Cowboys, Glenn could still resolve differences

Tag : loose spikes
In an HBO profile that will be broadcast Tuesday, Bill Parcellsmakes clear that he will not offer input to Dolphins coach TonySparano during games and reiterated he won't coach again. Asked byAndrea Kremer if he will call down during games, Parcells said''no.'' How about checking in at halftime? ''No, absolutely not,''he said during a recent interview that airs on Real Sports at 10p.m. Tuesday. ``You'll never have to worry about that. That will beone thing anybody who knows me knows you don't have to worryabout.'' But in the piece, Dolphins offensive coordinator DanHenning indicated Parcells, the Dolphins' executive vicepresident/football operations, offers occasional coaching tipsduring practices. -- Miami Herald
Takeo Spikes still on 49ers radar
49ers GM Scot McCloughan said linebacker Takeo Spikes, unsignedsince his release by the Eagles in March, remains on the team'sradar. "He is somebody we talk about," he said. -- SF Chronicle
Boldin and Dockett upset with Cards?
Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin and defensive lineman DarnellDockett plan to report to training camp in Flagstaff on timeWednesday, their agent said, but their presence is not anindication that the players are pleased with their contractsituations. "Anquan is not the type of guy to hold out," said DrewRosenhaus, who represents both players. "He's a very principledguy. It's just not in his makeup." And Dockett "is a man who isgoing to honor his commitment to come to camp," Rosenhaus said.Both players want new deals and more money, but there has beenlittle progress in Rosenhaus' talks with Cardinals General ManagerRod Graves. Dockett has four years left on his contract, and theCardinals have declined to discuss a new deal. Boldin's situationis different. The Cardinals made him an offer in December, monthsbefore they re-signed receiver Larry Fitzgerald to a four-year, $40million deal. Boldin, who has three years remaining on a contractthat averages about $4 million a year, wants a contract comparableto Fitzgerald's. Rosenhaus declined to discuss his conversationswith the Cardinals in any detail. "We've been in discussions," hesaid. "That's all I can say about it." The sides remain far aparton a new deal, and sources close to the situation said Boldin isunhappy that talks have not been more substantive. -- Arizona Republic
Chargers Gates worried about recovery
Antonio Gates wants to come back whole. He wants to be what he was.He wants to be the athlete you remember, the tight end for a newmillennium, the prototype too advanced for mass production. He isaware, however, that his glory days could be dwindling. "You alwaysworry," the Chargers' transcendent target said yesterday. "That'sjust part of human nature. I wonder if I can still go out and bethe (No.) 85 that people are used to me being in the past. I thinkthat's part of the challenge." Five months removed from surgery ona torn plantar plate in his left big toe, Gates is a key variablein the Chargers' 2008 equation and a constant source of concern. -- San Diego Union-Tribune
Taylor Says He'll Honor The Rest of His Skins Contract
Jason Taylor plans to complete the remainder of his contract, hesaid yesterday, changing his mind about considering retirement atthe end of the season after speaking with Washington Redskins ownerDaniel Snyder. "Well, I know I made a statement back in June, Ithink it was in June, that I plan to play one more year in '08 andtake it from there," he said. "I have talked to Dan Snyder andVinny and Coach [Zorn]. I'm on board. I'm gonna play out mycontract. I'll be here for more than one year, God willing, unlesssomething bad happens. I'm here to play ball and play ball as longas I can." The Redskins assume the final two years of Taylor'scontract, Cerrato said, with no renegotiation. Taylor is scheduledto be paid $8 million this season, including a $500,000 rosterbonus (which Miami already paid), and $8.5 million next season withthe same bonus. -- Washington Post
Reid: Eagles not worried about Westbrook
Controversy, no stranger to these parts, has also accompanied theEagles up the Northeast Extension again. This time, it's runningback Brian Westbrook's public quest for more money that has shakenthe Eagles' nest as training camp begins. Reid, however, didn'tseem bothered by it. "We've always done a good job with thosethings, so I'm not worried about that," the coach said. "We'vealways been very fair and understanding to the players that we'veapproached about contracts. Other than that, I'm not going to getinto that. It's not our policy to get into these things, so I'llleave it at that. If you study the history of sports, you can lookat every year and every sport and things happen over contracts.We'll work through this." The coach said he thought Westbrook wouldbe in attendance when the remaining veterans report to campThursday afternoon. "Brian is obviously one of the leaders of thefootball team, so I would expect that he would be here," Reid said."I'm just anticipating him being here. I'm not looking at it theother way." -- Philadelphia Inquirer
Chargers to waive Eric Parker?
