A roster spot is still far from guaranteed for veteran defensive end and former first round draft pick Marcus Spears, but in Monday’s 3-0 preseason opening victory over the Raiders in Oakland, Spears showed that there’s certainly some petrol left in the tank.
Spears recorded four tackles, including one for a loss, on Monday night. Asked if he felt he had to prove himself, after seeing Kenyon Coleman and Jason Hatcher take over the starting spots at defensive end a year ago, Spears acknowledged that he felt he did--but that proving oneself in the NFL is nothing new.
“I think you have to every year,” Spears said, per ESPN Dallas. “But this year, obviously I’m an eight-year guy. We’ve got a third-round pick and a lot of guys in the room that can play. I have to try and perform my best and let the chips fall where they may.”
A first round pick in 2005, the LSU product is now the elder statesman of an increasingly young defensive line group--a group that includes the increasingly impressive Sean Lissemore, third round draft pick Tyrone Crawford and third-year man Clifton Geathers, who has been piecing together a solid camp himself thus far.
“I’m just trying to in camp and in practice to be solid and have good technique,” Spears said. “I’ve actually been focusing on trying to rush the passer a little bit better with that aspect of the game and hone my run skills better. Right now there are lot of things I’m trying to work on to become a better player.”
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