March 2009 4for4 Player News Articles

ESPN: Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth was charged Wednesday
with killing a pedestrian last month while driving drunk after a
night out at a swank South Beach nightspot. An arrest warrant
charging Stallworth, 28, with DUI manslaughter was filed in the
March 14 accident that killed 59-year-old Mario Reyes. If
convicted, Stallworth would face as many as 15 years in prison.
Stallworth's blood-alcohol level after the crash was .126, well
above Florida's legal limit of .08, according to results of a
blood test. Stallworth also will be charged with DUI, which
carries a possible six-month sentence plus fines and community
service for first offenders.

ESPN: The federal Department of Labor is accusing imprisoned NFL
star Michael Vick of illegally withdrawing more than $1.3 million
from a pension plan. The department filed complaints Wednesday
against Vick in federal district and bankruptcy courts in Newport
News. Vick attorney Mark Lichtenstein declined to comment on the
complaints. The department says Vick made a series of prohibited
transfers from a pension plan sponsored by MV7, a celebrity
marketing company owned by the former Falcons quarterback. The
department alleges that Vick violated his duties as trustee of a
pension plan that covered nine current or former MV7 employees.
"This action sends a message that the Labor Department will not
tolerate the misuse of plan money and will take whatever steps
necessary to recover the assets owed to eligible workers,"
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said in a prepared statement.
The department also accused two of Vick's former financial
advisers, Mary R. Wong and David A. Talbot, of participating in
some of the transfers.

TSN: The Browns brought back 12-year NFL veteran wide receiver
David Patten on Monday. Patten was released by the New Orleans
Saints in early February after appearing in only five games for
the team last season, missing four contests with a groin injury
early on before being inactive for the Saints' final eight games.
The Western Carolina product spent two seasons with New Orleans
and finished second on the team in 2007 with 792 receiving yards
on 54 receptions while hauling in three scores. He had just 11
catches for 162 yards and a score in 2008.

ESPN: Terrell Owens plans to show up for workouts in Buffalo when
he's required to be there. The Bills wide receiver, signed to a
one-year deal earlier this month after being waived by the Dallas
Cowboys, told reporters he prefers to follow his own offseason
workout routine. He said Wednesday that he's informed coach Dick
Jauron that he plans to join his teammates at the Bills' facility
in Orchard Park, N.Y., when the workouts become mandatory, rather
than voluntary. "I talked to Coach Jauron prior to the start of
the workouts about that," Owens told reporters. "Right now if
there's nothing mandatory that I have to be a part of, then I
won't intend to be there." Owens said he expects to attend the
Bills' minicamp in June and could possibly work out with his new
teammates at some other point in the offseason. But when it comes
to staying in shape, T.O. prefers to do things his way, on his
own.

Philly.com: The Eagles shored up their fullback position on Friday
by signing unrestricted free agent Leonard Weaver to a one-year
deal. Weaver spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the
Seattle Seahawks. Last season he had 30 rushes for 130 yards and
also caught 20 passes for 22 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Vikings signed wide receiver Glenn Holt and cornerback Karl
Paymah.

Baltimore Sun: The Ravens signed free agent tight end L.J. Smith
to a one-year contract Friday.

TSN: Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth was reportedly drunk
when his Bentley struck and killed a pedestrian in Miami Beach.
Television station WSVN-Fox 7 in Miami reports Stallworth's blood
alcohol level was 1-to-2 times over the legal limit at the time of
the accident. The TV station said Miami Beach Police haven't
confirmed the results of the supposed preliminary toxicology
report, but a source told WSVN that Stallworth's lawyer is
negotiating the terms of the football player's surrender. One must
have a blood alcohol level of at least .09 or higher for police to
consider a person too drunk to drive. WSVN reports Stallworth is
expected to face DUI manslaughter charges, which carries a 15-year
jail sentence if he's convicted. Even if Stallworth pleads guilty
on a manslaughter charge, a conviction would still mean mandatory
jail time.

