2006 NFL General News Thread

#81

Damn, that's so, so sad...

#82

Bronco's Tailback Collapses and Dies After Charity Basketball Game

Denver Broncos reserve tailback Damien Nash collapsed and died Saturday night after an appearance in a charity basketball game in St. Louis.

Nash, a two-year NFL veteran, was 24.

Agent David Canter confirmed his client's death, as did Denver team officials.

"We have been informed of the passing of Damien Nash," team spokesman Jim Saccomano said Saturday night. "We are attempting to get more details. We have people in Indianapolis that we're attempting to contact. We do know it's true."

Canter, who is attending the annual NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, was contacted after ESPN.com received reports of Nash's death from people close to other players who had participated in the basketball game. During a telephone interview, Canter, who was unaware of the incident, received a call from Denver officials confirming Nash's death.

"It's true," an obviously distraught Canter said. "It's true. I don't know what more to say right now, OK?"

Details of the incident were not yet available, and an official with the St. Louis police said an investigation was in its "very earliest" stages.

The proceeds of the event were to benefit the Darris Nash Find A Heart Foundation, which raises money for heart transplant research. The foundation was created last month after Darris Nash, 25, the older brother of Damien Nash, received a heart transplant.

"The Broncos family has suffered a great loss with the passing of Damien Nash," coach Mike Shanahan said from Indianapolis, where he was attending the NFL's scouting combine along with general manager Ted Sundquist. "I am stunned and deeply saddened by this tragedy, and send my deepest condolences to Damien's family."

A former University of Missouri standout, Nash entered the NFL as a fifth-round choice of the Tennessee Titans in 2005. He played three games with the Titans as a rookie, and then signed with Denver as a free agent last August. In his one season in Denver, he appeared in three games, rushing 18 times for 66 yards.

"The Denver Broncos organization is once again struck with profound sadness over the tragic loss of one of our players," team owner Pat Bowlen said in a statement. "This is a tremendous tragedy and our hearts go out to the entire Nash family."

Nash is the second Broncos' player to die since the end of the 2006 season. Two-year veteran cornerback Darrent Williams was shot to death in a limousine after leaving a Denver-area nightclub Jan. 1.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2778713

#83

Lions trade Bly to Broncos for Tatum Bell, Foster

By Michael Smith
ESPN.com

The Detroit Lions have agreed to send cornerback Dre' Bly to the Denver Broncos in exchange for running back Tatum Bell, tackle George Foster and a draft choice, believed to be a fifth-round pick.

Trades cannot become official until Friday, the first day of the league year.

Bly, a two-time Pro Bowl performer who earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 1999 St. Louis Rams, did not fit well in the Tampa 2 defensive scheme employed by second-year head coach Rod Marinelli and new defensive coordinator Joe Barry. Thus the Lions granted Bly and his agent, Kennard McGuire, permission to seek a trade two weeks ago.

The New Orleans Saints, New York Giants and Washington Redskins also were in the running for the 29-year-old Bly.

Neither Bly nor McGuire was available for comment.

In Denver, Bly will join Champ Bailey in forming one of the game's top cornerback tandems. The Broncos needed a replacement for Darrent Williams, who was killed in a drive-by shooting after a New Year's Eve party in Denver.

Bly is considered one of the game's best big-play cornerbacks. In eight seasons he has intercepted 31 passes, forced 17 fumbles, and scored eight touchdowns (five interception returns, two fumble returns, one punt return). Last season Bly tied for the team lead with three interceptions and led the Lions with 18 passes defended and four forced fumbles.

Bly has one year remaining on the $22 million free-agent contract he signed in 2003 and the Broncos are expected to begin working on a long-term agreement with McGuire.

Bell, 25, became a starter for the first time last season, his third, and led the Broncos with 1,025 rushing yards. In three seasons with the Broncos he has rushed for 2,342 yards and 13 touchdowns and owns a career yards-per-carry average of 4.9. The speedy Bell provides depth and insurance for the Lions in the event top back Kevin Jones' foot injury keeps him sidelined into next season.

Foster started 45 out of a possible 48 games the past three seasons at right tackle. The Lions were last in the league in rushing and allowed the second-most sacks (63) last season, so improving the offensive line is one of the team's top offseason priorities.

#84

Plummer May Retire Instead of Taking a Trade

In a twist that could scuttle a proposed trade to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, veteran quarterback Jake Plummer told friends and business associates Friday afternoon that he plans to retire from football rather than continue his NFL career in another city.

