Sleeper Watch

There are sleepers and then there are deep sleepers, and the days between the end of the regular season and the impending buildup to the NFL draft (which seems to be earlier every year, kind of like Christmas carols and tinsel popping up at the local mall) are a good time to look at sleepers of the deep variety. And the player to be featured in the latest installment of this column is about as deep as the Marianas Trench.

In 2002, linebacker Mike Maslowski racked up 126 tackles (96 solo, 30 assists), the 16th-highest total in the league, along with three interceptions and a sack. Since then, things haven’t gone so well for the former Chief. Knee injuries derailed what appeared to be a promising career, and Maslowski hasn’t played a game since the 2003 season. He tried to return to Kansas City last fall, but failed to make the team.

The hard-hitting LB hasn’t given up yet, however. In December, Maslowski worked out with both Green Bay and New England in an attempt to draw interest for the 2006 season. It’s too early to say whether he’ll be able to catch on with a team, but his comeback bid is worth keeping an eye on. If his knee trouble is truly behind him and he winds up in the right situation, Maslowski could be not only a feel-good story, but a sneaky late-round LB option in deep IDP leagues.

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