bubba9497
March-31st-2005, 06:45 PM
NFL Truth & Rumors: March 31, 2005
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/scorecard/03/31/truth.rumors.nfl/index.html
Bills president Tom Donahoe discounted Travis Henry's threat to sit out if he's not traded, saying the running back would seriously hurt his career if he missed next season. "I have heard every threat that there is," Donahoe said. "It's just that time of year where people posture. But to take the year off and not play football, that is professional suicide."
-- Tacoma News Tribune
The Cardinals remained interested in trading offensive tackle L.J. Shelton for Buffalo running back Travis Henry, but a potential swap probably wouldn't happen until during the draft in April.
-- Arizona Republic
The Bears' plans for a No. 3 quarterback took a hit when it was announced Kurt Kittner will be relegated to backup status in NFL Europe. After failing to sign one of the top three veteran free-agent quarterbacks available -- Kurt Warner, Jay Fiedler and Brad Johnson -- the Bears had put quarterback acquisition plans on hold. The idea was to have Kittner and Ryan Dinwiddie develop by getting playing time. However, Kittner was beaten out for the starting spot with the Amsterdam Admirals by Seahawks reserve Gibran Hamdan. This means little or no development time for Kittner. Dinwiddie is expected to be a backup for the Hamburg Sea Dogs.
-- Tinley Park Daily Southtown
As it stands, the Bears have Rex Grossman coming off knee surgery, Chad Hutchinson as backup, and Craig Krenzel battling Kittner and Dinwiddie for the third spot. Bears coach Lovie Smith isn't convinced the Bears need to acquire a veteran backup. He has discounted re-signing veteran Jeff George, but would not completely rule out the possibility.
-- Tinley Park Daily Southtown
Quarterback Josh McCown signed a $1.4 million tender offer with the Cardinals.
-- Tacoma News Tribune
The trade of Reuben Droughns is another indication that Tatum Bell will get the opportunity to be the next 1,000-yard rusher for the Broncos. One of the reasons the Broncos granted Droughns' request -- and why he asked for it in the first place -- is because they had decided Bell will get first crack at being the team's primary tailback in 2005.
-- Denver Post
In a free-agent shopping spree that has landed four former Browns defensive linemen -- Gerard Warren, Courtney Brown, Ebenezer Ekuban and Michael Myers -- in in a three-week span, Denver's decision makers have gone where few, if any, teams have gone before. But Brown, Warren and Ekuban have not played up to the potential most teams believed they had when they were drafted. Myers, added to the deal for Droughns as injury insurance for the Broncos in case Ekuban needed more time to recover from knee and shoulder injuries, is scheduled to earn $667,000 this season and might be the best pure value among the four players.
-- Rocky Mountain News
The 49ers had free-agent wide receiver David Boston in for an interview.
-- San Francisco Chronicle
Running back Jesse Chatman re-signed with the Chargers.
-- Tacoma News Tribune
With Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton in the fold, the Bucs still could use another veteran receiver in the rotation and have turned their attention to free agent Curtis Conway.
-- St. Petersburg Times
They Jaguars brought in veteran end Marcellus Wiley, recently cut by the Cowboys, for a visit and he quickly signed a one-year deal.
-- Florida Times-Union
The Jaguars have looked at one other player this week, wide receiver Alex Bannister, a four-year veteran who is noted as a good special teams player.
-- Jacksonville Times-Union
The Dolphins are expected to entertain their first wide receiver on a free-agent visit this offseason when Tampa Bay's Charles Lee meets Monday with team officials.
-- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Kendrell Bell for Monty Beisel? That's not a linebacker swap most NFL analysts would anticipate, but it's one the Steelers may be in the process of consummating, more or less. Bell, formerly of the Steelers, signed with Kansas City as an unrestricted free agent March 8. Beisel, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Chiefs, paid a free-agent visit to the Steelers Wednesday.
-- Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Guard Will Shields is deciding whether to return to the Chiefs for a 13th season or retire. He hasn't missed a game since joining the NFL with the Chiefs in 1993 -- and that streak of 192 games. But the Chiefs haven't won a playoff game since Shields' rookie season, and that prospect for this year doesn't look promising in light of their 2004 record of 7-9. His agent, Joe Linta says, "He's asking the question: Do I really want to push this one more year? He's having that discussion with his family."
-- Kansas City Star
Chiefs linebacker Monty Beisel, an unrestricted free agent, had his first meeting with another team. Beisel was in Pittsburgh visiting with the Steelers. He has a visit scheduled next week with the Packers.
-- Kansas City Star
Dolphins defensive end Jay Williams, a recent free-agent visitor to Kansas City, signed instead with St. Louis.