Receiver Eric Parker is listed on the Chargers' training camproster, but sources say the team will release or trade him beforeFriday's first full-squad practice. Parker missed all of lastseason with a toe injury. He's expendable after the team acquiredveteran Chris Chambers in the middle of last season to go with the2007 drafting of young receivers Craig Davis and Legedu Naanee.Parker's agent, Jack Bechta, has been given permission to find asuitor for his client. Bechta hasn't responded to phone or e-mailmessages in the last few days. -- North County Times
49er Larry Allen's status still unclear for '08 season
Larry Allen hasn't retired yet, and it's unclear whether the11-time Pro Bowl guard wants to return to the 49ers - but coachMike Nolan said Monday that Allen has indicated he would like toplay this season for somebody. Nolan said he has not spoken toAllen, 36, but said the free agent told offensive line coach GeorgeWarhop recently that he would like to play a 15th NFL season.Warhop has been his position coach dating back to their years withthe Cowboys. Nolan said he made a few calls to Allen but had notheard from him. -- SF Chronicle
Dallas Cowboys, WR Glenn may address dispute
The summer-long soap opera starring Terry Glenn and the Cowboyscould end soon. On Monday, coach Wade Phillips said he's hopeful apeaceful resolution can occur by Friday, the day the team has itsfirst training camp practice in Oxnard, Calif. The Cowboys want theveteran receiver to sign an injury waiver that would give him$500,000 if he re-injures his right knee. The team has told him hecan't practice with the team without the waiver. But Glenn, comingoff two surgeries to his right knee before last season, isscheduled to make $1.74 million this season. He said he doesn'twant to sign the waiver because he deems it unfair. Team officialshave told Glenn and his agent, James Gould, that he will bereleased if he doesn't sign the waiver. Glenn told the team torelease him, then backed off. Now, with training camp approaching,it appears the sides will talk again this week in an attempt tosolve their problems. -- Dallas Morning News
Terrell Suggs will stay away from Ravens camp
Baltimore's franchise defensive end/linebacker Terrell Suggs is notplanning to report to training camp until after the Ravens wrap upthe preseason Aug. 28 against Atlanta. Not having signed his $8.5million franchise tender, Suggs is not contractually obligated tobe there -- and he won't be. By staying away, Suggs intends tolimit his risk of injury. He already has hired a private defensiveline technique coach and will try to simulate his own privateversion of training camp, staying in the best shape he possiblycan. But the Ravens will have to figure out how to make do withoutSuggs this summer, something they hope they won't have to do againnext season. -- NFL Network
Agent says Plaxico Burress won't be trouble for Giants
With Jeremy Shockey gone, the Giants' last remaining pre-campheadache appears to be Plaxico Burress. But there's nothing toworry about there, according to his agent, who said the receiverdefinitely will be in camp on time. Drew Rosenhaus, Burress' agent,told the Daily News Monday that his client will report to camp atthe University at Albany Thursday morning with the rest of theGiants. And the receiver plans to be there whether he has a newdeal in place or not. That's important, because according tosources familiar with the negotiations, a new deal is not thecertainty Burress has recently made it out to be. One source saidthe sides remain far apart, and the Giants "have gone about as faras they're willing to go." Still, Burress has no plans to do whathe did in June, when he sat out the team's mandatory minicampbecause he was unhappy with the slow progress of talks. -- NY Daily News
Rams Orlando Pace and Adam Carriker will be examined by teamdoctors shortly after they arrive in Wisconsin
Two Rams starters coming off shoulder surgeries -- left tackleOrlando Pace and defensive lineman Adam Carriker -- will beexamined by team doctors shortly after they arrive in Wisconsin onThursday. "Carriker, we really believe he's probably going to becleared (for contact work)," Linehan said. Linehan was a bit morecautious when it came to Pace. "Orlando is in great shape," Linehansaid. "He has really worked and has got himself in a good spot.It's a matter of what the docs say. I think they just want to seeif he's ready to take that next step as far as contact. Not to beoverly cautious, but he's had two bad-luck injuries two years in arow." -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Chargers pick Cason gets final offer on contract
The Chargers and representatives for Antoine Cason are not terriblyfar apart on their desired terms for the first-round draft pick'scontract. But there are key discrepancies regarding thecompensation. And there is a difference of opinion on the status ofnegotiations. Cason's agent, Ron Slavin, said yesterday, "We'restill working on it." Meanwhile, Chargers General Manager A.J.Smith indicated the team's present offer is its final one. "Antoineand his agent, Ron Slavin, are viewing our offer," Smith said."When they call us and say they like it, they will be in. If theydon't like it, they will stay away. They are both making a bigbusiness decision right now. Talks have been great; (the)relationship is great. I hope things work out. If not, we will bedisappointed and move on." -- San Diego U-T
Skins Campbell unhappy with his play in camp
