Back in 2005, things couldn’t have been going better for Alex Barron. He had just wrapped up his senior season with Florida State and was drafted in the first-round by the St. Louis Rams (19th overall). But over 5 years with the team, Barron never seemed to develop into the player that was promised and was even the 2nd most penalized player in the NFL during that span.
More of a liability than an asset, the Rams traded Barron to the Dallas Cowboys in 2010 for LB Bobby Carpenter. In his time with the Cowboys, things didn’t go much better. In fact, his first regular season game with Dallas could have very well been his last after a holding call negated what would have been the game-winning touchdown – his first season would be his last season in Dallas.
Following his time with the Cowboys, Barron signed on with New Orleans as a free-agent in 2011 however just over two weeks after signing, he was put on the IR with a season-ending injury and later released.
2012 looked to be a new start with Seattle but the then 29 year old was released about a week before the season.
After two years out of the game, you pretty much become an after-thought and Alex Barron almost did. If it wasn’t for the Oakland Raiders coming to scout G Menelik Watson at Florida State, their eventual 2nd round pick, they might not have even known about Barron. But as luck would have it, Barron happened to be in Tallahassee and caught the eye of the scouts.
Oakland would later sign Barron, but as he knew all too well, signing with a team doesn’t mean you are going to make the team, and it definitely doesn’t mean you’re going to play.
Well, it appears as though Alex Barron will get another chance and there is even talk of him starting for the Raiders in 2013.
“I’ve been impressed with the things Alex Barron has done, and that’s been a nice surprise for us,” said Raiders’ head coach Dennis Allen. “I’m really anxious to see what a guy like that does when he gets into the preseason games, and see if what he’s been doing out here on the practice field translates into the game.”
Could this possibly be the Comeback Player of 2013?
Probably not because he doesn’t have the big name and definitely isn’t going to rush for 2,000 yards like Adrian Peterson did in 2012. But, that doesn’t mean his comeback couldn’t end up being just as remarkable after missing not one, but two full NFL seasons.
Best of luck Alex!