Category: NFL (Page 1150 of 1282)

Roger Goodell finally made a decision whether or not to punish Adam “Pacman” Jones and Chris Henry. The verdict: Goodell came down, and he came down hard. According to ESPN, Jones was suspended for the entire 2007 season and Henry will be banned for eight games next year.

In a letter to each player, Goodell wrote: “Your conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league. You have put in jeopardy an otherwise promising NFL career, and have risked both your own safety and the safety of others through your off-field actions. In each of these respects, you have engaged in conduct detrimental to the NFL and failed to live up to the standards expected of NFL players. Taken as a whole, this conduct warrants significant sanction.”

Good for Goodell, because this had to be done. Jones has been involved or arrested in at least a baker’s dozen of incidents since he was drafted in ’05. His latest involvment – a shooting at a strip club in Las Vegas – didn’t get him charged with anything, but did leave a man paralyzed from the waist down. Henry has also had his fair share of off the field issues, apparently not learning from any of them considering he was arrested four times in a 14-month span. Both players would have to be reinstated next year before being allowed back into the league. Pacman – if convicted in any of his pending legal charges – could be in jail by that time and should be if he’s found guilty of any wrong doing regarding the multiple shootings in Vegas.

These players need to take the suspended time to learn from this, make a lifestyle change. The money lost in these suspensions is hefty, but obviously taking cash away from these players has been the equivalent to a slap on the wrist. Now is the time for them to man up, get some help and start taking accountability for their actions. Hopefully Goodell got his message across to future players as well, because the NFL is too good of a league to deal with this crap on a consistent basis.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN is reporting the Falcons have signed former first round quarterback Joey Harrington to a two-year deal. Financial terms were not yet immediate. Atlanta needed a backup after trading Matt Schaub to the Houston Texans last month.

Given the other quarterback options of Anthony Wright, Jay Fiedler and Chris Redman, Harrington isn’t a bad signing. He’ll compete with Redman and last year’s seventh round pick, D.J. Shockley, to be Michael Vick’s backup. However, this isn’t a move to bask in if Vick potentially does go down. Harrington seems fine in a spot duty, but showed at the conclusion of last year in Miami that his weaknesses will eventually come to the surface.

Ricky Williams clean?
Miami Dolphins’ running back Ricky Williams appeared on ESPN’s Dan Patrick show Friday morning claiming he has not smoked marijuana in a few years. Williams stated that he has replaced pot with yoga to relieve stress and says there is a good chance he’ll be reinstated into the NFL. The NFL has been testing him periodically since he was banned last year, but who knows if he can be trusted.

Redskins interested in Samuel
Apparently the Redskins will contact the Patriots about the availability of cornerback Asante Samuel. Samuel was franchised in February, so Washington would have to surrender two first round picks in order to acquire him or else negotiate a separate deal with New England. Samuel is looking for a long-term deal though, so the Redskins would have to sign him before any trade goes through. This is a Washington move that actually makes sense, compared to going after what many call a “system player” in Lance Briggs when the linebacker corps is arguably already set.

Browns interested in Green
Cleveland GM Phil Savage has confirmed that the Browns are interested in Kansas City quarterback Trent Green. The compensation to get Green is likely at least a fourth or fifth rounder, seeing as how the Chiefs rejected a sixth round pick from the Dolphins last month. If Savage could swing a deal for Green, it’s less likely that the Browns select a QB in round one considering Charlie Frye is still under contract and a new deal would be required in order to obtain Green.

Raiders talking QB trade with Lions?
According to ESPN’s John Clayton, the Raiders are interested in Lions quarterback Josh McCown. Even if the deal does go through, it doesn’t mean that Oakland won’t look for a quarterback in the draft…The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports Dolphins’ GM Randy Mueller will take a “wait and see” approach with Daunte Culpepper and he’s knee surgeries. Cleo Lemon will get a shot to start next year regardless of Culpepper’s health.