NFL Cuts - NFC: Arizona Cardinals release quarterback Matt Leinart
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals have released Matt Leinart, parting ways with the former Heisman Trophy winner who was supposed to be the team's franchise quarterback but couldn't escape the backup role.
The team made the announcement on Saturday, shortly before the Cardinals had to reach their 53-man roster limit.
"In fairness to Matt, I think that it would be a tough position for him to be in a backup role," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "Maybe a fresh start for him is what would be a good thing, for all of us."
The Cardinals tried to trade Leinart but found no acceptable deal. By cutting Leinart, Arizona doesn't have to pay him the $2.5 million he was due for the coming season, not to mention the $7.4 million, plus a $5.5 million roster bonus, he was scheduled to make next season.
Arizona thought it had a steal when Leinart, who led Southern California to two national championships and a third title game appearance, fell to the Cardinals at the No. 10 overall pick in 2006. Then-coach Dennis Green called it "a gift from heaven."
He started 11 games as a rookie under Green, then the first five the following season under new coach Ken Whisenhunt. But the big left-hander then went down with a broken collarbone and Kurt Warner took over.
Warner finished his career with two spectacular seasons, leading Arizona to consecutive NFC West titles, an incredible run to the Super Bowl and a 51-45 overtime victory over Green Bay in a playoff thriller last season.
Leinart mostly watched.
Even before Leinart was hurt, Warner was being used more and more. After the collarbone injury, Leinart started one game, at Tennessee last season when Warner was injured. This year, he expected to finally get his chance after Warner retired, but was replaced by Cleveland castoff Derek Anderson in the third preseason game.
"Do I feel like we didn't put him in a position to be successful?" Whisenhunt said. "I think that is open to debate. It has obviously been talked about a lot. I think that with every player on our team we are trying to give him the opportunity to succeed. I think we have always tried to be fair."
Leinart went public with his frustration on Monday, complaining he had outplayed Anderson and that his problems with Whisenhunt were "probably away from football."
That led to a meeting with Whisenhunt the following day. Although he was unhappy that Leinart took his issues public, Whisenhunt praised how the quarterback has handled things.
"The one thing I want to make very clear is how professional Matt was about the whole situation," the coach said. "I was very impressed with his conversation with me. He thanked the organization, the ownership, for all the time and effort that they had invested in him. He felt like he had gotten better and he had learned a lot and it meant a lot to me to hear him say that."
Leinart played two series in the final preseason game on Thursday night.
"This process was not about what some people said, two weeks into training camp or two preseason games," Whisenhunt said. "It's a complete body of work over a period of time. I will say like I have said before, Matt made tremendous progress. I was excited about what he had done, the work he had put in. I do believe that he is a better quarterback now then he was when I got here four years ago. It is not a slight on Matt, it was a decision that I felt gave us the best chance to win."
Leinart threw for 3,893 yards with 14 touchdowns and 20 interceptions with Arizona. Early on, he had to overcome his party boy image, which was enhanced when photos showed up on the Internet of him involving a hot tub, a "beer bong" and bikini-clad women.
Whisenhunt was on Leinart early about his work ethic, but said he was pleased with the quarterback's improvement in that area over his time with the Cardinals. Critics, though, pointed to Leinart's perceived lack of arm strength, apparent unwillingness to throw downfield and, perhaps most significantly, his failure to become a team leader.
The coach avoided any specific explanation about what Leinart's problems were.
"The most important thing to our players, our team and our fans is that we are in a position to win games," Whisenhunt said.
He noted how the players have rallied around Anderson.
"A lot of it is how his teammates respond to him and the confidence they have in him when he goes into the huddle," Whisenhunt said. "When he came out the other night and completed his first two passes on big plays, the guys rallied around him and that is what you like to see."
The decision elevates Max Hall, an undrafted rookie out of BYU, to backup quarterback, with another rookie, fifth-round draft pick John Skelton out of Fordham, at No. 3.
"Max has played consistently well throughout the preseason and practice," Whisenhunt said. "I understand the dynamic with regular season defenses and regular season games are different, but I am as comfortable as I can be with a rookie as our backup quarterback."
Anderson, who was released by the Cleveland Browns after Mike Holmgren took over as team president, signed with Arizona as a free-agent, initially to back up Leinart. The 6-foot-5 former Oregon State quarterback has a strong arm but has struggled at times with his accuracy. He made the Pro Bowl after leading the Browns to a 10-6 record in 2007 but lost his job to Brady Quinn last season.
Anderson said earlier this week that he was motivated to prove that the 2007 season was "no aberration, not a mirage."
Anderson had been claimed off waivers by Cleveland from Baltimore in 2005.
"He has grown in the little bit of time he has had with the first unit and in the practices," Whisenhunt said. "I like what I have seen. He has made progress. Part of how you assess Derek is we are judging him on what he has done with us."
The same could be said of Leinart.
Cards waive-injured 2 players to hit 53-man limit
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals have reached the 53-man roster limit by waiving-injured linebacker Chris Johnson and running back Alfonso Smith.
The moves followed the release of quarterback Matt Leinart.
