEN PARK -- It took nearly three years to get settled, but the Detroit Lions ultimately won their grievance against former receiver Charles Rogers.

Lions chief operating officer Tom Lewand confirmed that than arbitrator ruled in the team's favor and Rogers must repay the Lions about $8.5 million.

Rogers was the second overall pick by Detroit in the 2003 draft and signed a six-year contract that included $14.2 million in bonus money.

When he was suspended by the NFL for substance abuse in 2005 -- his third strike under the league's policy -- the Lions argued that he triggered a clause that put him in default of his contract. At the time, the club was seeking $10.2 million -- a pro-rated portion of Rogers' bonus money.

The Lions now must go through a few routine legal procedures before they can demand the repayment obligation and take action to collect. The Lions will get $8.5 million added to their salary cap next season, but only if they physically collect the money.

Whatever amount Detroit is able to recover -- if any -- will be the amount credited to the team's 2009 cap.

Shortly after the Lions filed the grievance in 2005, Rogers was quoted as saying, "It's going to be hard to get $10 million."

The judgment against Rogers was delivered to the Lions on Sept. 24, the day president Matt Millen was fired by owner William Clay Ford.

Rogers, who starred at Saginaw High School and Michigan State University, suffered a broken collarbone in each of his first two seasons with the Lions. He was released in training camp in 2006 and has not played football since. Rogers had tryouts with several NFL teams, including the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers but never was offered a contract.

In his three-year career with the Lions, he caught 36 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns.


There's no way they're going to get 8 mill from Charles. I'll be shocked if they're able to get even half that out of him...

But at least we won something this year...

Rogers has $0 to his name.

I have no doubt.

I love that "Draft Mistakes Spell Doom" article................from friggin' 2006! It's two years later and we've actually gone backwards, if possible....garbage.

No way we get the money back. Apparently it gets added to our cap number next year. Do we actually have to collect for that to happen?

No way we get the money back. Apparently it gets added to our cap number next year. Do we actually have to collect for that to happen?

^related to Ledezma?

Wow, I must be the the least cogent person on this board today, if that's the proper use of the word.

NOVI, Mich. -- A judge has jailed ex-Detroit Lions top draft pick Charles Rogers for violating probation in a domestic violence case.

"I'm just going to do my 10 days, get out of the court system and try to get in shape for a comeback," Rogers said Wednesday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from the Oakland County jail. "Am I sad about the way my life has turned out? No, because I know the strides I've made to take care of Charles Rogers."

Court records show the 27-year-old ex-Michigan State star receiver tested positive for alcohol and falsified records saying he attended Alcoholic Anonymous meetings.

"I was wrong," he said. "I'm not perfect."

A judge in suburban Detroit granted Rogers' request Tuesday to leave a diversion program and serve 30 days in the Oakland County jail, with credit for 15 days served.

Rogers was the NFL's second overall pick in 2003. The Lions signed him to a six-year, $55 million deal, but injuries sidelined him most of his first two seasons. He was cut in 2006.

:
"I was wrong," he said. "I'm not perfect."
Understatement, Rog.

Something tells me we can bump this thread every 4-6 months because Charles just doesn't get and might never.

30 - 15 = 10?

Just read today that Saginaw, which has a semi-pro arena style team that's about as low budget as you can get, has expressed some interest in Rogers playing for them.

Wow.

Minor league hockey discussion moved: http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14659