From Five Years Ago: 11 Percent Remain

Now that final rosters have seemingly been set for Week One of the 2009 NFL season, I took a look at the 2004 Arizona Cardinals roster from my time in the front-office. As we entered training camp that year, we had 85 players on the roster. (During that time roster limits were different due to NFL Europe roster exemptions.) I noticed something that confirms my assessment that NFL players are doomed before they know it.

Remember 2004? That was just five years ago!

Of the 85 players on the roster at that time, there are only 18 players that remain as a combination of the Arizona Cardinals’ roster and other rosters throughout the NFL. Of the 18 remaining players, only 9 remain on the Arizona Cardinals’ roster. That equates to roughly 11 percent of the roster remaining in tact. Only two of those remaining players were drafted in the sixth-round and the remaining seven players were drafted in the third-round or above.  Many players think they have a guaranteed life of prosperity and riches, but quickly crash and burn before they even know what hit them.

Take a look at your favorite NFL team roster from just five years ago and see how many players remain.