-- Kansas City Star
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/scorecard/03/31/truth.rumors.nfl/index.html
Bills president Tom Donahoe discounted Travis Henry's threat to sit out if he's not traded, saying the running back would seriously hurt his career if he missed next season. "I have heard every threat that there is," Donahoe said. "It's just that time of year where people posture. But to take the year off and not play football, that is professional suicide."
-- Tacoma News Tribune
The Cardinals remained interested in trading offensive tackle L.J. Shelton for Buffalo running back Travis Henry, but a potential swap probably wouldn't happen until during the draft in April.
-- Arizona Republic
The Bears' plans for a No. 3 quarterback took a hit when it was announced Kurt Kittner will be relegated to backup status in NFL Europe. After failing to sign one of the top three veteran free-agent quarterbacks available -- Kurt Warner, Jay Fiedler and Brad Johnson -- the Bears had put quarterback acquisition plans on hold. The idea was to have Kittner and Ryan Dinwiddie develop by getting playing time. However, Kittner was beaten out for the starting spot with the Amsterdam Admirals by Seahawks reserve Gibran Hamdan. This means little or no development time for Kittner. Dinwiddie is expected to be a backup for the Hamburg Sea Dogs.
-- Tinley Park Daily Southtown
As it stands, the Bears have Rex Grossman coming off knee surgery, Chad Hutchinson as backup, and Craig Krenzel battling Kittner and Dinwiddie for the third spot. Bears coach Lovie Smith isn't convinced the Bears need to acquire a veteran backup. He has discounted re-signing veteran Jeff George, but would not completely rule out the possibility.
-- Tinley Park Daily Southtown
Quarterback Josh McCown signed a $1.4 million tender offer with the Cardinals.
-- Tacoma News Tribune
The trade of Reuben Droughns is another indication that Tatum Bell will get the opportunity to be the next 1,000-yard rusher for the Broncos. One of the reasons the Broncos granted Droughns' request -- and why he asked for it in the first place -- is because they had decided Bell will get first crack at being the team's primary tailback in 2005.
-- Denver Post
In a free-agent shopping spree that has landed four former Browns defensive linemen -- Gerard Warren, Courtney Brown, Ebenezer Ekuban and Michael Myers -- in in a three-week span, Denver's decision makers have gone where few, if any, teams have gone before. But Brown, Warren and Ekuban have not played up to the potential most teams believed they had when they were drafted. Myers, added to the deal for Droughns as injury insurance for the Broncos in case Ekuban needed more time to recover from knee and shoulder injuries, is scheduled to earn $667,000 this season and might be the best pure value among the four players.
-- Rocky Mountain News
The 49ers had free-agent wide receiver David Boston in for an interview.
-- San Francisco Chronicle
Running back Jesse Chatman re-signed with the Chargers.
-- Tacoma News Tribune
With Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton in the fold, the Bucs still could use another veteran receiver in the rotation and have turned their attention to free agent Curtis Conway.
-- St. Petersburg Times
They Jaguars brought in veteran end Marcellus Wiley, recently cut by the Cowboys, for a visit and he quickly signed a one-year deal.
-- Florida Times-Union
The Jaguars have looked at one other player this week, wide receiver Alex Bannister, a four-year veteran who is noted as a good special teams player.
-- Jacksonville Times-Union
The Dolphins are expected to entertain their first wide receiver on a free-agent visit this offseason when Tampa Bay's Charles Lee meets Monday with team officials.
-- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Kendrell Bell for Monty Beisel? That's not a linebacker swap most NFL analysts would anticipate, but it's one the Steelers may be in the process of consummating, more or less. Bell, formerly of the Steelers, signed with Kansas City as an unrestricted free agent March 8. Beisel, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Chiefs, paid a free-agent visit to the Steelers Wednesday.
-- Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Guard Will Shields is deciding whether to return to the Chiefs for a 13th season or retire. He hasn't missed a game since joining the NFL with the Chiefs in 1993 -- and that streak of 192 games. But the Chiefs haven't won a playoff game since Shields' rookie season, and that prospect for this year doesn't look promising in light of their 2004 record of 7-9. His agent, Joe Linta says, "He's asking the question: Do I really want to push this one more year? He's having that discussion with his family."
-- Kansas City Star
Chiefs linebacker Monty Beisel, an unrestricted free agent, had his first meeting with another team. Beisel was in Pittsburgh visiting with the Steelers. He has a visit scheduled next week with the Packers.
-- Kansas City Star
Dolphins defensive end Jay Williams, a recent free-agent visitor to Kansas City, signed instead with St. Louis.
-- Kansas City Star