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Donte Stallworth has returned to Cleveland
and has been working out in the Browns' voluntary offseason
conditioning program while police in Miami Beach continue to probe
his involvement in a fatal car-pedestrian accident. Stallworth's
attorney, Chris Lyons, told the newspaper that Stallworth returned
to Cleveland earlier this week. "Donte reported to the Browns on
Wednesday morning and he's been welcomed back by everyone -- his
teammates, the management, the coaching staff, and they've all
been extremely supportive," Lyons said, according to the report.
"It's been good for him to get back to work." Police in Miami
Beach said they are still awaiting toxicology results that could
result in criminal charges against the wide receiver. Police said
it was unlikely they would receive the toxicology report during
the weekend, meaning any charges against Stallworth might have to
wait until Monday or Tuesday at the earliest. In the meantime,
police are continuing to refute South Florida-area media reports
that test results showed Stallworth's blood-alcohol level was
above the Florida legal limit of .08 percent.

Arizona Republic: The Cardinals agreed to terms with veteran tight
end Anthony Becht and three others to one-year contracts on
Thursday. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. The 31-year-old
Becht caught only six passes for 39 yards in 16 games (11 starts)
for St. Louis last season.

Boston Globe: The Patriots officially announced the signing of
wide receiver Joey Galloway on Thursday.

ESPN: Buffalo Bills RB Marshawn Lynch expects to be suspended by
the NFL for his latest run-in with the law and added he's gotten
the message that the league "won't tolerate any more screw-ups"
from him. Delivering a message of humility and repentance -- and
minus the flashy gold grill he usually wears across his teeth --
Lynch vowed Wednesday that he's ready to change his ways and
prepared to accept the consequences for his actions. "It has kind
of sunk in, and I felt that this was the next step to letting you
guys know that there will be a change," Lynch said. "I never had
the intention of getting into trouble or anything like that. But
along the way my road got rocky, and now you know it's time to set
my pavement straight."

ESPN: Jay Cutler's agent says his client's relationship with the
Denver Broncos disintegrated after the firing of coach Mike
Shanahan and a broken promise that Shanahan's offensive staff
would largely remain intact, according to a report on NFL.com. Bus
Cook told the Web site that Cutler met with Broncos owner Pat
Bowlen shortly after Shanahan was fired on Dec. 30 to express his
concerns. "Jay was disappointed in the firing of Mike Shanahan and
met with the owner. The owner assured him everything would be
fine. The owner said he had the second-best offense in football
and would leave the offensive staff intact. Jay was good with
that. Then he hires an offensive coach who gets rid of the staff,"
Cook told NFL.com. New Broncos coach Josh McDaniels overhauled the
offensive staff after his arrival. Bowlen, however, says he
doesn't remember having the conversation with Cutler that Cook
references.

Cleveland Plain Dealer: The Browns signed RB Noah Herron on
Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Browns WR Donte' Stallworth released a
statement through the team on Wednesday in which he expressed his
grief and prayers for an accident that killed a pedestrian last
Saturday morning. Stallworth was involved in an accident over the
weekend in which a car he was driving allegedly struck and killed
59-year-old Mario Reyes in Miami Beach. A Miami Herald report
stated that Stallworth appeared to drive his Bentley around a
stopped vehicle to beat a red light and struck Reyes, who was
walking to a bus stop from work as an overnight crane operator. A
separate report by Yahoo! Sports said that Stallworth is expected
to be charged in the accident. Driving under the influence,
vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving are among the possible
charges. The 28-year-old wide out has yet to be charged, though.
"My family and I are grief stricken over the tragic accident which
occurred Saturday on Miami Beach where Mario Reyes sadly lost his
life," said Stallworth in the statement. "My thoughts and prayers
are with the Reyes family during this incredibly difficult time.
Unfortunately, since this accident is still under police
investigation, I cannot comment further on the matter at this
time."

ESPN: Correll Buckhalter denies he was involved with an alleged
drug dealer who is on trial in Pennsylvania, according to his
agent. A suburban Philly prosecutor said Wednesday that an alleged
drug dealer told police he sold drugs to athletes including
Buckhalter, a RB who signed with the Denver Broncos last month
after 8 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. "First of all, this
news caught both Correll and me by surprise this morning," agent
J.R. Rickert told The AP. "When I found out, I talked to Correll,
who said to me there is absolutely no validity to the allegation
that was made. He did not purchase drugs from this individual or
speak to this individual on the phone." Buckhalter signed a 4-
year, $10 million contract with the Broncos last month. Delaware
County Deputy District Attorney Katayoun Copeland told a jury
Wednesday that 36-year-old Styles N. Beckles, of Clifton Heights,
Pa., told officers he provided drugs to Buckhalter, according to
The Philadelphia Inquirer, which is covering the trial. Neither
Buckhalter nor any other athletes have been charged.

