TEMPE, Ariz. -- Adam Carriker heard about the Veteran Combine from his die-hard football fan masseuse, and immediately called his agent.
At 30, two years removed from a devastating knee injury, he keeps thinking about something Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long told him when he was drafted in the first round in 2007.
"You don't know what you're doing, but five, six, seven years from now, you'll know what you're doing. Then, you'll be a lot better, and I feel like I've progressed to that point."
The theory among some scouts is that defensive ends and linemen are one of the few positions that can age well. When a player transforms into a technician, they have certain advantages against the run that they haven't had in the past. Carriker is banking on this theory paying dividends.
"I love football, it's very simple for me," he told NFL Media. "I just want to get some teams to bring me in one on one."
Medically, he says he's been cleared by Dr. James Andrews. Physically, he says he's never felt better and is volunteering to do the bench press and shuttle drills even though they aren't part of his position's regiment.
He hasn't gone on any visits since Washington formally released him last March, but expected to draw interest from the roughly 50 scouts in attendance Sunday.
"I just needed an opportunity and I got it, that's all I needed," he said.
He was seen having a conversation with part of the Eagles' contingent, among others.
"I was out of sight out of mind," he said. "That's why this is great for me, I can remind teams 'Hey, I'm still alive. I can still play this game.'"
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