April 2009 4for4 Player News Articles

ESPN: Pittsburgh Steelers receiver and Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes was arraigned Wednesday on a misdemeanor marijuana charge
stemming from a traffic stop. Holmes' attorney, Robert DelGreco
Jr., appeared at the brief hearing where charges were formally
presented. Holmes did not appear, nor was he required to. DelGreco
said he planned to challenge the constitutionality of the stop,
but did not elaborate. "I will be filing a suppression motion.
That will be a public record and we'll go from there," he said.
Pittsburgh police said they found three marijuana-filled cigars in
Holmes' car when he was pulled over Oct. 23. Holmes was stopped
because his car was similar to one they were looking for in a drug
sting. Holmes was cooperative and alerted officers to the drugs,
police said.

TSN: Running back Darren Sproles signed a one-year tender offer to
remain with the Chargers. The deal was worth $6.621 million for
Sproles, who had been designated the franchise player for the
Chargers. He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in
the spring, but the Chargers used the franchise designation, which
guaranteed he would earn the average of the five top running back
salaries in the league. If another team had signed Sproles, the
Chargers would have received a pair of first-round draft picks as
compensation.

The Falcons named Eric Sutulovich assistant special teams coach;
signed running back Verron Haynes; released wide receiver Troy
Bergeron.

ESPN: Michael Vick will be released from federal prison camp in
Leavenworth, Kan., to serve out the rest of his sentence in home
confinement on May 20, Herb Hoelter, a member of Vick's defense
team, and another source with knowledge of the sentencing told
ESPN. Vick will serve out his home confinement period in a five-
bedroom home he owns in Hampton, Va., where he will live with his
fiancée and two of his children. He will also work 40 hours a week
at a local construction company, making $10 an hour. Vick's
sentence ends on July 20. He will be on supervised probation for
the next three years.

ESPN: Brett Favre's agent Bus Cook reaffirmed Wednesday that the
veteran quarterback has no plans to end his retirement now that
the New York Jets have released him. "He's retired, he doesn't
have any desire to come back, and that's the way it is with
Brett," Cook said. "He's mowing his grass. He's working on his
farm. He enjoys that stuff." Cook said he originally asked the
Jets to release Favre after the season as just "the order of
business. Brett wants to retire as a Packer and that's just part
of it."

The Dolphins released quarterback John Beck.

The Eagles re-signed WR Hank Baskett to a one-year deal; signed
tight end Eugene Bright, terms were not disclosed.

The Bills agreed to terms with running back Dominic Rhodes.

The Steelers signed wide receiver Hines Ward to a contract
extension through 2013.

The Cardinals released cornerback Rod Hood, running back Edgerrin James and defensive end/linebacker Travis Laboy; signed defensive
back Tony Davis.

The Chiefs traded tight end Tony Gonzalez to the Atlanta Falcons
for a 2010 second-round pick.

ESPN: A day after Byron Leftwich's departure, the Pittsburgh
Steelers moved quickly to retain Charlie Batch. Batch agreed to a
one-year, $895,000 deal, according to a source, including a
$50,000 signing bonus. Batch, 34, is entering his 11th season, his
seventh with the Steelers. A native of Pittsburgh, Batch joined
the Steelers in 2002 and has played in 22 games, including four
starts.

St. Louis Dispatch: The Rams acquired wide receiver Laurent Robinson on Monday while swapping fifth and sixth-round draft
choices with the Atlanta Falcons.

Buffalo News: Bills running back Marshawn Lynch has been suspended
three games, without pay, by the NFL for violating the league's
personal conduct policy. Lynch was arrested in February in
California on weapons charges and last month pleaded guilty to a
misdemeanor count of carrying a gun in his vehicle. Two other
charges were dropped and Lynch was sentenced to three years'
probation along with 80 hours of community service. Unless Lynch
appeals, he will miss the first three games of the 2009 regular
season. He can participate in training camp and Buffalo's
preseason games before the suspension goes into effect. The
charges were in connection to a February 11 incident when Lynch
was discovered with a loaded firearm while sitting with two other
men inside a parked car in Culver City, California.

Tampa Tribune: The Buccaneers and tight end Kellen Winslow agreed
to a six-year contract extension. Tampa Bay acquired Winslow on
February 27 from the Browns in exchange for a second-round pick
this year's draft and a fifth-round selection in 2010. The sixth
overall pick in the 2004 draft out of Miami-Florida, Winslow
endured an injury-and controversy-plagued five seasons in
Cleveland.

Tampa Tribune: The Buccaneers and quarterback Byron Leftwich
reportedly agreed to a two-year contract on Sunday.

New York Daily News: An arbitrator ruled Monday that former New
York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress can keep a $1 million
signing bonus despite being released following a gun accident.
Stephen Burbank ruled in favor of Burress that he must be paid the
final $1 million from a $4.25 million signing bonus.