Johnson and Smith were undrafted rookie free agents, Johnson out of South Dakota State and Smith out of Kentucky. Johnson has an ankle injury, Smith, who scored a touchdown Thursday night in Arizona's final preseason game, has a neck injury.
Among the undrafted rookie free agents who made the Arizona roster are wide receiver Stephen Williams from Toledo, quarterback Max Hall of BYU, wide receiver Max Komar of Idaho and cornerback Marshay Green of Mississippi.
RB Willie Parker among 21 players cut by Redskins
WASHINGTON (AP) — Willie Parker became the odd man out in the Washington Redskins' three-way veteran running back competition Saturday when he was released as the team set its 53-man roster a week before the start of the regular season.
Parker was among 21 players cut before the 6 p.m. deadline. The Redskins also made a trade, sending backup cornerback Justin Tryon to the Indianapolis Colts for an undisclosed draft pick.
One of the highlights of the Redskins preseason was supposed to be an intriguing battle between former Pro Bowl running backs Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson and Parker — all trying to prove they aren't past their prime.
It turned into a rout. Portis, who turned 29 on Wednesday, showed up at training camp in better shape and more focused than in years past. He never came close to losing his grip on the starting job, leaving Johnson and Parker to battle for the No. 2 spot.
Johnson, 30, and Parker, 29, had similar stats in preseason and similar liabilities — neither is great in pass protection and neither plays special teams — but Parker never showed the burst that earned him the name "Fast Willie" when he was in his prime with Pittsburgh from 2005-07.
Johnson did make the cut, joining rookie Keiland Williams and fullback Mike Sellers in the backfield.
Coach Mike Shanahan's roster also includes three quarterbacks, a departure from the usual two he preferred to keep when he was coaching the Denver Broncos. Donovan McNabb's history with injuries — which includes a sprained ankle that has kept him out of practice for two weeks — no doubt played a part in the coach's decision to keep both second-stringer Rex Grossman and third-stringer John Beck, who recently signed a two-year contract extension.
Only two of six draft picks made the roster. First-round selection Trent Williams will be the opening day starter at left tackle, and fourth-rounder Perry Riley earned a spot at linebacker. Sixth-round pick Dennis Morris was traded to St. Louis last week, but he wasn't going to make the team anyway. Seventh-rounders Terrence Austin, Erik Cook and Selvish Capers were all cut, although they could be signed to the practice squad Sunday.
Receiver Anthony Armstrong, whose resume includes stops at the Intense Football League and the Arena Football League, finally made his first regular season roster at age 27. Armstrong had such a good camp that he was rested for the final preseason game and appears set as the No. 3 receiver behind 31-year-old Santana Moss and 38-year-old Joey Galloway. He's certainly moved ahead of third-year receiver Devin Thomas and veteran Roydell Williams, who both made the team despite inconsistent performances in camp and preseason.
Another interesting choice at receiver is undrafted free agent Brandon Banks, a 5-foot-7 speedster who had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown in preseason but also displayed a disturbing knack for fumbling. Banks' inclusion speaks volumes to the Redskins' overall lack of quality depth at receiver, perhaps the weakest position on the team.
Shanahan did not comment on the cuts or the makeup of his roster, which could see more changes over the coming days even as the team begins full-fledged preparation for the season opener Sept. 12 against Dallas.
The full list of cuts: WR Austin, QB Richard Bartel, T Capers, S Tyrone Carter, OL Cook, FB Carey Davis, LB Curtis Gatewood, NT Howard Green, LB Robert Henson, WR Shay Hodge, LB Rob Jackson, T Clint Oldenburg, RB Parker, OL Chad Rinehart, CB Ramzee Robinson, T William Robinson, S Anderson Russell, DE Darrion Scott, RB Ryan Torain, TE Lee Vickers and WR Bobby Wade.
Henson and Oldenburg were waived-injured. Both suffered knee injuries in the Redskins' preseason finale Thursday against Arizona.
-- Joseph White
Alford, Whimper and Bomar among N.Y. Giants cuts
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants cuts some ties to their 2008 Super Bowl championship team, waiving defensive tackle Jay Alford and offensive lineman Guy Whimper.
The Giants also made a couple of other surprising moves Saturday in reaching the 53-man limit, waiving quarterback Rhett Bomar, veteran receiver Derek Hagan and tight end Bear Pascoe.
Also cut were defensive ends Tommie Hill and Alex Hall, defensive tackles Dwayne Hendricks and Nate Collins, cornerbacks Seth Williams and Courtney Brown, safeties John Busing, Matt O'Hanlon and Sha'reff Rashad, quarterback Dominic Randolph, running backs Gartrell Johnson and Andre Brown, fullback Jerome Johnson, receiver Tim Brown, tight end Scott Chandler, center Jim Cordle and offensive tackles Dennis Landolt, Jacob Bender and Herb Taylor.
Hall and Brown were waived injured. Hagan, Whimper and Busing had their contracts terminated.
The Giants open the regular season next Sunday in their new $1.6 billion stadium against the Carolina Panthers.
"We put the roster together in the best interest of our football team, the best way in which we felt would possibly balance off our numbers and still be very much aware the way in which you would rank the ability level of all the players on the team," coach Tom Coughlin said.
The Giants typically make a move or two in the week leading up to the opener, so the roster will probably be tweaked.
