Friday, May 24, 2002

ProFootballWeekly.com asks personnel expert Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the hottest topics in football. 

RB Holcombe adds versatility to Titans

The Titans agreed to terms Thursday with RB Robert Holcombe on a multiyear contract. The Titans have been looking for a backup to Eddie George and had offered contracts to both Holcombe and Skip Hicks, who spent last season on the Tennessee roster. Holcombe played in 58 games for the Rams with 22 starts in the backfield. He led St. Louis with 15 special-teams tackles last year. Titans RB coach Sherman Smith recruited Holcombe to Illinois, where he became the school’s career rushing leader and was a second-round pick of the Rams in 1998.

Buchsbaum: Holcombe will be a valuable backup for the Titans. They don’t know the status of Eddie George yet. Holcombe could actually be the starting running back in the type of offense they run, though he will not be a star. He is a good, solid back who picks up the blitz, catches the ball, does all the little things, is unselfish and is very good in the clubhouse. He can play running back, one-back, H-back, fullback and on all special teams and is not a prima donna when it comes to playing on special teams.

Cardinals S Tillman to leave NFL for Army

Arizona S Pat Tillman is giving up the NFL for the Army. Tillman said Thursday he is enlisting in the Army for three years. Tillman, a two-year starter at free safety, wants to go through boot camp and join the elite Rangers program with his younger brother, Kevin, an infielder who spent last year with the Cleveland Indians’ organization. Tillman’s agent said Tillman would like to resume his football career when his enlistment is up, but he felt his hand was forced by the military’s age restriction on entry into special-forces units.

Buchsbaum: I can do nothing but tip my hat to Pat Tillman for deciding that it’s much more important to serve his country than to make millions of dollars a year playing football. Tillman was not the most gifted player in the league, but he was one of the smartest and toughest. He was a converted linebacker who, in reality, lacked the speed to play safety but was able to compensate for his lack of speed with instincts, preparation, smarts and toughness.

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2001 - 2002 Season