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Lots of big names still on NFL’s unemployment line

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — MISSING: A handful of former NFL stars.

REWARD: An opportunity to help a team and revive a once-flourishing career.

With NFL training camps about to open, several big-name players are still unemployed, waiting anxiously, wondering when — or if — they’ll get a call.

Retirement could be the next step for former All-Pros such as Ed Reed and James Harrison.

“I know that I can still play,” Reed said at a charity softball game in Baltimore last month. “It’s just a matter of the right fit.”

Jermichael Finley is coming off a career-threatening injury. Tim Tebow hasn’t been with a team in almost a year. Santonio Holmes, Ronnie Brown, Asante Samuel, Jonathan Vilma and Kellen Winslow Jr. are among former stars on the downside of their careers.

“I could retire,” Winslow wrote on Twitter last month, “but that’s not who I am.”

Here’s a look at a few familiar unsigned free agents:

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RONNIE BROWN: Once one of the NFL’s most dynamic running backs, Brown, 32, comes off a season during which he ran for 157 yards and caught eight passes as a backup for the Chargers. If he has played his last game, he went out in style: Brown had a 58-yard touchdown run against the Bengals in a first-round playoff victory.

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JOSH CRIBBS: He has eight career kickoff returns for touchdowns, sharing the NFL mark with the Titans’ Leon Washington, and could be a fit for a team looking for a spark on special teams. That’s what he was for the Jets last year, when he was signed a few games into the season, but then missed the final four weeks with a shoulder injury.

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JERMICHAEL FINLEY: His career was in jeopardy when he suffered a serious neck injury last October with Green Bay. Finley was establishing himself as one of the league’s elite pass-catching tight ends. That has had several teams interested this offseason, including the Packers, despite questions about his health.

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JOSH FREEMAN: Talk about a turn of events. Once considered a potential franchise quarterback for Tampa Bay, Freeman was benched last season in favor of rookie Mike Glennon, then released. He signed with the Vikings, was terrible in his one start and finished the season as Minnesota’s third-stringer. The Giants signed him in the offseason as insurance for Eli Manning, but cut him in May.

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JAMES HARRISON: A menace to quarterbacks who frequently was fined for illegal hits, and a regular critic of Commissioner Roger Goodell, the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is 36, had a reduced role in his one season in Cincinnati and has seen his sack totals decrease every year since 2010.

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SANTONIO HOLMES: Tone Time might be running out. The Super Bowl MVP with the Steelers in 2009, the 30-year-old Holmes was terrific in his first two seasons after being traded to the Jets in 2010. But he has just 43 catches in 15 games over the last two years after suffering a serious foot injury in 2012 and missing five games last season with a hamstring problem.

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RICHIE INCOGNITO: He’ll always be known for his role in the harassment of former teammate Jonathan Martin, another offensive lineman and an assistant trainer last season. Incognito was suspended and missed the final eight games with Miami. The bullying scandal, along with being 31, might make it tough for the guard to find a suitor.

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ED REED: A year ago, the newly signed Reed was considered a key piece of the Texans’ improved defense. But he underwent hip surgery in the offseason, missed the first two games, then lost his starting job at safety. Reed was released after seven games, but reunited with Rex Ryan in New York and had three interceptions in seven games with the Jets. He’ll be 36 in September.

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ASANTE SAMUEL: Helped the Patriots to two Super Bowls early in his career as one of the league’s top ballhawking cornerbacks. After four seasons with the Eagles, they traded him to the Falcons in 2012. Samuel is 33, but still productive — although he was limited to 11 games last season and relegated to backup duty.

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TIM TEBOW: Sure, many critics might have written him off and he’s got a TV gig with the SEC Network. But as long as the polarizing quarterback is still available, plenty will wonder if anyone will sign him. After a failed 2012 with the Jets, he spent last summer in camp with the Patriots before being cut. Teams aren’t sold on his throwing skills, and might not want to deal with the distractions that come with Tebow.

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JONATHAN VILMA: A tackling machine early in his career with the Jets and Saints, he then dealt with knee injuries, ineffectiveness and also was identified in 2012 as a ring leader of New Orleans’ bounty program. Vilma missed the first five games of that season while rehabilitating his left knee, and played in only one game last year because of it.

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KELLEN WINSLOW JR.: The tight end caught 31 passes in 12 games with the Jets and showed flashes, but missed four weeks for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing substances policy. He was also arrested last November on suspicion of synthetic marijuana possession, but was granted a conditional discharge — meaning the charge could be dismissed after a year.

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ERIC WINSTON: The 30-year-old right tackle has started 119 consecutive games, spanning his first six NFL seasons with the Texans, a season in Kansas City and last year in Arizona. He wasn’t re-signed by the Cardinals, and some wonder if the lack of interest is due in part to Winston becoming president of the NFL Players Association.

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AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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