SF Chronicle: Veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia will return to the
Bay Area, but this time as a member of the Oakland Raiders.

The Rams signed quarterback Kyle Boller.

The Titans agreed to terms on a contract with quarterback Patrick Ramsey on Friday. Originally a first-round selection (32nd
overall) of the Washington Redskins in the 2002 draft, he has
suited up with Washington, the Jets and Denver over his seven-year
career.

The Giants released wide receiver Plaxico Burress.

TSN: Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall will reportedly be out
until late July after undergoing hip surgery. The Denver Post
reported that Marshall, who is coming off his first Pro Bowl
season, had the procedure performed by noted hip specialist Dr.
Marc Philippon. Philippon has also worked with third baseman Alex
Rodriguez of the New York Yankees and Arizona Cardinals
quarterback Kurt Warner. Marshall, 25, posted 1,265 yards and six
touchdown receptions on 104 catches in 15 games last season. The
6-4, 230-pound UCF product has at least 100 catches and 1,200
yards receiving in each of the last two seasons.

Denver Post: Broncos president and CEO Pat Bowlen announced the
team is trying to trade quarterback Jay Cutler. It's been a rocky
start to a relationship for Cutler and new Broncos head coach Josh
McDaniels, and the latest news came Tuesday night in a statement
from Bowlen. "Numerous attempts to contact Jay Cutler in the last
10 days, both by head coach Josh McDaniels and myself, have been
unsuccessful. A conversation with his agent earlier today clearly
communicated and confirmed to us that Jay no longer has any desire
to play for the Denver Broncos. We will begin discussions with
other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded."

ESPN: The Bears acquired disgruntled Broncos QB Jay Cutler in a
trade on Thursday afternoon, giving up QB Kyle Orton and 1st-round
picks in 2009 (18th overall) and 2010, along with a 3rd-round pick
(84th overall) in 2009 to do it. To complete the trade, the
Broncos had to give back a 5th-round pick (140th overall) in 2009.
That pick was acquired by the Broncos from the Seahawks in a trade
for WR Keary Colbert. The Bears beat out the Redskins, Bucs,
Lions, Titans and other teams to land the 25-year-old Pro Bowl QB.
The Broncos had made it clear they were asking for at least two
1st-round choices. Cutler had asked to be traded when he found out
1st-year Denver coach Josh McDaniels tried to acquire Matt Cassel
in a trade with the Patriots. "I don't have any concerns," Bears
GM Jerry Angelo said. "[Coach Lovie Smith] and I talked about
that. We did, like a lot of people who were interested in Jay, a
lot of work going back to not just when he was with Denver [but]
but going back to his days at Vanderbilt."

Denver Post: After weeks of contention, McJaygate ended happily,
at least for Broncos officials on the top floor of Dove Valley.
Denver shipped disgruntled QB Jay Cutler to the Bears on Thursday
in a blockbuster trade, putting an end to the acrimonious saga
between new coach Josh McDaniels and his unhappy QB. The Broncos
received QB Kyle Orton, two 1st-round picks and a 3rd-round pick
in exchange for Cutler and a 5th-round pick. "I'm sure he's
excited to move on and play in Chicago, and we're excited about
the opportunity we have," McDaniels said. And no, McDaniels did
not try to call Cutler to inform him of the trade, not after the
team's difficulty getting hold of Cutler the past 10 days.
Instead, Broncos GM Brian Xanders notified Cutler's agent, Bus
Cook, that the deal had been consummated. "I don't feel like Jay
would have had any more desire to speak to me now than he's had in
the past," McDaniels said. Cutler declined to comment upon hearing
of the trade.

Arizona Republic: The Cardinals have signed free agent fullback
Dan Kreider to a one-year contract, the team announced Thursday.

New York Daily News: Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress had his
gun possession hearing postponed until June 15 as his legal team
continues to negotiate a plea agreement. According to his
attorney, Benjamin Brafman, no plea deal is currently in place,
but if one were to be reached, it could allow Burress to possibly
play for the Giants in 2009. "Right now we have not reached an
agreement," said Brafman outside a New York City court room.
"Everyone has asked me whether or not Mr. Burress is going to play
this season. I think that's a decision for him, his management
team and the New York Giants, so I'm not going to comment on that.
I assume a lot will depend on how, when and if this case is
resolved. June 15 is the next day we're back unless there's a
reason to come back." Burress is charged with two felony counts of
illegal gun possession for a November incident at a New York City
night club in which the receiver accidently shot himself in the
leg.

SF Chronicle: Wide receiver Isaac Bruce informed 49ers head coach
Mike Singletary on Wednesday of his intentions to play in San
Francisco next season. The 36-year-old receiver joined the Niners
in 2008 after a 14-year stint with the St. Louis Rams. He was
contemplating retirement after a 61-catch, 835-yard campaign but
decided to fulfill his two-year, $6 million contract.