The defensive and offensive lines are the deepest spots on the team and Alford, who missed last season because of ACL surgery, and Whimper fell victim to the depth.
Bomar and Hagan probably lost their jobs when the Giants acquired veteran quarterback Sage Rosenfels and running back-special teams maven Darius Reynaud from the Vikings for a couple of future picks.
A second-year pro who has never played in an NFL regular-season game, Bomar played the entire second preseason game because of injuries to Manning and Jim Sorgi. It seemed he nailed down the backup job with a good performance on Thursday against New England, but the Giants eventually decided they wanted an experienced backup.
"Bomar's progress has been outstanding," Coughlin said. "He's worked very, very hard. He did receive a lot of attention, he did make progress and he did show us what he can do."
Pascoe was let go because the Giants decided to keep second-year tight end Travis Beckum, who missed most of training camp with a hamstring and neck injuries. For a week in camp, Pascoe was the only healthy tight end.
"There was an awful lot of sentiment for Bear, because of what he was able to do," Coughlin said.
The roster includes two free agent receivers — Victor Cruz, who grew up in nearby Paterson, and Duke Calhoun of Memphis, who caught a game-winning touchdown pass from Bomar in the preseason finale against New England.
A third-round draft pick in 2007, Alford was an up-and-coming linemen until his injury in a preseason game against Chicago last summer. His most memorable play as a Giant was a sack of Tom Brady on the final Patriots' series in the Super Bowl, helping nail down the title.
"It was competitive in that spot this year," Coughlin said. "Even though we still feel like we have a ways to go to have the front that we say we have, it was a very difficult choice to have to make."
Whimper, a fourth round pick in 2006, played in all 16 regular season games and four postseason games — mostly as a backup — in the 2007 season. He got a lot of playing time in the preseason but it wasn't enough to get him a job again.
The only other surprise was the release of Brown. The fourth-round draft pick missed his rookie season after tearing his Achilles' tendon in training camp. He looked good at times in camp this year but did not do a good job on kickoff returns.
-- Tom Canavan
Eagles send right guard Stacy Andrews to Seahawks
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles traded starting right guard Stacy Andrews to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday in exchange for an undisclosed 2011 draft pick.
The Eagles did not complete the deal until after the 6 p.m. Eastern deadline for reducing their roster to 53 players, so they were forced to release guard Max Jean-Gilles.
Jean-Gilles, who started six games last year, is now an unrestricted free agent, but Roseman said the Eagles plan to sign him on Sunday. Because he's a vested veteran, Jean-Gilles is not subject to the NFL's waiver claim procedure, Roseman said.
"Hopefully, when this process is over, he's a Philadelphia Eagle," Roseman said.
For now, the Eagles' roster stands at 52 players.
Andrews came to Philadelphia amid high expectations after the 2008 season, but he started only two games in 2009 and in recent weeks began splitting time in practice and preseason games with veteran Nick Cole.
The trade came one day after the Eagles acquired veteran guard Reggie Wells from Arizona, a move that Roseman said led to numerous inquiries about Andrews' availability.
Andrews told reporters last week he preferred playing tackle over guard, but the Eagles are set at tackle with Jason Peters and Winston Justice.
"Stacy feels more comfortable at the tackle position, he's voiced that, and ... hopefully he'll get an opportunity to do that," Roseman said.
"With the addition of Reggie Wells, we're comfortable at the guard position. The positive is that we like the players we have on our offensive line, and we're encouraged about the progress of some of those guys, and we wish Stacy luck in Seattle."
Roseman said Cole, who started all 17 games last year, will start the season opener against Green Bay on Sept. 12. Cole played nine games at right guard, six at left guard and two at center.
"We're very confident with Nick," Roseman said. "Nick's played a lot of games for us, a lot of football."
Also Saturday, the Eagles acquired defensive end Antwan Barnes from Baltimore for an undisclosed pick in the 2011 draft. Barnes has played in 38 games in three seasons and has five sacks, including three in his last five games in 2009.
"We always had our eye on Barnes, ever since he came into the draft (in 2007)," Roseman said. "He's got rare speed, and it's hard to find guys who can consistently get pressure on the quarterback. And it goes back to our philosophy here, that we're going to make sure our defense is able to get pressure on the quarterback."
The Eagles also traded veteran linebacker Tracy White to New England for an undisclosed 2012 draft pick. The Eagles acquired White from the Packers six weeks into the 2008 season, and he played in all 17 games last year, including the playoffs.
Philadelphia released 12 players on Saturday, including former starting safeties Macho Harris and Quintin Demps.
Demps began preseason last year as the starting free safety but was replaced by Harris, who lasted seven weeks before he was replaced by Sean Jones. None of the three is still with the team.
Also released were wide receiver Chad Hall, wide receiver Jordan Norwood, tight end Cornelius Ingram, center A.Q. Shipley, guard Dallas Reynolds, guard Fenuki Tupou, defensive end Eric Moncur and defensive tackle Jeff Owens.
Rookie cornerback Jorrick Calvin, a rookie sixth-round pick of the Cardinals, made the team just five days after being acquired in a trade and two days after playing in a preseason game against the Jets.