Arizona Republic: Arizona QB Kurt Warner got a new 2- year deal
with the Cardinals this offseason. Now he has a seemingly healthy
left hip as well. Warner underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a
labrum tear in his hip and clean out loose fragments in the area,
an injury he played through most of 2008 with. That didn't stop
him from completing 67.1 percent of his passes for 4,583 yards
with 30 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions for a passer rating
of 96.9, earning a Pro Bowl nod for the 4th time. The 37-year-old
2-time MVP will likely miss Arizona's early May mandatory
minicamp, but should return for the rest of offseason workouts and
his status for the 2009 season is not in danger. Warner has
already begun rehabilitation in Colorado, where the arthroscopic
surgery took place. Warner is coming off a banner 2008 season,
helping the Cardinals to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
At one point, his return to Arizona seemed to be in question
before the two sides eventually agreed upon a 2-year contract
worth a reported $23 million.

Kansas City Star: The Chiefs continued to reshape a disappointing
2-14 team from last season under new general manager Scott Pioli
after agreeing to terms with free agent wide receivers Bobby Engram and Terrance Copper along with LB Monty Beisel on Tuesday.

Denver Post: Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler has asked to be
traded. Cutler's agent, Bus Cook, made the request on behalf of
his client. The demand comes a day after the latest meeting
between Cutler and new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels.
McDaniels reiterated his desire to keep Cutler as the team's
quarterback, only a little while after Denver reportedly explored
a trade opportunity to add former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel. Cassel was subsequently traded to division rival Kansas
City. The report states that McDaniels admitted to Cutler that he
had pursued Cassel and that he was not apologetic about it. Cutler
has felt betrayed by the club, feeling that he was supposed to be
the team's franchise quarterback. Team owner Pat Bowlen said he
supports his new head coach and is disappointed in the way Cutler
has handled the situation but is not happy about the prospects of
losing his quarterback.

Florida Union Times: The Jaguars have released wide receiver Matt Jones, the team announced Monday.

Arizona Republic: The Cardinals agreed to terms with free agent
running back Jason Wright on a two-year contract on Monday. Per
club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Detroit News: The Lions signed free-agent tight end Will Heller to
a one-year contract.

Denver Post: The Broncos re-signed free agent tight end Jeb Putzier on Monday.

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth is
reportedly expected to be charged after he was the driver in an
accident that resulted in the death of a pedestrian on Saturday
morning. According to Yahoo! Sports, driving under the influence,
vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving are among the possible
charges. A Miami Herald report stated that 59-year-old Mario Reyes
was the victim involved and that Stallworth appeared to drive his
Bentley around a stopped vehicle to beat a red light.

Boston Globe: The Patriots on Saturday gave free agent wide
receiver Joey Galloway a one-year deal and re-signed defensive end
Mike Wright to a four-year contract.

Florida Union Times: Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones posted bond
on Saturday, a day earlier than expected, according to a report on
Arkansas television station 40/29.

Houston Chronicle: Wide receiver Reggie Williams was cleared of
charges of driving while intoxicated, stemming from his February
27th arrest. A judge in County Criminal Court of Harris County
Texas dismissed the charges against Williams, who was found to
have a .05 blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of the
incident. In Texas, the legal limit for intoxication is a .08 BAC.
With no reason for stopping Williams and his blood alcohol limit
under .08 BAC, there were no charges to be made and they were
dismissed. The ninth player selected in the 2004 draft out of
Washington, Williams had 37 receptions for 364 yards and three
touchdowns last season while playing for Jacksonville.

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Browns wide receiver Dante Stallworth has
been questioned by police in Miami after a pedestrian was hit by a
car and killed early Saturday morning. According to the Miami
Herald, Stallworth was cooperating with police and has not yet
been charged. Police said the accident happened at 7:17 a.m. (et).
Stallworth joined the Browns for the 2008 season as a free agent
and caught a career-low 17 passes for 170 yards with a touchdown
in just 11 games. He was hampered by a quadriceps injury for much
of the season. The seven-year veteran from Tennessee has also
played for New Orleans, Philadelphia and New England. He was
selected by the Saints with the 13th overall selection of the 2002
NFL Draft.

St. Louis Dispatch: The Rams released tight end Anthony Becht on
Thursday.

