Commentary | Ebb and flow of NFL life touches local players; Jon Dowling's career on the upswing with Raiders
NFL careers are for the most part short, averaging three to six years depending on what criteria you use.
They can end at anytime for any reason. It's a reason Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith says he always feels he is a working on a one-year deal.
Mistakes are often magnified and opportunities cannot be wasted. Good and bad news flow independent of each other as recently shown among some local players.
Former Manatee High standout receiver/punt returner Ace Sanders was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars this past week, but Southeast product Jon Dowling, appears to be making inroads with the Oakland Raiders, who selected him with their final pick in the 2014 draft.
Sanders exceeded expectations as an NFL rookie with Jacksonville in 2013 and fell short last season after missing the first four games after violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
After a tumultuous beginning to his college career with off-the-field issues, Dowling appears to be heading in the right direction.
He played sparingly last year, learning his trade behind aging future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson. But the Raiders want to give Dowling more playing time.
At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, he has size, speed and athleticism. Dowling also showed a knack for forcing fumbles at Western Kentucky with nine in two seasons. He was basically playing special teams last year for the Raiders until placed on injured reserve in December with a back problem.
Dowling is healthy now and drew raves from the coaching staff at the Raiders minicamp last month, causing a lot of problems for quarterback Christian Ponder by getting an interception and breaking up several passes.
The 38-year-old Woodson had five interceptions last season, but gave up the most yardage after the catch among safeties, according to Pro Football Focus, and was not good on run support.
The Raiders acquired former USF standout Nate Allen from Philadelphia to bolster its safety position. He and Woodson are expected to start, but the backups and potential future starters for the Raiders at safety appear to be wide open with Dowling the fan favorite in a recent poll.
While Sanders is gone at Jacksonville, former Palmetto wide receiver Damian Copeland, who played at Louisville, has won the coaches' hearts with his attitude and is expected to be with the team when preseason camp opens.
He has a shot at making a squad that is deep in receivers, but has a hole at punt returner with Sanders' departure. Unfortunately for Copeland, he did not return punts in college.
Lakewood Ranch/USF product Austin Reiter is one of five offensive linemen the Washington Redskins drafted in the past two years and will go into preseason camp with more than a legitimate shot to make the 53-man roster.
The Skins love his durability, which enabled him to start 36 straight games at USF and miss only one offensive snap last year. Reiter is among many standout offensive linemen the Lakewood Ranch football program has produced.
Speaking about pro careers, the average NBA career is 4.8 years, and baseball is 5.6 years, according to respected studies.
Vitale counsels Winston
Dick Vitale has apparently made a lasting positive impression on Tampa Bay Bucs rookie quarterback Jameis Winston.
Winston was at the Dick Vitale Gala in May, and the jocular master of hoops sat down with the former FSU quarterback, whom the Bucs took with the first pick of the 2015 NFL Draft.
The gala marks the end of a year of fundraising by Vitale to help pediatric cancer research and provide assistance to kids still fighting cancer, many of whom were in attendance.
"I told him life was all about making choices and he needed to make the right choices. I felt I got through to him and he responded well. The big thing he kept saying at the gala was that he wanted to meet the kids," Vitale said.
Vitale got another surprise in June when Winston texted him a Happy Father's Day note, apparently showing his gratitude for the guidance Vitale tried to provide.
"I didn't expect it. It was a surprise," Vitale said.
Alan Dell, Herald sports writer, can be reached at 941-745-7056. Follow him on Twitter @ADellSports.
This story was originally published July 18, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Commentary | Ebb and flow of NFL life touches local players; Jon Dowling's career on the upswing with Raiders."