"He did a good job on special teams, and it's hard to find corners in this league with cover ability who can play well on special teams and with return ability," Roseman said. "He's got an intriguing skill set."
Nine of the Eagles' 13 rookie draft picks are among the Eagles' 53 players, as is undrafted rookie Austin Howard.
Saints place Sharper on PUP list, Casillas on IR
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — All-Pro safety Darren Sharper's goal of helping the Saints compete for a second consecutive championship remains intact, even if it isn't working out quite as he'd planned.
Projected starting linebacker Jonathan Casillas wasn't as fortunate.
Sharper must sit out the first six games of the season, while Casillas won't come back at all after injuring his foot in the Saints' final game of the preseason at Tennessee on Thursday night.
The Saints on Saturday announced several moves as they trimmed their active roster to the regular season maximum of 53 players.
New Orleans decided to keep both Sharper and linebacker Clint Ingram on the physically-unable-to-perform list, which bars them from joining the active roster before Week 7 of the season. Both are recovering from microfracture surgeries on their left knees during the offseason and opened training camp on the PUP list, meaning they haven't been allowed to practice in weeks.
The decision means Sharper won't be able to suit up against his old friend, Brett Favre, and his previous team, the Minnesota Vikings, who visit the Louisiana Superdome for the NFL season opener on Thursday night.
Sharper said his conditioning work has been going well and that he wanted to play against Minnesota, but that he also understood how starting the season on the PUP list could potentially help him in the long run.
Only recently, Sharper had discussed his various options during a phone call to Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who was Sharper's college teammate and fraternity brother at William & Mary.
"He was saying, 'At this point, you think about playing for championships.' And that's the reason I came back," Sharper said. "A lot of times those championships, or setting yourself up for those championships, is done in November and December. So if you come back and your strong for that time ... I think more people will remember that. I think that the team will remember that and that will be a better scenario."
Casillas, a second-year pro out of Wisconsin who joined that Saints last year as an undrafted free agent, appeared to have earned a starting spot that opened up when linebacker Scott Fujita left in free agency. The Saints had been starting Casillas at weakside linebacker after moving Scott Shanle, who started at that spot last year, over to the strong side.
Now the Saints will have to figure out how to move on without Casillas, which could involve moving Shanle back to the weak side.
Saints also formally announced the release of 19 players, including veterans such as defensive end Bobby McCray, quarterback Patrick Ramsey, defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy, center Nick Leckey and running back Ladell Betts.
The final cuts also included: offensive linemen Terrence Metcalf, Brandon Carter, Na'Shan Goddard and Jermey Parnell; fullbacks Jason McKie and Zak Keasey; receiver Montez Billings; linebacker Harry Coleman; cornerback Reggie Jones; tight end Tyler Lorenzen; defensive linemen DeMario Pressley, Jay Ross and Al Woods; and safety Chip Vaughn.
Woods was taken by the Saints in the fourth round of last spring's NFL draft, while Vaughn was selected in the fourth round in 2009. Both would be eligible for the Saints' eight-player practice squad if they've cleared waivers by Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the moves announced by the club on Saturday also mean that two undrafted rookies out of Division II programs — defensive end Junior Galette from Stillman and Chris Ivory from Tiffin — both made the team. It also means the Saints are carrying only two quarterbacks on the active roster, Drew Brees and second-year pro Chase Daniel.
The Saints were off on Saturday and return on Sunday afternoon to practice and to begin work on the game plan for Minnesota.
-- Brett Martel
Vikings waive Javon Walker, 4 other wide receivers
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings are apparently still looking for wide receivers.
The Vikings cut 20 players Saturday, including five wide receivers to leave them with just four players on the active roster at that position right now. Recently signed Javon Walker and training camp standout Logan Payne were waived, with Taye Biddle, Freddie Brown and Marquis Hamilton also let go.
With Sidney Rice already on the physically unable to perform list for at least the first six weeks of the regular season and Percy Harvin's migraine headaches proving to be an unpredictable problem, Brett Favre's group of pass-catchers is in flux.
Harvin, Bernard Berrian, Greg Camarillo and Greg Lewis were the only wide receivers on the roster revealed by the team Saturday after the NFL's deadline for reducing to 53 players.
As coach Brad Childress often says, the situation is always fluid, so it's unlikely this roster will look exactly the same when the Vikings kick off against the Super Bowl champion Saints in New Orleans on Thursday for the opener.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who tied for the NFL lead in receptions in 2007, became available Saturday when the Seattle Seahawks cut their No. 1 wide receiver. The Vikings wooed him hard as a free agent in March 2009. Houshmandzadeh's agent, Kennard McGuire, didn't immediately return e-mail or phone messages Saturday.
The Vikings didn't make Childress or any team officials available to reporters Saturday.
The team got a head start on cutdown day by trading quarterback Sage Rosenfels and running back Darius Reynaud Friday to the New York Giants, making rookie Joe Webb an unpolished third-stringer behind Favre and Tarvaris Jackson and leaving a question about whom the punt returner will be in Reynaud's absence.
Albert Young and rookie Toby Gerhart will back up Adrian Peterson at running back.
