Lions release Travis Fisher
In a mildly surprising move, the Lions cut cornerback Travis Fisher on Thursday, a day after releasing tight end Michael Gaines, another of last year's starters as the 0-16 season unraveled. (And also a fellow Central Florida alum, but more on that in a second.)
Fisher no doubt was caught off-guard by the news. Just three weeks ago, he was talking as if he would be a starter in the fall. He actually was last season, initially ahead of Leigh Bodden and later in place of ineffective veteran Brian Kelly. And despite the additions of Philip Buchanon and Anthony Henry, he said it would be a "competitive situation." Buchanan and Henry are the likely starters right now, with Keith Smith and Eric King as the backups.
"It's a situation for me, personally, to go into camp feeling like I'm the No. 1 guy," Fisher said.
Not anymore, obviously. Throw in Daunte Culpepper, who watched the Lions draft Matthew Stafford on Saturday, and Kevin Smith, who probably heard talk of the Lions' possible interest in Beanie Wells in the draft, and it's tough time to be a Central Florida grad in Detroit.
So what does this roster move really mean? Well, it clears about $! million salary-cap space -- Fisher's $1.75 million base salary for '09 minus the accelerated prorated bonus hit of $750,000. That might help pay for a couple other free agents, including DE Kevin Carter, a veteran that Jim Schwartz was raving about today. Larry Foote's still an option as well, though I'm still not convinced the Lions are going to pull the trigger on that one if he comes free.
I asked Schwartz about Travis LaBoy, another pass rusher that Schwartz used to coach. He was released by Arizona this week, but he's a part-time luxury for a better team as an injury-prone situational player right now -- at least that's my take on Schwartz's reply.