St. Louis Dispatch: The Rams released long-time wideout Torry Holt
on Friday.

The Chiefs released quarterback Quinn Gray.

San Diego Tribune: The Chargers and running back Ladainian Tomlinson put to rest rumors that he would play elsewhere in 2009
as the two sides came to terms on a restructured three-year
contract. Tomlinson's old contract also was through 2011, but his
new package is expected to help the Chargers in terms of the
salary cap.

The Browns released wide receiver Joe Jurevicius.

ESPN: When Trent Edwards heard the Dallas Cowboys released wide
receiver Terrell Owens, he sent a one-sentence text message to
Buffalo Bills' GM Russ Brandon. It read simply, "What about T.O.?"
Five days and a media whirlwind later, the Bills quarterback was
still digesting that his team had taken a chance on the talented
but controversial wide receiver. "I was excited. I was very
surprised that it happened," Edwards told reporters in Orchard
Park on Monday. "I respect football players that have such a
passion and desire to win football games." The Bills signed the
35-year-old Owens to a one-year, $6.5 million contract on
Saturday, hoping to fill a void at wide receiver and complement
the Bills' other starting wideout, Lee Evans.

ESPN: Jaguars receiver Matt Jones, who served a three-game
suspension at the end of the 2008 season, was arrested Monday
evening in Washington County, Arkansas, and is being held.
Multiple media outlets reported that alcohol was found in Jones'
system when he took a random drug test as part of a plea agreement
that resolved his cocaine possession charge in July. He was
charged with contempt of court. Jones was given a choice of
serving 10 days in jail or entering a six-week residential
treatment program, the Florida Times-Union reported. He at first
opted for the treatment program, but Judge Mary Ann Gunn suggested
he think about what a prolonged stay in treatment would do to his
NFL career. Jones then changed his mind.

Seattle Times: The Seahawks signed offensive lineman Ray Willis
and tight end John Owens on Monday.

Detroit News: The Lions signed free agent linebacker Cody Spencer,
and re-signed running back Aveion Cason on Monday.

The Jets re-signed kicker Jay Feely.

Chicago Tribune: The Bears and running back Kevin Jones agreed to
a two-year contract on Friday. Terms of the deal were not
released.

The Browns signed quarterback J.t. O'sullivan; re-signed safety
Mike Adams.

ESPN: Terrell Owens has agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million deal
with the Bills, according to sources. The Bills called a 6:15 p.m.
news conference Saturday to announce the signing. According to a
source, the entire contract is guaranteed. Owens visited the Bills
on Saturday. He was released by the Cowboys late Wednesday. Owens'
agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said in a text message Friday that his
client wouldn't be out of work for too long. Negotiations had
begun with several teams, Rosenhaus said. "There are several teams
that are interested in signing Terrell," Rosenhaus said. "I have
been in negotiations with these teams. I will not identify the
teams at this time. Terrell and I expect to have a deal in place
by the end of next week if not sooner."

Buffalo News: Bills running back Marshawn Lynch pleaded guilty to
a misdemeanor count of carrying a gun in his vehicle and was
sentenced to three years probation. The charges were in connection
to a February 11 incident when Lynch was reportedly discovered
with a loaded firearm while sitting with two other men inside a
parked car in Culver City, Calif. According to the Buffalo News,
two other misdemeanor counts against Lynch - one for carrying a
loaded firearm and one for carrying an unregistered firearm - were
dropped. Along with the three years of probation, Lynch was also
ordered to do 80 hours of community service. "Today we learned of
Marshawn's guilty plea to the misdemeanor violation," the Bills
said in a statement. "He has accepted responsibility for his
actions and apologized for his mistake. The league is now
reviewing the matter under the NFL Personal Conduct Policy."

The Broncos signed running back J.J. Arrington.

The Bengals re-signed running back Cedric Benson.

The Bucs signed kicker Mike Nugent.

The Bucs signed running back Derrick Ward.

The Saints re-signed wide receiver Devery Henderson to a four-year
contract Wednesday.

The Patriots acquired wide receiver Greg Lewis and an undisclosed
2010 draft selection from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for
an undisclosed 2009 draft choice; re-signed linebacker Eric
Alexander, punter Chris Hanson and safety James Sanders.

The Broncos signed quarterback Chris Simms.

The Bears signed tight end Robert Royal.