Also let go Saturday by the Vikings: safety Colt Anderson, guard Thomas Austin, guard Adrian Battles, tackle Patrick Brown, tackle Chris Clark, fullback Ryan D'Imperio, running back Ian Johnson, defensive tackle Tremaine Johnson, kicker Rhys Lloyd, tight end Garrett Mills, defensive end Mike Montgomery, tackle Drew Radovich, cornerback Marcus Sherels, linebacker Nate Triplett and cornerback DeAndre Wright. Triplett (fifth round) and D'Imperio (seventh round) were the only draft picks waived.
Teams begin assembling the eight-player practice squads Sunday.
By letting Lloyd go, the Vikings swallowed a $200,000 bonus after signing the kickoff specialist and former University of Minnesota standout this spring. His kickoffs in preseason games were mostly unimpressive, even prompting him to publicly apologize for his performance on his Twitter account, but he could be brought back at some point if he's not picked up by another team.
In addition to wide receiver, the Vikings have depth concerns on the offensive line and at cornerback. They kept five cornerbacks on the roster, but incumbent starter Cedric Griffin (knee) isn't quite ready yet after reconstructive surgery in January and rookie Chris Cook (knee) was recently injured.
Starting center John Sullivan missed the majority of training camp with a leg injury, and second-year player Jon Cooper is the only pure backup at that position. Rookie Chris DeGeare and utility man Ryan Cook are the only other reserves for now.
The Vikings kept four tight ends, though backup Jeff Dugan can also play fullback. They also kept five safeties, seven linebackers and a whopping 10 defensive linemen, after strong camp showings by end Jayme Mitchell and tackle Letroy Guion.
-- Dave Campbell
Packers trim down to 53-man roster limit
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers cut 20 players Saturday, including linebacker Spencer Havner, and placed two more on injured reserve to reach the 53-man roster limit.
Havner played offense, defense and special teams in the final three preseason games, but he was cut when the Packers chose to keep four tight ends. They included starter Jermichael Finley, backup Donald Lee, blocking specialist Tom Crabtree and fifth-round draft pick Andrew Quarless.
Offensive lineman Allen Barbre and return man Will Blackmon were the two players placed on injured reserve. Barbre was the opening-day starter at right tackle last year but hurt his back in camp, and Blackmon is coming off a torn ACL in his left knee.
Their move to IR was a procedural part of being released after an injury settlement.
Three undrafted free agents made the team: linebacker Frank Zombo, cornerback Sam Shields and offensive lineman Nick McDonald.
Among the 20 players who were released were offensive lineman Breno Giacomini, whom the team was trying to trade; wide receiver Jason Chery, who was vying to take over the return duties from Blackmon; and Australian punter Chris Bryan, who was battling Tim Masthay for the job.
Also released were running back Kregg Lumpkin; offensive linemen Evan Dietrich-Smith and Chris Campbell; receivers Charles Dillon, Chastin West and Patrick Williams; defensive linemen Anthony Toribio, Jarius Wynn and Ronald Talley; linebackers Cyril Obiozor, Maurice Simpkins, Alex Joseph and Robert Francois; cornerback D.J. Clark, safety Anthony Levine and quarterback Graham Harrell.
The Packers kept 10 offensive linemen, including starters Chad Clifton, Daryn Colledge, Scott Wells, Josh Sitton and Mark Tauscher. First-round draft pick Bryan Bulaga, veteran backup Jason Spitz, T.J. Lang, rookie Marshall Newhouse were the others.
Wynn made the team as a sixth-round pick last year, but he was released in favor of oft-injured 2007 first-round pick Justin Harrell and rookie seventh-round pick C.J. Wilson. They join starters Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji and Cullen Jenkins along with rookie second-round pick Mike Neal as the team's six defensive linemen.
Safety Atari Bigby (ankle) and two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris (knee) are on the physically unable to perform list and will sit the first six weeks of the season, so the Packers kept 10 defensive backs: Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Brandon Underwood, Pat Lee, Jarrett Bush and Shields, and safeties Nick Collins, Morgan Burnett, Derrick Martin and Charlie Peprah.
General manager Ted Thompson said last week that he would seek to bolster the roster via trades, but he was unable to do so before the final cuts.
"We are certainly actively involved in looking at other teams and players on other teams," he said. "You never know, but we're always going to try to get better."
Panthers cut Cantwell; Pike to be No. 3 QB
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers entered training camp with the NFL's third-youngest roster. Then in final cuts they kept most of the youngsters.
The Panthers trimmed 22 players to get to the 53-man limit on Saturday, but found room to keep nine of 10 draft picks. They waived veteran defensive tackle Tank Tyler in favor of undrafted rookie Andre Neblett, and sent Kenny Moore packing in favor of three rookie receivers, including David Gettis.
Even second-year quarterback Hunter Cantwell was waived, giving the third-string job to rookie Tony Pike.
"The players we kept didn't have anything to do with money," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "They had to do with who we felt was going to help our football team the most."
Whether it's strictly an extreme youth movement or partly to trim payroll in anticipation of labor unrest next year, they'll be depending on young players everywhere to contribute immediately.
Tyler was perhaps the biggest surprise in Saturday's moves. Acquired last year from Kansas City for a fifth-round pick, Tyler came into training camp expected to be a starter after Carolina's offseason overhaul of the defensive line. But he was outplayed in the preseason.
