NFL On The Fringe

Steve Wyche takes a look back at the five wild rides we witnessed this summer as Ian Johnson, Lance Long, David Tyree, Boomer Grigsby, and Coy Wire fought for their NFL lives.

Rookie running back Ian Johnson was signed to the Vikings’ eight-man practice squad a day after being released from the team. The undrafted tailback from Boise State was the fourth rusher on a team that kept three — Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor and Albert Young.

As a member of the practice squad, another team could make a claim on Johnson. The Vikings would have the right to retain him but they would have to place him on their active roster.

Johnson had hoped another team would claim him off waivers but that did not happen.

“I’m going to keep working,” Johnson said in a text message Sunday.

– Steve Wyche

Ian Johnson, who was cut by the Vikings today, reflects on his time with Minnesota and what he’s going to do next to make his NFL dreams come true.

Not long after being told he would no longer play for the Giants, WR David Tyree was headed to Chuck E. Cheese with his four children.

Nothing like kids to bring you back to reality.

Also easing Tyree’s crushed emotions was the likelihood that he would be with another team by early next week. His agent, Mike Couser, has been taking calls.

“We’ve got a buzz already, so I’ll just let the dust settle and make a decision after that,” Tyree said.

The Ravens have called, and that’s the ideal landing spot for Tyree. It’s an upstanding organization, a playoff team, it needs a wide receiver, but it also wants as many good special-teams players as possible, seeing as coach John Harbaugh is a former special-teams coordinator. And though Tyree made one of the more memorable catches in Super Bowl history, he made the Pro Bowl on special teams.

Tyree’s big problem this training camp — after missing all of last season with knee and hamstring injuries — was that nagging injuries limited him to two preseason games, all but extinguishing his opportunities to make a team loaded with young wide receivers — and special teamers.

“To be released, that’s not what I desired; it’s not how I wanted to end my career,” Tyree said. “A lot of things the past 18 months haven’t gone my way. What I accomplished there was awesome. I was a part of some great football teams. It is a team that always will reside in my heart. I believe they will be a great team this year. I just hope that wherever I land, there will be more amazing things to remember.”

– Steve Wyche

• For all roster cuts, go to NFL.com’s transaction page

Coy Wire has made the cut with the Falcons, who released 13 players today to get down to a 53-man roster.

Wire played in all 16 games last season, including four starts at linebacker. He’s entering his eighth season in the NFL.

Former Boise State star Ian Johnson said his bid to latch on as a running back with the Vikings has failed.

The undrafted free agent was cut today by the back-stacked team that features Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. Johnson, the only rookie featured in NFL.com’s On The Fringe Series, couldn’t unseat Albert Young as the No. 3 tailback in Minnesota.

Johnson had a solid preseason, gaining 117 yards on 33 carries (with two touchdowns) and 59 yards on six receptions. However, his lack of playing time on special teams –- which is vital to all fringe players –- hurt.

Johnson must go through waivers, where another team could sign him. Still, it’s more likely that he will be re-signed to Minnesota’s practice squad, which the team told him was its intent.

– Steve Wyche

Rookie RB Ian Johnson was cut by the Vikings, but he most likely will be signed to their practice squad. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

• For all roster cuts, go to NFL.com’s transaction page

The Chiefs and Ravens are among the teams that have expressed interest in veteran WR David Tyree, who was released by the Giants today, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Since Tyree is a vested veteran and can sign right away, there is a chance he could be with another team within the next few days, the source said.

Though both teams need help at wide receiver, Tyree is coveted more for his special-teams play. He was a special-teams Pro Bowler and is especially adept on punt coverage. However, nagging injuries and a deep receiver pool limited his availability this preseason, resulting in him being let go by the Giants.

–Steve Wyche

The Chiefs and Ravens have expressed interest in WR David Tyree, who was just released by the Giants. (Mike Groll / Associated Press)

Super Bowl XLII hero David Tyree had hoped to make a triumphant return to the Giants, one year after suffering a season-ending knee injury. Yet nagging injuries and an abundance of younger competition in training camp led to Tyree being waived today.

“It’s pretty emotional,” said Tyree’s agent, Mark Clouser.

Tyree was one of five featured players on NFL.com’s On The Fringe series. He arguably had the most difficult circumstances to overcome, and in the end, he simply couldn’t break through all that. Tyree was inconsistent during workouts and didn’t play in the final two preseason games because of a hamstring injury, so his release wasn’t unexpected.

Tyree probably won’t be out of work for long. Two wide receiver-needy AFC teams already have made contact with Clouser about Tyree. He doesn’t have to clear waivers because he is a vested veteran, meaning Tyree is free to immediately sign with any team.

–Steve Wyche

With one last chance to convince Vikings coaches that he deserves a spot on the 53-man roster, rookie RB Ian Johnson was at his best.

Johnson’s stats against the Cowboys were outstanding — 61 rushing yards and two touchdowns to go along with 26 receiving yards — but it was the matter in which he compiled them that was even more noticeable.

Despite being taken to the ground awkwardly on a second-quarter tackle and seemingly rolling his ankle, Johnson was unfazed, unhurt and continued to play with no hesitation. He showed prescient vision on many of his runs and bulldozed defenders into the end zone on his two touchdowns. He also demonstrated soft hands, catching all three passes thrown his way.

Whether or not it was enough to earn Johnson that coveted roster spot remains to be seen, but he definitely did all he could to make it hard on the Vikings to let him go.

Even if Johnson is cut Saturday (Albert Lee, with whom he is competing, also played well, rushing for 55 yards), he most likely will be brought back to the Vikings as a practice-squad player.

Of course, with the way Johnson closed the preseason, another team might choose to sign him to its active roster before Minnesota has a chance to put him on the practice squad.

Lance Long is one of seven wide receivers to make the Cardinals’ final roster, as the team trimmed its roster to 53 players Friday.

Long joins Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, Early Doucet, Larry Fitzgerald, Sean Morey and Jerheme Urban on the Cardinals’ final roster. Ed Gant, Onrea Jones and Steve Sanders — who had been competing with Long in training camp for roster spots — were released.

Among the notable cuts by the Cardinals include safety Aaron Francisco, who was victimized on Santonio Holmes’ Super Bowl XLIII-winning touchdown catch, and TE Leonard Pope, who started in Super Bowl XLIII.

Other players released by the Cardinals include: LB Chase Bullock, G Trevor Canfield, FB Tim Castille, CB Jameel Dowling, DT Deilen Dykes, DE Alex Field, CB Wilrey Fontenot, C Melvin Fowler, LB Victor Hobson, LB David Holloway, DT Rodney Leisle, FB Reagan Maui’a, G Carlton Medder, QB Tyler Palko, OT Oliver Ross and RB Chris Vincent.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said an injury to Doucet, out with fractured ribs, figured in the decision to keep seven wide receivers.

“With Early in his situation and not being sure about when he’ll be able to play,” Whisenhunt said, “it made that decision critical.” Full story …

WR Lance Long has made the Cardinals' 53-man roster. (Paul Connors / Associated Press)