The Washington Redskins have invited University of Pittsburgh basketball standout Chevon Troutman to try out at the three-day rookie minicamp that starts today at Redskin Park.
Troutman, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound power forward, is attempting to become the next Antonio Gates, who blossomed as a San Diego Chargers tight end after a superb basketball career at Kent State. Gates, who signed with San Diego as an undrafted rookie in 2003, caught 81 passes last year and was voted to the Pro Bowl.
Troutman averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds for the Panthers last season and still prefers to pursue an NBA career. But tight end-sized basketball players are in vogue these days — the Denver Broncos on Tuesday signed Mercer’s Wesley Duke — and the Redskins are eager to test the model.
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Washington is impressed with Troutman’s hands and work ethic, but the club realizes he’s very raw and would need at least a year to make the transition from basketball. He last played football at Williamsport (Pa.) Area High School.
Meanwhile, Washington added a punter for minicamp by signing former Ohio State star Andy Groom. Punter Tom Tupa, along with the rest of Washington’s veterans, won’t participate in the three-day session. To make room for Groom on the 80-man roster, Washington released wide receiver Gari Scott.
Groom, 25, entered the league as an undrafted rookie with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003. The Redskins actually sought him at that time, and some club officials were frustrated that quarterback Gibran Hamdan, rather than Groom, was picked in the seventh round. Bryan Barker ended up performing poorly that year and was replaced by Tupa the following spring.
However, Groom has yet to play in an NFL game. Tupa beat him out with the Bucs in 2003, and the San Francisco 49ers cut Groom at the end of training camp last summer.
Barring the unexpected, a similar fate likely will meet Groom this summer. Last year Tupa was a second alternate for the Pro Bowl and ranked third in the NFL with a 44.1-yard average.
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