Predators release Pointer
February 20, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release
ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 20, 2007) -- With training camp winding down, the Orlando Predators made one roster move on Tuesday, releasing veteran defensive back Chris Pointer.
Pointer has four seasons of Arena Football League experience. Most recently, he was the starting defensive specialist for the New Orleans VooDoo (2004-05) and the Kansas City Brigade (2006). His career totals included 219 tackles with three interceptions and 38 pass defenses.
Pointer was one of nine defensive backs brought in to training camp by Head Coach Jay Gruden after the team lost three of its top four defensive backs from a season ago. Only third-year, part-time starter Lin-J Shell returned off of last year's National Conference Championship team.
The Predators coaches have indicated that they will keep either four or five defensive backs when a final roster is announced on Sunday. With Shell occupying one spot, that leaves Floyd Young, Ryan Bowers, Micheaux Robinson, Rayshun Reed, and Nick Allison competing for the remaining three or four positions. Earlier in training camp the Predators waived rookies Kevin Washington and Paul Cannings.
"We have a pretty good battle going on for roster spots at defensive back," Gruden added. "Chris is a true professional and when it became apparent that he was not going to make our team, we wanted to give him his release as early as possible to give him a chance to hook on with another Arena team. We certainly wish him well and thank him for his efforts."
Tuesday Notebook: WR Clif Dell remains out with a quad injury...Orlando's 20-man roster for the first game could have as many as nine or 10 players on it who were not with the team a year ago...Orlando brought veteran lineman Doug Miller into camp on a two-day tryout waiver...QB Shane Stafford commutes one day per week to tutor children with Sickle Cell Disease and other blood diseases at the Children's Cancer Center in Tampa...Stafford started volunteering with the center while playing quarterback with the Tampa Bay Storm and continues to do so despite living in Orlando during the season...Stafford has already beginning to establish himself in Orlando as a goodwill ambassador with the Predators...last week he visited the Veterans Administration Hospital in Winter Park and volunteered to hand out awards at the Friday Night Lights High School Football Awards Show....The Predators will hold a Food and Baby Supply Drive at the team's annual Season Ticket Pick-Up Party on Saturday, Feb. 24...the team is asking all fans to bring a non-perishable food items, baby diapers and/or cans of baby formula to the event...all supplies collected will be donated to the BETA Center's Emergency Family Support Services Program...any fan donating an item will be put in a drawing for an authentic Predators football helmet signed by the 2007 team.
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