ESPN.com reported Friday morning that the Denver Broncos had reached agreement in principle on most of the elements of a trade that would send Plummer to the Bucs, where he would compete with Chris Simms for the starting job.

But only a few hours later, it appeared Plummer was ready to carry through on retirement suggestions he made earlier in the offseason, when it first became apparent the Broncos were shopping him in trade talks.

A source in the Tampa Bay organization said Friday afternoon the deal to acquire Plummer is "on hold ... at best." The source indicated that there were ongoing discussions aimed at convincing Plummer to accept the trade and play in 2007, but that the veteran passer was prepared to walk away from the game.

Under the terms discussed, the Broncos would have received a middle-round draft choice, believed to be a fourth-rounder, in exchange for Plummer. The trade was expected to be announced on Friday, provided all the major details were completed.

But that was before Plummer, scheduled to earn a base salary of $5.3 million for the 2007 season, wavered.

Tampa Bay re-signed Simms to a two-year contract earlier this offseason. But with Simms coming off a 2006 season in which he underwent an emergency splenectomy, the Bucs have been shopping for a veteran quarterback to bolster the depth chart.

Plummer, 32, lost his starting job in Denver to rookie Jay Cutler late last season and the Broncos have been entertaining trade offers in the offseason. A 10-year veteran, Plummer has started 136 games in stints with Arizona (1997-2002) and Denver (2003-2006). He has completed 2,484 of 4,350 passes for 29,253 yards, with 161 touchdown passes and 161 interceptions, for a passer rating of 74.6.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2785459

#85

Cowboys Release Bledsoe

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who was benched during the season by Dallas, was released Thursday by the Cowboys in a move that had been expected.

Bledsoe, the first overall pick in the 1993 draft by New England, started 193 games in the NFL, including the first six in 2006 before he was replaced by Tony Romo, who then earned a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl team. Bledsoe was due a $1 million roster bonus Friday and would have made $4.5 million next season.

The Cowboys also released tight end Ryan Hannam and guard E.J. Whitley.

Bledsoe was 3,839-of-6,717 passing for 44,611 yards and 251 touchdowns for the New England Patriots (1993-2001), Buffalo (2002-04) and Dallas (2005-06). He is fifth on the NFL career lists in attempts and completions and seventh in yards.

"I spoke with Drew today and told him that this was primarily a cap decision and that the door was very much open for him being a part of our future," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "Drew has been a solid leader for our team and a true professional both on and off the field."

Hannam joined the Cowboys as an unrestricted free agent last spring from Seattle. He saw action in two games, mainly on special teams, before he was placed on injured reserve Oct. 11 with a degenerative condition in his right knee.

Whitley was a seventh-round pick last year, but tore the ACL in his left knee in rookie minicamp and spent the season injured reserve.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2784758

#86

Saints Release Joe Horn

The New Orleans Saints released four-time Pro Bowl receiver Joe Horn on Thursday, saying Horn asked to be let go after the Saints asked him to take a pay cut.

"Joe really wanted to see where his value is around the league for his services," general manager Mickey Loomis said. "With as much as Joe has meant to the Saints and to New Orleans, we don't want to impede his desire to do so, and we have kept the door open for him to return to our team."

Horn, who was the most frequent spokesman for the players during their Katrina-enforced exile during the 2005 season, had caught 523 passes for 7,622 yards and scored a team-record 50 touchdowns since coming to New Orleans as a free agent in 2000. He ranks second in club history in catches and yardage, and he is the team's all-time leader in 100-yard receiving games with 27.

"Right now it's going around that (the Saints) wanted to restructure my contract and I asked to be released, but this has nothing to do with money," Horn said told The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. "I wanted to retire as a Saint. I've been through hell and back for that city and that organization. If I wanted out of New Orleans that bad, I would have just kept my mouth shut and let them move the team to San Antonio.

"I just don't think [coach] Sean Payton wanted me back. I asked to be released because I felt betrayed by a head coach who wanted to prove he could win without Joe Horn."

In May 2005, Horn signed a six-year extension that would have paid him about $42 million for the life of the contract. Next season, he was to be paid about $4.45 million and receive a $1 million roster bonus later this month.

Horn was immensely popular among fans in New Orleans, not just because of his play, but also because of his outgoing, down-to-earth demeanor. He visited displaced New Orleans residents in shelters after Katrina. His No. 87 jersey was omnipresent during games in the Louisiana Superdome, and fans hung banners honoring him from upper deck facades around the stadium.