Carolina kept just five defensive tackles. Corvey Irvin, a third-round pick in 2009 who spent his rookie season on injured reserve, was also waived.
"I think the guy that really surprised us was Andre Neblett," Hurney said. "We got him as a rookie free agent out of Temple and every time he was in games he made plays. Every time he was in there he made something happen. We decided to keep him along with Nick (Hayden), Louis (Leonard), Ed (Johnson) and Derek Landri."
At QB, the Panthers felt the sixth-round pick Pike had more potential than Cantwell, who spent most of last season on the practice squad. Pike will be behind starter Matt Moore and rookie Jimmy Clausen.
"Tony showed the other night a lot of the things we saw in college," Hurney said. "He's got excellent feet, great feel for pressure, great ability to escape things from the pocket. He has the ability to make things happen."
The Panthers are lightest on the offensive line and at cornerback.
Guards Duke Robinson (torn knee ligament) and C.J. Davis (concussion) were placed on season-ending injured reserve and tackle Rob Petitti was cut, leaving Carolina with just eight linemen. That includes Tim Duckworth, who was signed on Monday.
And Hurney said he "didn't know at this point" if starting right tackle Jeff Otah (knee) will play Week 1 at the New York Giants after the preseason.
The only draft pick waived was seventh-round choice R.J. Stanford. C.J. Wilson and Brian Witherspoon were also cut, leaving the Panthers with just four cornerbacks, including rookie Robert McClain.
"It's probably not as many as you'd like to keep," Hurney said.
But the Panthers needed room to keep six receivers, including special-teamer Charly Martin, rookies Brandon LaFell, Armanti Edwards and Gettis. The Panthers also kept a spot for kickoff specialist Todd Carter.
The Panthers' special teams took a hit when they placed veteran Aaron Francisco on injured reserve after he missed most of the preseason with a torn hamstring.
Also let go were receiver Trent Guy, defensive end Eric Moore, guards Andrew Crummey and Ray Hisatake, linebackers Quinton Culberson, Mortty Ivy and Sean Ware, fullback Rashawn Jackson, running backs Josh Vaughan and Dantrell Savage and tight end Jamie Petrowski.
When asked about keeping all but one draft pick, Hurney quickly replied that if they had "kept two of 10 we would've been criticized for not drafting well. I guess it's hard to win sometimes."
Hurney shrugged off questions they could sign a veteran receiver, insisting the Panthers can be successful with one of the NFL's youngest rosters.
"We feel good about our team in general and the young players we have and their skill level and what they can bring to us," Hurney said. "We'll see. It begins next week."
-- Mike Cranston
Houshmandzadeh gone from Seattle after 1 year
SEATTLE (AP) — Receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh was sent packing from Seattle on Saturday, cut by the Seahawks after just one season as coach Pete Carroll continued his roster purge.
Houshmandzadeh, the Seahawks' leading receiver last season, was in the second year of a $40 million, five-year deal he signed with Seattle before the 2009 season. But he came to Seattle under a different regime with Jim Mora as coach and Tim Ruskell the general manager. Both Mora and Ruskell were gone after Seattle went 5-11 last season and now so is Houshmandzadeh.
Last season, Houshmandzadeh caught 79 passes for 911 yards and three touchdowns, his fewest receptions since 2005 and his fewest touchdowns since 2002. But he was still clearly the Seahawks No. 1 receiver.
That changed this spring when Carroll gave former Southern California star Mike Williams another opportunity after becoming a bust in Detroit. Williams took advantage of the opportunity with 10 catches for 177 yards and a touchdown during the preseason. Deion Branch will be the other receiver opposite Williams, with rookie Golden Tate, Deon Butler and Ben Obomanu rounding out the receiving corps.
Even with his release, Houshmandzadeh is guaranteed $7 million for the 2010 season.
Also cut by the Seahawks was third-string quarterback and former first-round pick J.P. Losman, leaving the Seahawks with just starter Matt Hasselbeck and backup Charlie Whitehurst to begin the season.
Seattle placed offensive tackle Ray Willis on injured reserve and reached injury settlements with defensive end Nick Reed and defensive tackle Jonathan Lewis.
It was all part of a hectic Saturday for the Seahawks, who were thrown another surprise when offensive line coach Alex Gibbs abruptly retired. Seattle also traded for Philadelphia offensive lineman Stacy Andrews for a 2011 draft pick, but the Seahawks said the deal was still awaiting formal league approval.
Other veterans cut by the Seahawks included linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, wide receivers Brandon Jones and Ruvell Martin, defensive tackle Amon Gordon and defensive end James Wyche. Safety Jamar Adams and running back Louis Rankin, both contributors for the Seahawks at the end of last season, were waived.
Seattle also placed linebacker Leroy Hill on the suspended list as he serves a one-game suspension issued by the league for off-field legal issues. He'll be eligible to rejoin the team on Sept. 13, following their season opener against San Francisco.
-- Tim Booth
WR Clayton among players released by Buccaneers
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Receiver Michael Clayton was among the cuts announced Saturday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers set their 53-man roster.
Clayton was a first-round draft pick in 2004, when had 80 receptions for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns — all records for a first-year player in Tampa Bay. Even though his production declined sharply after that, Clayton signed a five-year contract worth about $26 million before last season.