Quarterback Jason Campbell said he was disappointed in hisperformance the first two days of training camp. "I'm just notplaying my type of ball right now," he said. "I know I can play ata high level if I play my type of ball, but I'm not doing thatright now. I'm putting pressure on myself. I'm just trying toplease everybody instead of just playing, just being myself andletting go. "I know I'm a good quarterback. I know I don't haveanything to prove. I've just got to go let go, go out there andhave fun. Just play the game. You play your best when you're justplaying loose and having fun. Just don't worry about a whole lot ofthings. Don't worry about what people think." Although Coach JimZorn said he was pleased with Campbell's progress in running theRedskins' new West Coast offense, Campbell said he made poor throwson several plays in the first session yesterday. -- Washington Post
Cowboys coach happy for Hamlin
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said he was happy that free safety KenHamlin signed a six-year $39 million contract last week. "I thinkit's important that we got that done," Phillips said. "It gives usstability in the secondary, especially somebody who can call thedefenses and make all the adjustments in the secondary, and he's agreat center fielder." -- Dallas Morning News
Steelers expect Mendenhall and Sweed in camp
Kevin Colbert, the team's director of football operations,predicted yesterday that the top two draft choices will come toterms by the time the Steelers report to training camp Sunday atSaint Vincent College in Latrobe. Running back Rashard Mendenhall,the Steelers' top pick, and wide receiver Limas Sweed, drafted inthe second round, are the last unsigned of their seven draftchoices. "We feel confident that everybody will be signed bytraining camp," Colbert said. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Cards backup QB Warner not close to new contract
The Cardinals also have been talking to backup quarterback KurtWarner's agent about a contract extension. But those negotiationsappear to be at standstill. Warner is in the final year of hiscontract and is due to make $4 million. The Cardinals want tore-sign him, but the challenge is crafting a deal that rewardsWarner if he supplants Matt Leinart as the starter, while keepinghis salary reasonable should he remain the backup. "We are notclose," Warner's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said. -- Arizona Republic

--
Chargers Hardwick hopes to return for start of season
Chargers Center Nick Hardwick has said he doesn't know if he'll beback for the start of the season but that he will be ready "whenthings start getting interesting." That is the thought echoedthroughout the organization. Hardwick is running but is severalweeks from practicing and won't be pushed to come back in theseason's first month or even beyond. He could start the season onthe physically unable to perform list, which would make himineligible to play until the Chargers' Oct. 19 game at Buffalo. -- San Diego U-T
How About That?
In five NFL seasons, Antonio Gates already has scored 43touchdowns, matching the career total of the first Hall of Fametight end, Mike Ditka. Gates' 340 receptions exceed the careercatches of Hall of Famer John Mackey. None of the seven Hall ofFame tight ends has snared more passes in a single season than didGates in 2005, when he caught 89. ... All seven tight ends who havebeen enshrined in Canton - Ditka, Mackey, Dave Casper, OzzieNewsome, Charlie Sanders, Jackie Smith and Kellen Winslow -experienced their peak pass-catching season by age 28. Gates turned28 last month. -- San Diego Union-Tribune
Steelers Super Bowl ring auction uncovers factual fumble
An unidentified Steelers fan who didn't want to see pieces of theteam's history leave town yesterday purchased two Steelers SuperBowl rings in an eBay auction for more than $66,000. Even thoughone of the pieces has a tiny flaw. The rings, commemorating theteam's victories in Super Bowls IX and X in 1975 and 1976, had beenthe property of a Steelers front-office employee whose estate isundergoing a bankruptcy sale. An astute reader -- who could only bedescribed as a die-hard Steelers fan -- took a close look at thering and noticed something amiss. The score of the Steelers'first-round playoff game against Buffalo, engraved on the side ofthe ring, was wrong. The final score of the game was Steelers 32,Bills 14. The ring says Steelers 32, Bills 6. A check with Jostens,the Minneapolis-based jeweler that produced the rings, proved thatwhile the Steelers' original design had the accurate score, thering molds -- which the company keeps in a large vault -- show thewrong score. And no one ever noticed or corrected it. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Texans top draft pick Duane Brown only rookie without a contract astraining camp nears
The Texans are in the midst of a busy week as they try to signtheir four remaining draft picks by Friday morning when the teamopens training camp. They made progress Monday by agreeing to dealswith cornerback Antwaun Molden, running back Steve Slaton anddefensive tackle Frank Okam. Molden and Slaton were selected by theTexans in the third round of the draft. Okam was the team'sfifth-round pick. The only draft pick left for the Texans tofinalize a contract with is left tackle Duane Brown, their firstround pick. -- Houston Chronicle
Jason Taylor sack odds with Redskins
How many Sacks will Jason Taylor have in the 2008 Season?
