Predators waive two, QB Sanders returns

January 11, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release


ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 11) -- Searching for the right combination to make up his final roster, Orlando Predators Head Coach Jay Gruden began the annual training camp player shuffle on Tuesday, waiving two players and adding two.

Gruden announced the re-signing of quarterback Chris Sanders and lineman Shawn King; while releasing lineman Leon Scott and quarterback Romero Miller.

Sanders went to camp with the Predators in 2004, but was released at the end of the pre-season when Gruden decided to keep veteran Connell Maynor as Joe Hamilton's back-up. Sanders, who played for the Buffalo Destroyers in 2003, signed with Manchester of the "arenafootball2" league, where he started all 16 games for the Wolves. Sanders ranked second in the league with 4,184 yards passing, becoming just the 10th player in league history to eclipse the 4,000-yard plateau while throwing for 66 touchdowns. With Manchester, Sanders set seven new team records. He also led the team in rushing yards (129) and ranked second in the af2 in rushing touchdowns with 18.

"I wasn't real comfortable with our depth a quarterback," Gruden said. "Chris is a veteran quarterback that gained a lot of arena experience in "af2" last year." In addition to his previous arena experience, Sanders went to NFL training camp with Tennessee (2001 and 2002) and spent time with the Atlanta Falcons (2002).

King was on the roster for the Tampa Bay Storm for 10 weeks in 2004. He played in three games, recording four tackles with a forced fumble, fumble recovery and a quarterback sack. He was waived and spent a couple of weeks on the Orlando Predators roster, but did not play in any games.

Miller, a former standout at Ole Miss, had played the last three seasons in the Canadian League; while Scott was a former standout at Florida A&M.

PREDS NOTES: Former Predators assistant coach Les Moss and former quarterback Ben Bennett have spent the better part of the last week at Predators practices.Moss (Scranton - Wilkes Barre) and Bennett (Manchester) are both head coaches in the "arenafootball2" league and were scouting potential talent."Get off to a good start," has been the theme of this year's training camp.Head Coach Jay Gruden has constantly hammered home the point in training camp that the team can ill afford to match the 2-4 start from a season ago.the team's "Black and Red Ball," black-tie fundraiser to benefit the Orlando Predators Foundation, is set for Jan. 21 at the TD Waterhouse Centre.Rudy Ruettiger, whose life story was the basis for the hit movie "Rudy" is scheduled to be the guest speaker.tickets and information is available by calling 407-44-PREDS.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 11, 2005


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