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Turk comes calling 49ers release veteran DT Bryant after failed physical
Updated: Tuesday August 28, 2001 12:11 AM
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- The San Francisco 49ers release one-time starting defensive lineman Junior Bryant on Monday after he failed yet another physical in an attempt to return from a serious neck injury. Bryant hasn't played since last September, when he was injured in a game at St. Louis. Bryant announced a comeback bid earlier this month, but the team said he needed to pass a physical before being allowed to play. "It's never an easy decision when you have to release a veteran player like Junior Bryant," general manager Terry Donahue said. "We wish him the best of luck with whatever he chooses to do." Bryant, a six-year veteran with the 49ers, was contemplating retirement after tests earlier this year showed little improvement in his condition. But after he was examined by team doctors, the 49ers let Bryant decide whether he'd attempt to return this season.
DE Tomich among 10 players cut by CardinalsTEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Four-year NFL veteran defensive end Jared Tomich and Sean Keenan, Arizona's practice squad quarterback last season, were among 11 players cut by the Cardinals on Monday.
Tomich, who played in 55 games in four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, signed a one-year free agent contract with Arizona on July 25. He was a second-round draft pick of the Saints out of Nebraska in 1997. Keenan, an undrafted free agent from Williams College, was on the practice squad for the first 14 games of last season, then was activated to the 53-man roster for the final two games because backup Dave Brown was unable to practice because of a finger injury. Keenan could return to the practice squad once final cuts are made this weekend. Also cut Wednesday were seven rookie free agents: offensive tackle Tait Afualo; defense end Felipe Claybrooks; defensive back Nijrell Eason; offensive guards Caleb Moore and Kim Stubern; center Jason Padget; outside linebacker Kevin Rollins; and second-year tight end Terrence McCaskey. Tight end Elliott Carson, another rookie free agent, was cut in an injury settlement. He had not played at all in training camp because of an ankle injury.
Minnesota releases six, including CB KiddEDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings released six players Monday, including veterans Carl Kidd and Joey Kent, to leave them within one of Tuesday's mandatory roster limit. The Vikings also released rookie guard Wes Hines, kicker Andy Crosland, punter Brian Morton and long-snapper Mike Solwold. Kidd, a cornerback who played two seasons with the Oakland Raiders, was trying to stick in his second go-around with the Vikings and in his seventh NFL camp. After being released by the Vikings during training camp last season, he played for the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League. Kent, a wide receiver, tried again to make the Vikings after spending four weeks with them last season. He was left out in what probably will be a three-way battle for the final two receiver spots between Troy Walters, Nate Jacquet and fourth-round pick Cedric James. The Vikings must release another player Tuesday to reach the 68-player limit, which includes a three-player exemption for World Football League players. The Vikings must cut down to 53 players by Sunday.
Steelers cut WR Getherall, 15 othersPITTSBURGH (AP) -- Former Notre Dame wide receiver Joey Getherall and safety Nakia Codie, who played in six games last season, were among 16 players cut Monday by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Also cut were tight end Jason Gavadza, who has spent time on the Steelers' practice squad; defensive tackle Luis Almanzar, guard David Bobo, linebackers Chad Evitts and Jamel Smith, running back Eddie Faulkner, offensive tackle Rob Fehrman, kicker Andy Kohl, wide receivers Kamil Loud and Vanness Provitt, cornerback Adrian Sadler, tight end Ryan Sprague, defensive end Nigel Tharpe and defensive back Dwayne Stukes. The Steelers have roster exemptions for wide receiver Demetrius Brown and defensive back Payton Williams, who played in NFL Europe last spring, and their roster stands at 67. They must reduce to 53 by 4 p.m. Sunday.
P Araguz, 10 others, cut by RamsST. LOUIS (AP) -- Veteran punter Leo Araguz was cut Monday by the St. Louis Rams, giving incumbent John Baker the punting job. Ten others also were released: wide receivers Dane Looker, Tony Miles and Antoine Toliver, tight end Steve Bush, running back Anthony White, guard Omar Smith, defensive end Jermaine Benoit, linebacker Troy Evans, cornerback Buddy Crutchfield and kicker Matt Simonton. Two players -- linebacker Scott Zimmerman and cornerback Chris Cummings -- have roster exemptions because they played in NFL Europe this spring. The Rams will not have to make any more cuts until Sunday when all teams must reduce their rosters to the regular-season limit of 53 players. Araguz was signed as a free agent on June 14. His release ensures the return of Baker, a second-year player acquired from Indianapolis on Aug. 22, 2000, for a seventh-round pick in the 2001 draft. Baker averaged 40.4 yards per punt last year, 21st in the NFL, and his 34.2-yard net average ranked 22nd. But thanks to the Rams' prolific offense, he punted only 43 times, the fewest of any regular punter in the league.