He had his own radio show. And he was a regular at New Orleans Hornets basketball games, sitting a couple rows from the court and often one of the last people out of the stadium because he had taken time to speak with fans who approached him to say hello, talk Saints and wish him well for the upcoming season.

When the season ended, Horn said he wanted to remain in New Orleans and believed he could continue to play at a high level, but said from the outset that he did not intend to agree to a pay cut -- at least not without testing the free agent market first.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2784681

#87

Reminded every day that loyalty is a facade, this shits a bitness...!

#88

Bucs Sign Jeff Garcia, Still Trade For Plummer

Just one day after quarterback Jake Plummer indicated he'd rather retire than relocate in a trade, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have recovered, signing unrestricted free agent Jeff Garcia on a deal that could allow the veteran to again challenge for a starting job in the league.

Then they traded for Plummer anyway, sending a 2008 conditional draft pick to the Denver Broncos on Saturday in exchange.

While terms were not yet available, ESPN.com's John Clayton reported the deal for Garcia was believed to be for about $5 million a year. The team announced the signing on its Web site.

Garcia quickly became the Bucs' primary target on Friday after Plummer, who has played the past four seasons in Denver but lost his job to rookie Jay Cutler last year, decided that he did not want to join the Bucs. Tampa Bay would have surrendered a fourth-round draft pick to the Broncos under terms of the preliminary trade agreement.

Tampa Bay officials, including coach Jon Gruden, attempted on Friday to persuade Plummer to reconsider and accept the trade, but he held firm. That apparently changed Saturday, but how or why was not clear. The Associated Press reported that Broncos spokesman Patrick Smyth declined to comment on the news release announcing the trade, and Plummer has not been available for comments on his plans.

The deals give would give the Bucs two veteran quarterbacks to compete with Chris Simms for the starting job.

Garcia was also sought by several other teams, including Denver and the Oakland Raiders.

A three-time Pro Bowl performer, but a quarterback nomad since 2003, his final season with the San Francisco 49ers, Garcia is joining his fourth different franchise in four seasons.

In 99 games, including 92 starts, Garcia has completed 1,811 of 2,972 passes for 20,385 yards, with 136 touchdown passes and 73 interceptions, for an efficiency rating of 86.4. He has thrown for more than 2,500 yards five times in his career.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2786694

Bot · #89

I just read and posted this at OF... lol I hate Shanahan, man...

#90

Plummer Decides To Retire

A lot of retirees head to Florida. Jake Plummer apparently would rather stay in the Rocky Mountains.

Plummer ended all speculation regarding his future Sunday, announcing his retirement on his foundation's official web site.

The announcement caps a whacky turn of events surrounding Plummer, who lost his job as the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback late last season and was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.

Rather than join a rebuilding team with a muddled quarterback situation in Tampa Bay, the 32-year-old Plummer instead decided to call it quits after 10 seasons.

"I want to thank my family and close friends for their loyal support through all these fun-filled, roller-coaster years," Plummer said in a statement posted on the web site. "Second, I owe all of my greatest achievements in football to the men who stood by my side as my teammates and coaches."

After leading the Broncos to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons with the team, Plummer struggled in 2006, passing for 1,994 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions for a rating of 68.8. The veteran ultimately lost his starting job to Jay Cutler, Denver's 2006 first-round pick.

With Cutler cemented as the Broncos' starter, questions and rumors began circling regarding Plummer's future. He appeared to have found a new home with the Buccaneers, who acquired the veteran for a conditional 2008 draft pick.

But it was a puzzling move by Tampa Bay, which had signed free agent Jeff Garcia just hours earlier and already had young quarterbacks Chris Simms and Bruce Gradkowski on the roster.

Less than 24 hours after being traded, Plummer made Tampa Bay's quarterbacks situation a little less hectic.

Plummer enjoyed his most successful season in 2004, passing for career highs of 4,089 yards and 27 TDs with Denver. He led the Broncos to a 13-3 record the following season but struggled in the AFC Championship game, throwing two interceptions in a loss to Pittsburgh.

A second-round pick in the 1997 draft, Plummer passed for 29,253 yards, 161 TDs and 161 interceptions in 143 career games with Denver and the Arizona Cardinals.

"Football has been awesome to me in many ways," he said. "I leave the game with my health and happiness and look forward to my future. I've got many rivers to cross."

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/f ... index.html