On the day before mandatory cuts in the NFL are announced, the league made an addition.
The appointment of Mel Blount as Director of Player Relations Monday gives the former Pittsburgh All-Pro cornerback a career after football and he vows to return the favor for others.
Blount succeeds Claude 'Buddy' Young, who died in an automobile accident on Sept. 4, 1983.
'I'm excited and anxious over this opportunity,' said Blount, a member of the Steelers' four Super Bowl champion teams and a five-time Pro Bowl participant. 'I'm approaching this with the same attitude I had when I came into the NFL. I'm determined to make this player relations job work and be a success at it.
'One area I would like to concentrate on is finding off-season jobs for the players and to make sure they are ready for a career after football. Playing in the NFL is a short-lived career. Not everyone is as fortunate as I was to play 14 years.'
Meanwhile, Blount's former team went about the business of trimming its roster to the mandatory 70 players by Tuesday. The Steelers Monday waived tight end Craig Dunaway, wide receiver Mark Militello of Duke, defensive ends Brett Shugarts of Indiana (Pa.) and George Atiyeh of Louisiana State, running back Keith Cathion of Virginia Union and cornerback Lance Pickens of Ohio University.
Elsewhere in the league:
-- Denver cut linebackers Charles Gaines of Wyoming and Rick Naylor of Notre Dame, safety Ernie Carswell of Alabama State, kicker Jon Poole of Colorado State, cornerback Phil Sutton of Minnesota, safety Joe Taylor of Washington State, guard Guy Thurston of Southern Methodist and Barry Young, a running back from Georgia.
-- The New York Giants waived eight players including veteran wide receiver Johnny Perkins, and placed two others on injured reserve to trim their roster to 64. Perkins, a 7-year pro who led the club with 51 receptions in 1981 and also started in 1982, missed all of last season with an ankle injury and couldn't make a full recovery in training camp.
Also released were second-year wide receiver Mike Miller, rookie running back Dan Dougherty, rookie defensive end James Scott, rookie tight end Dom Blasingame, rookie linebackers J.D. Fuller and Mike Rodriguez and rookie defensive back Eddie Williams. Fourth-year cornerback Le Charls McDaniel and first-year wide receiver Frank Magwood were put on the injured reserve list with ankle injuries.
-- Washington waived wide receiver Curtland Thomas, tight end Clennie Brundidge, defensive tackle James Patterson, cornerback Henry McCloyn, punter John Mack, and kicker Brian Happel. The Redskins also placed guard Roy Simmons, wide receiver Rodney Goosby, linebacker Gerald Bullitt, and defensive end Doug Hermann on injured reserve.
-- San Diego placed running back Bobby Craighead and defensive end Ray Woodard on injury reserve. The Chargers also waived were defensive back Gerry Dickens, kicker Joe Cooper, cornerback Henry Williams, tight end Vince Marshall, wide receiver Broughton Lane, wide receiver Tony Baker, quarterback Darryl Wong and linebacker Ervin Harker.
-- Cincinnati cut linebackers Aaron Jackson and Marlin Evans, wide receivers John Rico and Stephan Benson, tackle Benn Musgrave and defensive end Larry Alexander.
-- St. Louis acquired linebacker John Harper from Atlanta for a draft choice.
-- Atlanta veteran receiver Alfred Jenkins has asked to be released from his contract, saying he has not been getting enough playing time.
Jenkins, a 10-year veteran, returned to the Falcons July 19 after undergoing drug rehabilitation treatment, but has not played in their two exhibition games.
The Falcons released defensive backs Derrick Franklin, DonaldThomas and Clyde Riggins, and tight end Jeff Nault.
-- Indianapolis released were defensive backs Richard Dukes, Howard Lewis,Kevin Ramsey and Harold Woods, linebackers Derek Kelly, Larry Werts and Mike Yacullo, wide receivers Marvin Dumas and Patrick Snow, tight end Bob Fields, tackle Robert Poles and running back Charles Thomas. The Colts put defensive backs Duane Galloway and Greg Long plus guard Bill Stephanos on injured reserve.
-- San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana, who has directed the club to a Super Bowl title and to the NFC title game last season, may be on the verge of membership in the million-dollar club.
Montana, a 6-year veteran, reportedly was close to signing a 6-year, $6.9 million pact. The veteran quarterback said after last season that he would attempt to renegotiate his contract, which had two years remaining on it.
The contract would call for Montana to receive a salary of $800,000 plus a $200,000 signing bonus for this year. He would then receive $1 million in 1985 and '86, $1.3 million in '87 and '88 and $1.4 million in '89.
The 49ers cut cornerback Lee Miller, wide receivers Darius Durham and Dave Mortiz, center Paul Belluomini, quarterback Rudy Castellanos, tight ends Mike Wells and Jonathan Harvey, punter Rusty Karraker, nose tackles Brent Murphy and Ron Killen, guard Ron Motten, running back Reggie Young and kicker Joaquin Zendejas. Offensive lineman Jesse Sapolu and defensive lineman John Hardy were placed on the physically unable to perform list. Quarterback Guy Benjamin, offensive lineman Mark Bonner, defensive back Tim Collier, wide receiver Danny Fulton and defensive lineman Maurice Porter were put on injured reserve.