WR Yeast among eight Bengals waivedCINCINNATI (AP) -- Wide receiver Craig Yeast, a fourth-round draft pick who returned kicks and started seven games for the Cincinnati Bengals last season, was among eight players waived Monday. Running back Michael Basnight, quarterback Scott Covington, punter Will Brice, kicker Richie Cunningham, rookie cornerback Kenny Bryant, rookie receiver Ramondo North and rookie linebacker Kamal Shakir also were waived. The Bengals also put fullback Nick Williams on a reserve list. He tore a ligament in his left knee in minicamp last May and will be eligible to play after the sixth week of the season. Offensive tackle Freddie Moore, a rookie free agent, was placed on injured reserve. Yeast was quarterback Tim Couch's favorite target at Kentucky. The Bengals chose him in the 1999 draft three rounds after the Cleveland Browns picked Couch. The 5-foot-7 receiver sprained his ankle in his first training camp and had only three catches for 20 yards as a rookie. He caught 24 passes for 301 yards last year and returned 34 punts and seven kickoffs. The Bengals drafted receivers Chad Johnson in the second round and T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the seventh round last April, hoping to upgrade a passing game that was the worst in franchise history in 2000. Covington was chosen in the seventh round in 1999 but never started a game and didn't play in preseason this year.
LB Moore among five Browns cutsBEREA, Ohio (AP) -- Linebacker Marty Moore was released by the Cleveland Browns on Monday after starting a career-high nine games last season. An eight-year veteran, Moore played six seasons for New England. He became expendable when the Browns acquired free agents Dwayne Rudd, Brant Boyer and Barry Minter. Moore, 30, made a career-high 98 tackles last season, including 14 solo stops at Pittsburgh. The Browns trimmed their roster to 72 by also releasing defensive back Brandon Davis, wide receiver Zola Davis, center Doug Rosfeld and linebacker Michael Smith. Cleveland has to make three more cuts by 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday when NFL rosters are required to be at 65. The Browns, though, can carry 69 because four roster spots are reserved for NFL Europe players. Smith played for Browns coach Butch Davis at Miami and had been signed by the club in April as an undrafted free agent rookie. The Browns also placed rookie defensive back Michael Jameson and defensive back Lewis Sanders on the reserved-injured list and they will be out for the season. Linebacker Lenoy Jones was put on the physically-unable-to-perform list and could play later this year. Jameson, a sixth-round draft pick, broke his leg during Friday's exhibition game in Washington. LB Waddy, TE Finger among 12 let go by BucsTAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- There were no surprises Monday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers began shaping their roster for the regular season. The team released 12 players, including third-year linebacker June Waddy and seventh-round draft pick Dauntae' Finger, in the first mandatory cuts of training camp. The moves leave the team with 72 players, including six NFL Europe exemptions. One more player must be released by Tuesday's deadline to trim squads to 65 players, plus exemptions. Waddy signed with the Bucs as a free agent after spending the past two seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Finger was one of six tight ends in camp. Also waived Monday were: running back Jeff Chaney; fullback Leroy McFadden; tight end David Newman; receivers Jacquay Nunnally and Alex Willis; offensive linemen Shane Grice and Eric Thomas; cornerbacks Antonious Bonner and Anthony Midget; and punter Aron Langley. Next week's final cuts figure to be a lot tougher, including a decision on whether to keep Ryan Leaf or Joe Hamilton as the team's third quarterback. Hamilton may have held the edge after two preseason games, but Leaf improved his stock with a solid performance in last week's 20-3 exhibition victory against New England. Hamilton, who didn't play against the Patriots, figures to see action Friday night when Tampa Bay finishes the preseason at Atlanta. Finger, one of Tampa Bay's three seventh-round draft picks, was unable to beat out Damian Vaughn and Randy Palmer, who remain in the running for the third tight end job.