Over 10.5
Under 10.5 -- Bo dog
Cowboys working on contracts for Jones and Jenkins
The Cowboys are in the preliminary stages of contract talks withrunning back Felix Jones and cornerback Mike Jenkins, its twofirst-round picks. -- Dallas Morning News
NFL draft picks signing slowly
Do not expect a flurry of signings with the rest of the top 10picks. Teams and agents for most of the other top 10 picks reportedlittle progress Monday. It could be a while before players such asKansas City's Glenn Dorsey, New York's Vernon Gholston, NewOrleans' Sedrick Ellis and other top picks are signed. -- NFL Network
T.O. Helps KO'd Writer
Terrell Owens is more than brawn and balling -- he's also a modelcitizen! The proof: sports writer Sam Alipour was hit by a caroutside of an ESPYs after-party and the first person to come to hisaid was none other than T.O. In his column, Alipour reported thatthe Dallas Cowboys' receiver helped him up and chose to wait forthe ambulance instead of going to a nearby party. But T.O.'s wildside eventually came out -- he left to go out instead of stickingaround to be Alipour's "hero." -- TMZ
Will Saints Shockey out play Giants Boss?
Who will have more receiving yards in 2008?
Kevin Boss (NYG) +250 Receiving Yards
Jeremy Shockey (NO) -250 Receiving Yards -- Bo dog
Vikings tampering odds
If the Vikings are found guilty by the NFL what will the result be?
Fine only 13/2
Lose first round or second round pick 3/1
Lose third or fourth round pick 2/1
Lose fifth round pick 7/2
Lose sixth or seventh round pick 4/1
No penalty 12/1 -- Bo dog
Pats Brady enjoying the Costa Rican surf
That Tom Brady's baby mama, Bridget Moynahan, was in town over theweekend, and stopped in for a Kobe flat-iron steak and striped bassdinner at KO Prime with a male friend. Word from the diners at therestaurant in the Nine Zero hotel was that little Jack Moynahan'smom and her date didn't look too lovey-dovey. Both were dressedcasually and were pleasant to all. Papa Tom, BTW, who has beencavorting in the Costa Rican surf with inamorata Gisele Bundchen,must report to Patriots training camp in Foxboro tomorrow. -- Boston Herald
Chargers QB Whitehurst making money for nothing
Charlie Whitehurst is stuck in a moment, working for a day no onewants to see happen. He wishes there were more, but he's actuallyfine with where he is for now. He's an NFL player, 25 years old,and has made more than a million bucks over the past two years.Whitehurst worked along with the rest of the team's quarterbacksyesterday morning, throwing mostly to rookies in the Chargers'first workout of the summer. It was the beginning of Whitehurst'sfavorite time of year. "I get to be a football player," he said.Whitehurst, in two NFL seasons, has yet to throw a pass. -- San Diego U-T
Ben Maller can be heard weeknights on "The Third Shift on Fox" viathe vast Fox Sports Radio Network. The show is broadcast liveMonday-Friday from 2am till 6am (est). Check your local radiolistenings for the FSR affiliate in your town, listen to XMSatellite Radio Channel No. 142 or via live streaming audio onlineat FoxSports.com/Radio . Say hi to Ben at myspace.com/benmaller . Interact with Ben's fans and talk sports on Ben Maller's forum Questions, comments and news tips can be sent to Ben via e mail at BigBen@Foxsports.com or Ben@BenMaller.com.