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Whether you join one of the elite teams in the National Football League or one mired in mediocrity, the path is basically the same; if you’re not drafted and forced to go the undrafted free agent route to make a roster, the odds of seeing your name on the back of a NFL jersey come opening day are monstrously diminutive.
Cordaro Howard sat around draft weekend last April and waited for his name to be called. By the time the annual spectacle was over, 256 prospects had become a member of an NFL franchise.
Howard wasn’t among them.
Obviously disappointed, Howard briefly felt the sting of getting passed over by 32 teams. But rather than have it detour him from his goal of playing in the NFL, Howard immediately scrutinized what organizations would give him the best opportunity to prove his worth and soon after he was on a plane headed to Buffalo to sign with the Buffalo Bills.
Some five months later, Howard will be calling Western New York his home. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, Howard impressed the coaching staff enough over the summer to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
Howard took a resolute approach from the moment he stepped off the plane in Buffalo.
“I went into rookie mini-camp to show that I was capable of adjusting back to a pro-style system regardless of the college system I played in,” Howard said. “I took that same approach into OTA’s so that I could show the coaches I was coachable and eager to be here. I went into camp knowing that as a free agent I had to show that I was versatile and physical and to show that I simply belonged here.”
He did have an advantage over some other unknown commodities on the offensive line trying to make the team. While in college at Georgia Tech, Howard played under current Bills head coach Chan Gailey for three years while offensive coordinator Joe D’Alessandris was also on Gailey’s staff when Howard was a freshman. During his college career, Howard was a three-year starter and two time All-ACC selection.
But college is just that, college. Previous connection or not, Howard recognized the level of play in the NFL was a different breed and making the team, especially after not getting drafted would be anything but a leisurely stroll in the park.
“My biggest adjustment from college to the NFL was mental toughness and my overall daily preparation with football now being a job rather than a way of paying for my education.” Howard said.
It didn’t take long to make a positive impression. In little time he rose up the depth chart and by the time camp started was running regularly with the second unit. In fact, whenever Eric Wood, still recovering at the time from a broken leg, needed a day to rest, it was the unheralded Howard getting most the reps with the first team.
“I felt my hard work paying off when I started off training camp on the second unit,” he said. “I felt that was a sign that I was at least going to be given a shot to make the team.”
Howard is one of four undrafted free agents to earn his spot on the Bills’ 53-man active roster. The others were linebacker Antonio Coleman as well as wide receivers David Nelson and Donald Jones.
Of the four, Nelson has by far made the most noise. His outstanding training camp and preseason play ultimately pushed veterans James Hardy and Chad Jackson out the door. He’s expected to become a big contributor to the offense early in the season.
“(David) Nelson picked up the scheme fast and he worked hard to prove he belonged,” he said. “It was apparent in the end that was he going to make this team. He definitely earned it.”
So has Howard. He’ll start the season as the team’s seventh offensive linemen and first guard off the bench should Wood or starting left guard Andy Levitre have to leave the game or if Wood needs to replace Geoff Hangartner at center. With Wood’s reps limited throughout the summer and the recent history of Bills linemen getting banged up, the odds of Howard seeing the field are as humungous as his six-foot-four, 314-pound frame.
He’ll be ready.
“You just work hard and prepare every week to play whether you’re the star of the team or the last guy on the roster,” he said. “Anything can and does happen in this league and when your number is called you have to be ready mentally as well as physically to go out and do what you go to do and keep the team going forward.”
Exultant as Howard was last Saturday morning upon finding out his spot on the roster was secured; there were plenty of moments filled with mixed emotions. Many teammates he worked with on a daily basis and quickly grew close to saw it become the end of the line; at least for their dream of playing for the Bills. Some of those guys included seventh round draft pick Kyle Calloway and fellow undrafted rookie Sean Allen as well as guys who’ve previously spent time with the Bills y including Christian Gaddis, Andre Ramsey and Kirk Chambers.
“It was extremely hard to see some good people come into my life and leave so quickly,” he said. “We all bonded and understood that this place was a business and that we have to work hard wherever we end up to remain in this league.”
While it’s now his professional duty to eat, sleep and breathe football, it wasn’t always that way. The son of Ulanda Howard and Willie Jones, Cordaro wasn’t a huge football fan as a child. In fact, in his early years he didn’t even have a favorite team to root for. He also will readily admit when he did start turning on the television to check out games, it wasn’t the Bills he was looking for on the dial.
“I grew up in my early years in Columbus, Georgia where as a child I was never a fan favorite of any team,” he said. “I got more into football when I moved to Alabama for middle school. I became a huge fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for some reason. My favorite player was John Lynch because he played with so much passion and with aggression.”
He hasn’t been in Buffalo for long, but it’s taken him virtually no time to comprehend how fervent the fans are in Buffalo.
“I’ve only gotten to play at the Stadium once in the preseason game against Cincinnati, but you could feel the passion and excitement from the fans here already,” he said. “It’s crazy. I’ve talked to a lot of the veterans and to a man they say we have the best fans in the league and these are the kind of fans that stick by you as long as you give it everything you got. I can’t wait for us to get on the field and establish who we are and get these fans pumped up to watch some good football.”
The Bills haven’t made the playoff in the decades and every prognosticator out there has the streak reaching 11, but Howard points out that this is a whole new coaching staff that comes complete with a roster makeover. Of the 53 men currently on the roster, 15 of them weren’t on the team just one year ago.
Howard knows the route to offensive success for the Bills will come in the trenches. Being able to establish their identity in the running game will force more defenders into the box, which he says will open things up for Trent Edwards to make more plays.