The seventh-year pro played sparingly in the preseason after having a career-low 16 catches for 230 yards and one TD in 2009.
The Bucs also released cornerbacks Brandon Anderson, Derrick Robinson and Trae Williams, quarterback Jevan Snead, running back Carlos Brown, fullback Rendrick Taylor, offensive lineman Marc Dile, tackle Xavier Fulton, safety Vince Anderson, tight ends Jeron Mastrud and Ryan Purvis, defensive ends James Ruffin and George Johnson, linebackers Rico McCoy and Lee Robinson, center Donovan Raiola, and defensive tackles Dre Moore and Carlton Powell.
Center Jonathan Compas was waived injured and tackle Demar Dotson was placed on injured reserve.
Cornerback Aqib Talib was placed on the reserve/suspended list. He will miss the Sept. 12 season opener against Cleveland while serving a one-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
Falcons let go Jackson, 19 others in final cuts
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Cornerback Chevis Jackson is the most prominent player let go by the Atlanta Falcons in the final round of cuts Saturday.
The Falcons cut 20 players to reach the 53-man limit for the regular season. A third-round pick out of LSU in 2008, Jackson had worked as a nickel back the past two years. But he struggled during the preseason and lost his job in a revamped secondary.
The Falcons also waived tight ends Robbie Agnone and Keith Zinger, wide receivers Troy Bergeron, Tim Buckley, Andy Strickland and Ryan Wolfe, running back Dimitri Nance, center Blake Schlueter, safeties Rafael Bush and Eric Brock, cornerback Dominique Daniels, linebackers Weston Johnson and Bear Woods, defensive ends Maurice Lucas and Emmanuel Stephens and guard Jose Valdez.
In addition, Atlanta terminated the contracts of fullback Dan Klecko and center Brett Romberg and waived-injured wide receiver Brandyn Harvey.
The Falcons can bring back up to eight players for their practice squad Sunday.
Bears waive Afalava
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears have waived safety Al Afalava along with their top two draft picks last year in defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert and receiver Juaquin Iglesias.
Also among the 21 players let go on Saturday as the Bears trimmed their roster to the 53-man limit were offensive lineman Josh Beekman, special teams contributor Tim Shaw and quarterback Dan LeFevour. They also terminated the contract of vested veteran tight end Richard Angulo.
A sixth-round pick last year, Afalava started 13 games as a rookie but became expendable after the Bears acquired Chris Harris and drafted Major Wright.
Gilbert and Iglesias, third-round picks in 2009, both saw limited time.
Beekman made 20 starts and appeared in 28 games over three seasons, while Shaw set a team record with 30 special teams tackles last season — his first with the Bears.
Chicago kept running backs Garrett Wolfe and Kahlil Bell.
Lions cuts include CB Bly, OT Jansen, LB Campbell
ALEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions have cut cornerback Dre Bly, offensive tackle Jon Jansen and linebacker Caleb Campbell.
They also set their 53-man roster Saturday by releasing defensive tackles Rob Callaway and Landon Cohen, linebacker Vinny Ciurciu, receivers Tim Toone, Brian Clark and Michael Moore, running back DeDe Dorsey, offensive linemen Noah Franklin, Dan Gerberry, Cliff Louis, kicker Steven Hauschka, defensive backs Ko Simpson, Jonathan Hefney, Eric King, Paul Pratt, T.J. Rushing and Dante Wesley.
Bly became expendable because cornerback Alphonso Smith was acquired from Denver for tight end Dan Gronkowski. Jansen lost a shot to start. Campbell almost made it after the Army forced him serve two more years after Detroit drafted him in 2007.
Elsewhere in the NFC
Spagnuolo names Bradford as Rams starting QB
ST. LOUIS (AP) — No. 1 overall draft pick Sam Bradford will start at quarterback in the regular-season opener at home against Arizona next weekend.
Coach Steve Spagnuolo announced the decision Saturday, saying Bradford had earned the job.
"We're confident. The staff's confident. The team's confident," Spagnuolo said. "It's well deserved."
The game is Sept. 12. A.J. Feeley, whose injury gave Bradford the chance to take plenty of snaps in the preseason, and Thad Lewis are the backups.
Bradford won the 2008 Heisman Trophy when he was at Oklahoma. He signed a six-year, $78 million contract with $50 million in guaranteed money — the most ever in the NFL — and then went out and played well in the preseason against the likes of New England and Baltimore.
"I feel like coach has given me a great opportunity to start next week against Arizona," Bradford said. "I realize there is a lot of responsibility that comes with that opportunity."
While the low-key Bradford did manage to smile when talking, he said he is ready.
"Definitely. I'm a competitor," Bradford said. "I sat on the bench last year with an injury and it's something that I did not enjoy at all. Just to have the opportunity to play football again, it's really something that I look forward to."
In his two preseason starts, Bradford was 21 for 28 for 257 yards and three touchdowns. For the preseason, Bradford completed 33 of 55 passes for 338 yards with no interceptions.
