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Champ Bailey, Michael Sam among NFL cuts

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

For the first time in his career, Champ Bailey was told he isn’t good enough.

Jettisoned by the New Orleans Saints after a difficult training camp, the 12-time Pro Bowl cornerback was the most notable name when NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53 active players Saturday.

A close second was Rams rookie Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team.

The seventh-round draft pick, watched as closely as any rookie in the league this summer, couldn’t make a team stacked with pass-rushers. He still has a chance to get picked up by another team or to make the Rams’ practice squad.

Coach Jeff Fisher repeated over and over that cutting Sam was purely a football decision.

“I will tell you this: I was pulling for Mike,” Fisher said. “I really was, and I don’t say that very often. Mike came in here and did everything we asked him to do.”

On Twitter, roughly an hour after he was cut, Sam wrote: “The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson I’ve always known. The journey continues.”

He also thanked the Rams and city of St. Louis on Twitter, adding that he looks forward to a long and successful career.

The Rams selected Sam, the SEC co-defensive player of the year at Missouri, with the 249th overall pick out of 256 overall. Fisher called the draft pick a “second historic moment” for a franchise that signed running back Kenny Washington in 1946 as the league’s first black player in the modern era.

Ultimately, he wasn’t good enough to make the Rams’ roster.

Generally, players such as Sam with fewer than four seasons in the league are subject to waivers. Those who clear waivers and have practice squad eligibility can sign Sunday when teams fill out their 10-member developmental units.

Vested veterans who were released this weekend are free agents who can sign with anybody. But some might have to wait to get scooped up because their full 2014 salaries are in effect guaranteed if they’re on a roster in Week 1.

It just might be the end of a stellar career for Bailey, who said after the Super Bowl that he wouldn’t retire “because I still know I can play this game.”

Only seven players in NFL history have more Pro Bowl selections than Bailey, who signed with the Saints following his release from the Denver Broncos in the spring only to spend much of training camp dealing with nagging injuries.

“Well, whatever happens to him now in the short term is not going to change his legacy,” Broncos GM John Elway said. “He’s still going to go down as one of the greatest corners to ever play the game and will always in our minds be a Denver Bronco.”

Bailey missed 11 games last season after hurting his left foot in the preseason. He returned for Denver’s stretch run and reached his first Super Bowl, but clearly wasn’t the same player.

In his prime, Bailey wasn’t often challenged by quarterbacks yet he still managed 52 interceptions, more than any active cornerback.

Elway said it was difficult to let Bailey go this offseason as he retooled his defense following Denver’s Super Bowl dud against Seattle.

Elway also dreads cut-down day.

“Today is obviously the toughest part of my job,” Elway said. “It’s hard breaking dreams.”

Among the players he dismissed Saturday was nine-year defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, who started 25 games for the defending AFC champs over the past two seasons.

Vickerson was beaten out by Marvin Austin, the latest veteran whom Elway signed to a one-year, no-bonus deal for a shot at resurrecting his career with the Peyton Manning-led Broncos.

Elway also cut third-year safety Duke Ihenacho, who was the odd-man out in a crowded defensive backfield featuring free agent acquisition T.J. Ward.

Other notable players who were either waived or released this weekend, depending in their experience level, included:

–Jets WR Stephen Hill, a 2012 second-round draft pick out of Georgia Tech who failed to follow in the footsteps of fellow alumni Demaryius Thomas and Calvin Johnson. He finished the past two seasons in IR.

–Bengals RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, the team’s top rusher the past two seasons who was made expendable when the team drafted LSU’s Jeremy Hill in the second round.

–Browns WR Nate Burleson, an 11-year veteran who was slowed by a hamstring injury in camp. The Browns are thin at wide receiver after Pro Bowler Josh Gordon was suspended for the entire 2014 season for another violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy.

–Jets CB Dimitri Patterson, ending a bizarre week that began when he left the team before its preseason game against the Giants on Aug. 22, leading to a suspension.

–Saints Ks Shayne Graham and Derek Dimke. The Saints did not immediately indicate what their intentions were at kicker after cutting both the veteran Graham and the rookie Dimke. But they could have in mind one of a number of proven kickers cut by other clubs, including Ryan Succop, who was cut by Kansas City, or Jay Feely, recently cut by the Cardinals.

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AP NFL website: 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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