“This franchise is going to show that we are going to establish the run game and own the line of scrimmage,” he said. “Then we will use it to open our passing game with the weapons we have on the outside.”
Cordaro Howard sat around draft weekend last April and waited for his name to be called. By the time the annual spectacle was over, 256 prospects had become a member of an NFL franchise.
Howard wasn’t among them.
Obviously disappointed, Howard briefly felt the sting of getting passed over by 32 teams. But rather than have it detour him from his goal of playing in the NFL, Howard immediately scrutinized what organizations would give him the best opportunity to prove his worth and soon after he was on a plane headed to Buffalo to sign with the Buffalo Bills.
Some five months later, Howard will be calling Western New York his home. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, Howard impressed the coaching staff enough over the summer to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
Howard took a resolute approach from the moment he stepped off the plane in Buffalo.
“I went into rookie mini-camp to show that I was capable of adjusting back to a pro-style system regardless of the college system I played in,” Howard said. “I took that same approach into OTA’s so that I could show the coaches I was coachable and eager to be here. I went into camp knowing that as a free agent I had to show that I was versatile and physical and to show that I simply belonged here.”
He did have an advantage over some other unknown commodities on the offensive line trying to make the team. While in college at Georgia Tech, Howard played under current Bills head coach Chan Gailey for three years while offensive coordinator Joe D’Alessandris was also on Gailey’s staff when Howard was a freshman. During his college career, Howard was a three-year starter and two time All-ACC selection.
But college is just that, college. Previous connection or not, Howard recognized the level of play in the NFL was a different breed and making the team, especially after not getting drafted would be anything but a leisurely stroll in the park.
“My biggest adjustment from college to the NFL was mental toughness and my overall daily preparation with football now being a job rather than a way of paying for my education.” Howard said.
It didn’t take long to make a positive impression. In little time he rose up the depth chart and by the time camp started was running regularly with the second unit. In fact, whenever Eric Wood, still recovering at the time from a broken leg, needed a day to rest, it was the unheralded Howard getting most the reps with the first team.
“I felt my hard work paying off when I started off training camp on the second unit,” he said. “I felt that was a sign that I was at least going to be given a shot to make the team.”
Howard is one of four undrafted free agents to earn his spot on the Bills’ 53-man active roster. The others were linebacker Antonio Coleman as well as wide receivers David Nelson and Donald Jones.
Of the four, Nelson has by far made the most noise. His outstanding training camp and preseason play ultimately pushed veterans James Hardy and Chad Jackson out the door. He’s expected to become a big contributor to the offense early in the season.
“(David) Nelson picked up the scheme fast and he worked hard to prove he belonged,” he said. “It was apparent in the end that was he going to make this team. He definitely earned it.”
So has Howard. He’ll start the season as the team’s seventh offensive linemen and first guard off the bench should Wood or starting left guard Andy Levitre have to leave the game or if Wood needs to replace Geoff Hangartner at center. With Wood’s reps limited throughout the summer and the recent history of Bills linemen getting banged up, the odds of Howard seeing the field are as humungous as his six-foot-four, 314-pound frame.
He’ll be ready.
“You just work hard and prepare every week to play whether you’re the star of the team or the last guy on the roster,” he said. “Anything can and does happen in this league and when your number is called you have to be ready mentally as well as physically to go out and do what you go to do and keep the team going forward.”
Exultant as Howard was last Saturday morning upon finding out his spot on the roster was secured; there were plenty of moments filled with mixed emotions. Many teammates he worked with on a daily basis and quickly grew close to saw it become the end of the line; at least for their dream of playing for the Bills. Some of those guys included seventh round draft pick Kyle Calloway and fellow undrafted rookie Sean Allen as well as guys who’ve previously spent time with the Bills y including Christian Gaddis, Andre Ramsey and Kirk Chambers.
“It was extremely hard to see some good people come into my life and leave so quickly,” he said. “We all bonded and understood that this place was a business and that we have to work hard wherever we end up to remain in this league.”
While it’s now his professional duty to eat, sleep and breathe football, it wasn’t always that way. The son of Ulanda Howard and Willie Jones, Cordaro wasn’t a huge football fan as a child. In fact, in his early years he didn’t even have a favorite team to root for. He also will readily admit when he did start turning on the television to check out games, it wasn’t the Bills he was looking for on the dial.
“I grew up in my early years in Columbus, Georgia where as a child I was never a fan favorite of any team,” he said. “I got more into football when I moved to Alabama for middle school. I became a huge fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for some reason. My favorite player was John Lynch because he played with so much passion and with aggression.”
He hasn’t been in Buffalo for long, but it’s taken him virtually no time to comprehend how fervent the fans are in Buffalo.
“I’ve only gotten to play at the Stadium once in the preseason game against Cincinnati, but you could feel the passion and excitement from the fans here already,” he said. “It’s crazy. I’ve talked to a lot of the veterans and to a man they say we have the best fans in the league and these are the kind of fans that stick by you as long as you give it everything you got. I can’t wait for us to get on the field and establish who we are and get these fans pumped up to watch some good football.”
The Bills haven’t made the playoff in the decades and every prognosticator out there has the streak reaching 11, but Howard points out that this is a whole new coaching staff that comes complete with a roster makeover. Of the 53 men currently on the roster, 15 of them weren’t on the team just one year ago.
Howard knows the route to offensive success for the Bills will come in the trenches. Being able to establish their identity in the running game will force more defenders into the box, which he says will open things up for Trent Edwards to make more plays.
“This franchise is going to show that we are going to establish the run game and own the line of scrimmage,” he said. “Then we will use it to open our passing game with the weapons we have on the outside.”
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