Two veteran LBs among 11 cut by JetsHEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- Veteran linebackers Dwayne Gordon and Doug Colman and safety Scott Frost were among 11 players released Monday by the New York Jets. Gordon, 31, who played the last four years with the Jets, became a free agent after the 2000 season. He was brought back earlier this month when the Jets came up short at middle linebacker, but showed little in training camp and was unimpressive in Saturday's 17-14 victory against the New York Giants. "We were looking for a little bit more out of him," head coach Herman Edwards said. "I feel bad about him, but it is all about performance. I always told the players if you don't perform, then it is going to be tough. This is a performance business." Like Gordon, Colman, 28, was expected to help on special teams as well as at linebacker. He previously played with the Giants, Titans and Browns in five pro seasons, but slowed by a quadriceps injury this summer. Colman barely played in preseason games. New York also released a third linebacker Aaron Humphrey, who played in the XFL for Chicago. Frost, a former Nebraska quarterback who played for the Jets for three seasons, was bothered by a rib injury from an offseason auto accident and was sidelined for much of training camp. He also was victimized by the team's depth at safety. "When you are in positions where you've got players you're trying to compete against who are pretty good, it is tough," Edwards said. In getting down to 68 players -- three NFL Europe players were exempt from this cut -- the Jets also waived fullbacks Matt Comella and Rodney Filer; wide receivers Walter King, Phil McGeoghan and Corey Alston; defensive tackle Jon Michals; and guard Matt Bonito. The final cut to 53 is Sunday.
Falcons waive 10 ahead of deadlineATLANTA (AP) -- Running back Gary Downs was among 10 players waived by the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, a day before the NFL deadline for teams to cut rosters to 65. Downs, an eight-year veteran, also played special teams for Atlanta. Also waived were second-year center Matt O'Neil and defensive tackle William Carr, a veteran of four NFL practice squads. The seven rookies cut were: cornerback Jamara Clark, linebacker Nick Colbert, cornerback Ahmad Hawkins, tight end Jevaris Johnson, tackle Dave Kadela, linebacker Trey Merkens and wide receiver Vinny Sutherland. Chiefs part ways with WR Moses, six othersKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Wide receiver J.J. Moses and kicker Lawrence Tynes were among seven players cut by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. Moses, 5-foot-6 and 178 pounds, was among a handful of rookie free agents signed by the Chiefs during the spring. The former Iowa State player was a crowd favorite during training camp in River Falls, Wis. The Scottish-born Tynes, of Troy State, kicked a 58-yard field goal in training camp, but was inconsistent. He fell far short of a 50-yard attempt in the Chiefs' 10-9 preseason victory against the Chicago Bears. Also released ahead of the Tuesday cutdown were cornerback Dyshod Carter of Kansas State, defensive end Kendrick Gholston, tight end Mark Thomas, guard Robert Hunt and wide receiver Geroy Simon. Meanwhile, the Chiefs said center Casey Wiegmann had his appendix removed Monday. His role will be filled by Brian Waters, head coach Dick Vermeil said. Bears waive three, pick up two, put one on IRLAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) -- The Chicago Bears waived linebacker Donta Jones, kicker Vitaly Pisetsky and tackle Chris Brown on Monday. They also claimed two ex-Philadelphia Eagles, defensive end Uhuru Hamiter and tackle Stan Bennett, off waivers, and put safety Frankie Smith, a special teams standout, on injured reserve with a fractured shoulder blade. Smith was hurt in Saturday night's 24-20 exhibition loss to Arizona and will miss the entire season. Hamiter played in the final seven games for the Eagles last season after being elevated from the practice squad Oct. 31. The Bears roster stands at 73, including four NFL Europe exemptions that expire Sept. 2. NFL Europe veteran cut by ChargersSAN DIEGO (AP) -- NFL Europe veteran Madre Hill, signed early in training camp when the Chargers were banged up at running back, was one of 11 players released by San Diego on Monday. The others released were: kicker Cedric Oglesby; punter Dirk Johnson; wide receiver DeRonnie Pitts; quarterback Bart Hendricks; cornerback Walter Bernard; safety Titcus Pettigrew; fullbacks Wendell Davis and Marty Maurer; tight end Robert Ellis; and linebacker Shannon Taylor. The Chargers must make three more cuts by Tuesday. They have received exemptions for four players, including three from NFL Europe who won't count toward the roster limit until the final cut Sept. 2. The Chargers also received a roster exemption for rookie running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who didn't sign until last Wednesday. The exemption will last until Friday's game at Arizona, when the Chargers must release a player to make room for Tomlinson, the fifth overall pick in April's draft. Green Bay cuts three playersGREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Defensive linemen DeAngelo Lloyd and Harry Deligianis and cornerback Kevin Kaesviharn were waived by the Green Bay Packers on Monday, trimming the roster to 67 players. In addition to the 67 players still on the roster as of Monday, tight end Adam Newman and linebacker Donnie Spragan are exempt until next Sunday's final roster reduction because they played in NFL Europe this summer.
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