The phrase "off the street" has no eloquence to it. Those are the words strapped to football's free agents, the wayward players recovering from roster cuts during the season. Some head home, others find new places to workout, all wait by the phone for the random chance to re-enter the NFL.
They can be crucial. The Washington Redskins move toward Sunday's wild-card round playoff game against the Green Bay Packers with a handful of such players on the roster. They're guys who were jettisoned by others but became necessities to them following injuries, then were immediately placed on the field.