A pair of former Florida Gators football players followed in the footsteps of Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey and re-signed over the weekend with the teams they played for in 2011.

Safety Reggie Nelson turned down overtures from the New York Jets to return to the Cincinnati Bengals on a four-year contract worth $18 million including $6.5 million in the first season, and quarterback Rex Grossman agreed to rejoin the Washington Redskins for one year with the knowledge that he will not be the team’s starter.

Nelson had a career year for Cincinnati in 2011, registering 85 combined tackles, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 12 pass defenses and a pair of sacks. It was the best he had played since his rookie year in Jacksonville, and the team obviously expected his resurgence to continue in 2012 and beyond.

Grossman started off hot for Washington but reverted to his mean as the season went on. He completed a career-high 57.9 percent of his passes for 3,151 yards with 16 touchdowns and 20 interceptions and went 5-8 as the Redskins’ starter. With Washington trading a boatload of draft picks for the opportunity to select Robert Griffin III in the 2012 NFL Draft, Grossman will be relegated to backup duty in 2012.

Though three Gators are now off the market, 11 other notable former Florida players are currently listed as free agents including: wide receiver Andre Caldwell (Cincinnati), linebacker Channing Crowder (DNP/retirement), LB Andra Davis (Buffalo), running back Earnest Graham (Tampa Bay), defensive end Derrick Harvey (Denver), DE Jarvis Moss (Oakland), LB Mike Peterson (Atlanta), cornerback Lito Sheppard (Oakland), offensive tackle Max Starks, defensive tackle Marcus Thomas (Denver) and DT Gerard Warren (New England).

Photo Credits: Rich Lipski/Associated Press, Cincinnati Enquirer

Tags: Andra Davis, Andre Caldwell, Channing Crowder, Cincinnati Bengals, Derrick Harvey, Draft, Earnest Graham, Gerard Warren, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jarvis Moss, Jeremy Mincey, Lito Sheppard, Marcus Thomas, Max Starks, Mike Peterson, NFL, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, Washington Redskins

1 » Florida Gators head football coach Will Muschamp sat down with Sporting News recently for a question-and-answer session about his first season in Gainesville, FL. Below are a few choice selections from the piece, which can be read in full here.

SN: On a scale of 1-10, what’s your excitement level going into spring practice?
MUSCHAMP: An 11. I’m more excited now than the day I was hired. We’re not building a team, we’re building a program. We recruited well last year, and we’re recruiting well again this year. We’re building our roster back as far as the line of scrimmage. This is a line of scrimmage league. If you don’t have quality depth, you’re going to struggle

SN: You were at 66 scholarship players at one point last fall. How could a program like Florida get to the point where it is nearly 20 scholarships from the NCAA minimum?
MUSCHAMP: We were short on numbers to begin with, and there have been 12 guys who left the program since we took over. We signed 19 players (in 2011), and instead of going out and signing guys just to sign the maximum, we banked them and said we’ll take it in the shorts this year. In the SEC, recruiting is different than anywhere else in the country. If you’re not on for one year, you’ve got no chance.

SN: Your best day at Florida in the last 14 months?
MUSCHAMP: Signing Day this year—Signing Day and the bowl game. They’re together. You springboard into offseason with some momentum, and then we had a great year recruiting.

SN: How hard is it for you to admit you were a soft team?
MUSCHAMP: It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever said. But you go back and look at it, and we didn’t consistently stop the run and we weren’t able to run the ball. You can attribute it to multiple factors. We’ve tried to address that with our strength program, recruiting and overall numbers at multiple positions.

2 » NFL free agency is set to begin Tuesday at 4 p.m., but the Cincinnati Bengals met with safety Reggie Nelson anyway on Sunday to gauge his potential interest in resigning with the team. Nelson’s career had a resurgence in 2011 under Cincinnati defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins. With Miami also expected to be looking for a safety in the offseason, Nelson may have an opportunity to reunite with Coyle in South Florida. The Bengals have more cap space than any team in the league but are not necessarily to be a front-runner for a player who is considered the No. 2 free agent available at his position.

Click to expand and read two more BITS in this post.

Tags: Andre Caldwell, Buffalo Bills, Channing Crowder, Cincinnati Bengals, Derrick Harvey, Earnest Graham, Gerard Warren, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jarvis Moss, Jeremy Mincey, Lito Sheppard, Marcus Thomas, Max Starks, Miami Dolphins, Mike Peterson, NFL, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, Will Muschamp

With the 2011 NFL regular season nearly complete, a number of Florida Gators participated in Week 16 action, many of whom had an impact on their team’s performance. OGGOA has checked and re-checked the box scores to bring you a summary of what these Gators accomplished during the 16th week of the 2011 campaign.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
S REGGIE NELSON, Cincinnati Bengals: Seven tackles (five solo, one for loss) [team-highs], sack, QB hit, pass defense, interception (17-yard return)
WR PERCY HARVIN, Minnesota Vikings Five receptions for 65 yards [team-highs] (targets: 6, long: 36), touchdown; four carries for 39 yards (long: 31); three kickoff returns for 47 yards (long: 23)

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Major Wright, Carlos Dunlap, Jeremy Mincey, Ray McDonald, Jabar Gaffney

Check out how the rest of the Gators in the NFL played…after the break!
Continue Reading » Former Florida Gators in the NFL: Week 16

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Ahmad Black, Andra Davis, Carlos Dunlap, Chas Henry, Cooper Carlisle, David Nelson, Gerard Warren, Jabar Gaffney, Jarvis Moss, Jeremy Mincey, Joe Haden, Justin Trattou, Lito Sheppard, Louis Murphy, Major Wright, Marcus Gilbert, Marcus Thomas, Max Starks, Mike Peterson, Mike Pouncey, Percy Harvin, Ray McDonald, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow

With the 2011 NFL regular season nearly complete, a number of Florida Gators participated in Week 15 action, many of whom had an impact on their team’s performance. OGGOA has checked and re-checked the box scores to bring you a summary of what these Gators accomplished during the 15th week of the 2011 campaign.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
TE AARON HERNANDEZ, New England Patriots: Nine receptions for 129 yards [team-highs] (targets: 11, long: 46), touchdown; carry for 16 yards

Check out how the rest of the Gators in the NFL played…after the break!
Continue Reading » Former Florida Gators in the NFL: Week 15

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Ahmad Black, Andra Davis, Carlos Dunlap, Chas Henry, Cooper Carlisle, David Nelson, Gerard Warren, Jabar Gaffney, Jarvis Moss, Jeremy Mincey, Joe Haden, Justin Trattou, Lito Sheppard, Marcus Gilbert, Marcus Thomas, Maurice Hurt, Max Starks, Mike Peterson, Mike Pouncey, NFL, Percy Harvin, Ray McDonald, Reggie Nelson, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow

With the 2011 NFL season in full swing, a number of Florida Gators participated in Week 14 action, many of whom had an impact on their team’s performance. OGGOA has checked and re-checked the box scores to bring you a summary of what these Gators accomplished during the 14th week of the 2011 campaign.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB TIM TEBOW, Denver Broncos: 21/40 for 236 yards, touchdown, interception (QB rating: 68.3); 12 carries for 49 yards (long: 16), fumble [4th quarter & overtime: 18/24 for 191 yards, TD, set-up game-tying and game-winning field goals]

Check out how the rest of the Gators in the NFL played…after the break!
Continue Reading » Former Florida Gators in the NFL: Week 14

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Andra Davis, Andre Caldwell, Chas Henry, Cooper Carlisle, David Nelson, Jabar Gaffney, Jarvis Moss, Jeremy Mincey, Joe Haden, Justin Trattou, Lito Sheppard, Louis Murphy, Marcus Gilbert, Marcus Thomas, Maurice Hurt, Maurkice Pouncey, Max Starks, Mike Peterson, Mike Pouncey, NFL, Percy Harvin, Ray McDonald, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow

With the 2011 NFL season underway, a number of Florida Gators participated in Week 11 action, many of whom had an impact on their team’s performance. OGGOA has checked and re-checked the box scores to bring you a summary of what these Gators accomplished during the 11th week of the 2011 campaign.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB TIM TEBOW, Denver Broncos: 9/20 for 104 yards (QB rating: 61.2); eight rushes for 68 yards [team-high], 20-yard, game-winning rushing touchdown

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Andre Caldwell, Riley Cooper, Percy Harvin, Jabar Gaffney, Rex Grossman (see below)

Check out how the rest of the Gators in the NFL played…after the break!
Continue Reading » Former Florida Gators in the NFL: Week 11

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Andra Davis, Andre Caldwell, Carlos Dunlap, Chas Henry, Cooper Carlisle, David Nelson, Gerard Warren, Jabar Gaffney, Jarvis Moss, Jeremy Mincey, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Lito Sheppard, Louis Murphy, Major Wright, Marcus Gilbert, Marcus Thomas, Maurice Hurt, Maurkice Pouncey, Max Starks, Mike Peterson, Mike Pouncey, Percy Harvin, Ray McDonald, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow

With the 2011 NFL season underway, a number of Florida Gators participated in Week 10 action, many of whom had an impact on their team’s performance. OGGOA has checked and re-checked the box scores to bring you a summary of what these Gators accomplished during the 10th week of the 2011 campaign.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
DE JEREMY MINCEY, Jacksonville Jaguars: Five tackles (two solo, one for loss), 2.5 sacks, three QB hits
S MAJOR WRIGHT, Chicago Bears: Three tackles (two solo), interception returned 24 yards for touchdown, two pass defenses

Check out how the rest of the Gators in the NFL played…after the break!
Continue Reading » Former Florida Gators in the NFL: Week 10

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Andra Davis, Andre Caldwell, Chas Henry, Cooper Carlisle, David Nelson, Gerard Warren, Jabar Gaffney, Jarvis Moss, Jeremy Mincey, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Lito Sheppard, Louis Murphy, Major Wright, Marcus Gilbert, Marcus Thomas, Maurice Hurt, Maurkice Pouncey, Max Starks, Mike Peterson, Mike Pouncey, NFL, Percy Harvin, Ray McDonald, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow

With the 2011 NFL season underway, a number of Florida Gators participated in Week 9 action, many of whom had an impact on their team’s performance. OGGOA has checked and re-checked the box scores to bring you a summary of what these Gators accomplished during the ninth week of the 2011 campaign.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB TIM TEBOW, Denver Broncos: 10/21 for 124 yards, two touchdowns (QB rating: 98.1), 12 rushes for 118 yards, target

Check out how the rest of the Gators in the NFL played…after the break!
Continue Reading » Former Florida Gators in the NFL: Week 9

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Andra Davis, Andre Caldwell, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Chas Henry, Cooper Carlisle, David Nelson, Gerard Warren, Jabar Gaffney, Jarvis Moss, Joe Haden, Lito Sheppard, Louis Murphy, Major Wright, Marcus Gilbert, Marcus Thomas, Maurice Hurt, Maurkice Pouncey, Max Starks, Mike Peterson, Mike Pouncey, NFL, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow