CARDS: Gameday 1992, Skybox Impact 1992
ACQUIRED: Paid Signing, 2023

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• At the conclusion of his defensive career at Texas A&M, John Roper was considered one of the finest LBs to play at the school.
• A member of the famed ‘Wrecking Crew’ during the heyday of the Southwest Conference, Roper played for the Aggies from 1985-’88.
• In 1987 he was named the SWC Defensive Player of the Year after notching 104 tackles.
• Forced 9 fumbles over college career, and posted back to back 15 sack seasons in 1987 and ’88.
• Selected in the second round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
• Saw action in the final 10 games at RLB posting 4.5 sacks, 41 tackles, 6 pass deflections, and 2 interceptions.
• Became a fulltime starter in 1991, and responded with 8 sacks and 90 tackles.
• After the team converted to a 4-3 in 1993, Roper was traded to the Cowboys (along with Kerry Blackwell and Markus Paul) in exchange for Barry Minter, Vinson Smith, and a 6th round pick.
• Saw action in just 3 games, recording 2 sacks and 3 tackles- but would later be cut.
• Joined the Philadelphia Eagles for the remainder of the season, but was cut after the season due to salary cap issues.
• He’d retire soon thereafter, seeing action in 68 games- starting 39.

NOTES:

Roper was at an affordable price point for me, and as he doesn’t sign TTM, I took a flyer on these two set needs. He was a member of the great 1989 NFL Draft, and surprisingly didn’t appear on a card until Pro Set in 1990, despite his accolades at A&M and impact as a situational starter for the Bears early on.

One should wonder how his career would’ve turned out if he wasn’t squeezed out of Chicago to Dallas in a lateral move of defensive styles. It was a curious trade at the time since both defenses applied the same 4-3 system, so he was an odd man out in Dallas as well.

TAC	SAC	FUM	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
N/a	18.0	1	2	46	23.0	0	43