Bradford likely sealed the deal with his performance last Thursday against Baltimore in the preseason finale. Bradford's opening drive set the tone for a 27-21 victory that gave the Rams a 3-1 preseason finish for the second straight season. He was 6 for 6 for 68 yards and a touchdown in his one series, one week after a two-TD effort the previous week.
"It was evident in these last three games that he had pretty good control of what we're doing," Spagnuolo said. "The team kind of rallies around him."
The 33-year-old Feeley went down with an injured right thumb in the Rams' second preseason game at Cleveland and that put Bradford on the fast track to the starter's job. Feeley has only 15 career starts in 10 seasons and was signed by St. Louis as a free agent in the offseason.
"I think we're very, very fortunate to have A.J. Feeley in this particular role as a backup quarterback," Spagnuolo said. "He's a seasoned vet who knows the ins and outs and he can feed that to Sam as he goes along.
"I don't think anybody in this situation coming in as a rookie quarterback is ready for everything. I'm sure these defensive coordinators will fire things at him."
Lewis, who played at Duke, beat out Keith Null, a sixth-round pick last year who started the final four games of the Rams' 1-15 season.
Bradford threw just 69 passes last season at Oklahoma. He hurt his shoulder in the season opener against Brigham Young. He returned three weeks later and played against Baylor before hurting the shoulder the following week against Texas and he did not play again.
Still, that did not keep Bradford from dreaming about being the No. 1 pick in the draft.
"Yeah, I think when you can imagine things like that, that's really what motivated me to work so hard to get myself back in this position," Bradford said. "I think I did work extremely hard in the offseason rehabbing my shoulder. Now that I have this opportunity, I want to make the most of it."
The Rams also placed safety Kevin Payne and tackle Eric Young on the injured reserve list. Both have knee injuries.
Rosenfels, Reynaud pass post-trade NYG physicals
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Quarterback Sage Rosenfels and running back Darius Reynaud are officially members of the New York Giants.
The former Minnesota Vikings were examined by Giants doctors Saturday, passing their physicals less than 24 hours after New York acquired the duo for future considerations.
Rosenfels gives the Giants a proven backup for Eli Manning. Reynaud will provide a proven punt returner that the team has lacked since Domenik Hixon suffered a major knee injury in minicamp.
"We were fortunate enough to consummate a trade for two very important needs coming out of our last preseason game," general manager Jerry Reese said.
Rosenfels has played in 32 regular-season games with 12 starts in his first nine seasons. The well-traveled 32-year-old is 351 of 562 for 4,156 yards, 30 touchdowns and 29 interceptions.
"Sage for a long time has had an outstanding reputation as a veteran quarterback who knows his role and is a true student of the game," coach Tom Coughlin said.
Rosenfels was traded from Houston to the Vikings in February 2009 with the hope of competing for the starting job. He never got the chance after Brett Favre came to Minnesota.
"As an athlete you want to play and you want to compete," said Rosenfels, who will have a week to learn the offense before the Giants open the season.
"I found helping Brett and the offensive coaches rewarding and we had a great season," he added. "You can still find rewarding things in situations you weren't expecting. I'm hoping to play when the team needs me, and when the team doesn't need me, I'll help out the players and coaches and Eli as much as I can."
The Giants lost their backup when Jim Sorgi injured his shoulder in the preseason opener.
Reynaud was fourth among NFC qualifiers last season with a 10.3-yard punt return average. Reynaud also returned four kickoffs.
Coughlin said Reynaud would return both punts and kickoffs.
"Darius is a young man that we've had our eye on for a while," Coughlin said. "He is a guy who has versatility punt returner, kickoff returner, gunner, covers kicks he can play on all those teams. He's also been a wide receiver and he's been a running back. He'll learn to be a receiver so he can help you out in an emergency situation."
-- Tom Canavan
Seattle OL coach Alex Gibbs suddenly retires
SEATTLE (AP) — A week before their season begins, the Seattle Seahawks are looking for a new offensive line coach after the sudden retirement of Alex Gibbs on Saturday.
The veteran coach known for his success with zone blocking schemes stepped down just eight days before the Seahawks season opener against San Francisco.
A team spokesman said the 69-year-old Gibbs was "worn out."
Gibbs was considered one of coach Pete Carroll's key hires as he assembled his staff in the offseason. Intent on using Gibbs' zone schemes in the Seahawks run game, Gibbs was hired away from Houston, where he was an assistant coach with the Texans for two seasons.
"We wish Alex the best in his retirement," Carroll said in a statement from the team. "We're grateful for the time we had with him and we're all better for it."
Gibbs, who joined the Texans in 2008, began coaching in the league with Denver from 1984-87. He assisted with the Raiders (1988-89), Chargers (1990-91), Colts (1992) and Chiefs (1993-94) before returning to the Broncos for his greatest successes, from 1995-2003. He won consecutive Super Bowl championships in 1998 and '99.
Terrell Davis was the NFL MVP in 1998, rushing for 2,008 yards and 21 touchdowns inside Gibbs' blocking schemes.
Jim Mora, whom Seattle fired last winter to clear the way for Carroll's return to the NFL, hired Gibbs on his first coaching staff in Atlanta in 2004. Gibbs left when Mora was fired by the Falcons following the 2006 season. He then spent two seasons out of the league before joining the Texans.
-- Tim Booth