The Falcons re-signed tight end Justin Peelle, linebackers Coy
Wire and Tony Gilbert, defensive tackle Jason Jefferson, offensive
lineman Ben Wilkerson, safety Jamaal Fudge, running back Jason Snelling, cornerback Brent Grimes and safety Antoine Harris.

The Bucs re-signed safety Jermaine Phillips, tight end Jerramy Stevens and wide receiver Cortez Hankton.

The Seahawks signed wide receiver T.j. Houshmandzadeh.

Times Picayune: The Saints announced Thursday that they have
agreed to terms on a two-year contract with fullback Heath Evans.
The club will also reportedly release fullback Mike Karney, a move
that won't be officially announced until Friday. Evans gained 23
yards on 11 carries and amassed 59 yards on three receptions while
serving as a valuable lead blocker in 16 games last season for New
England, his fourth with the Patriots. Originally taken by Seattle
with the 82nd pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, Evans has registered 561
yards on the ground with three touchdowns and caught 40 passes for
328 yards with one additional score in 121 career games with the
Seahawks, Dolphins and Patriots.

The Jets signed safety Jim Leonhard; agreed to terms with kicker
Jay Feely on a one-year contract.

The Broncos signed running back Lamont Jordan.

The Bengals signed wide receiver Laveranues Coles.

The Cardinals signed quarterback Kurt Warner.

The Jets signed safety Jim Leonhard; re-signed fullback Tony Richardson.

The Cowboys released wide receiver Terrell Owens and safety Roy Williams.

Dallas Morning News: The Cowboys have released wide receiver
Terrell Owens. Owens spent the last three seasons with Dallas, and
played in 16 games in 2008, making 69 catches for 1,052 yards and
10 touchdowns as the Cowboys missed out on the playoffs. Despite
cracking the 1,000-yard mark, it was Owens' lowest output in
catches and yardage in a Cowboys uniform, and in any full season
since 1999. "Terrell Owens was a very productive player who
performed at a very high level for all three of his years here in
Dallas," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. "But we have made a
decision to move forward without him. "In the aftermath of the
season, we talked about change. Some of what is changing involves
the process, and some of it involves people. This is a decision
that was made based on upon consideration for an entire team. We
will move on now with a team -- a new attitude -- and into a new
stadium. The evaluation process and the prospect for change will
continue at every level of the organization."

The 49ers re-signed linebacker Takeo Spikes; signed quarterback
Damon Huard.

Denver Post: Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall apparently
won't face charges for disorderly conduct. According to the Denver
Post, charges against Marshall were dropped Monday after a hearing
in an Atlanta court room. Reports Sunday indicated that Marshall
had been involved in a fight earlier that morning. The Post had
reported that Marshall was booked into an Atlanta city jail Sunday
morning and released a few hours later after posting a $300 bond.
Marshall has had run-ins with the law in the past and could have
faced disciplinary action from the NFL for another incident.
However, because he was arrested, the league could still conduct
its own investigation and levy its own penalties under the
personal conduct policy. The 24-year-old Marshall missed a game
last season for violating the personal conduct policy, a
suspension that was originally three games and reduced to one.
Second-time violators have recently been hit with eight-game bans.

The Titans agreed to terms with wide receiver Nate Washington and
defensive tackle Jovan Haye.

The Texans signed quarterback Dan Orlovsky.

Tampa Tribune: The Buccaneers have reportedly signed free agent
running back Derrick Ward to a four-year contract.

Tampa Tribune: The Buccaneers re-signed wide receiver Michael Clayton on Sunday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Arizona Republic: The Cardinals signed free agent safety Keith
Lewis to a two-year contract and re-signed both punter Ben Graham
and quarterback Brian St. Pierre on Monday.

Detroit News: The Lions signed free agent wide receiver Bryant Johnson to a three-year contract on Monday. Additional terms of
the deal were not released.

The Patriots re-signed offensive lineman Russ Hochstein and signed
free agent tight end Chris Baker on Monday.

The Broncos signed long snapper Lonie Paxton, wide receiver Jabar Gaffney and running back Correll Buckhalter; released tight
end/long snapper Mike Leach.

Seattle Times: The Seahawks and wide receiver T.j. Houshmandzadeh
have reportedly agreed to terms on a five-year deal. According to
the NFL Network, Houshmandzadeh, who was also looking at returning
to Cincinnati or signing with Minnesota, signed for $40 million
with $15 million guaranteed.