CFL's Roughriders claim negotiating rights to ex-OSU QB Pryor

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Saskatchewan Roughriders have acquired the negotiating rights to Terrelle Pryor and have spoken to Pryor's lawyer about bringing the former Ohio State quarterback to the Canadian Football League.

Pryor's attorney, Larry James, said Wednesday that the CFL is a genuine possibility for the ex-Buckeye.

"Yeah, it's like I told (the Roughriders). My house is not for sale, but at the right price, it's on the market," James said.

James was in a meeting and had yet to speak with Pryor about the Roughriders. James said he did not believe Pryor had ever mentioned the CFL as a strong possibility in their conversations.

Pryor, a three-year starter for the Buckeyes, announced Tuesday that he is giving up his senior season while the NCAA investigates Ohio State players getting improper benefits, including tattoos, cash and possible sweetheart deals on cars. Pryor has admitted he broke NCAA rules by accepting improper benefits from a Columbus tattoo-parlor owner.

Roughriders general manager Brendan Taman told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the team owned Pryor's CFL negotiation rights and was intrigued by the 6-foot-6, 233-pound quarterback.

"He's a heck of an athlete," Taman said. "We get a lot of U.S. college football up here. We're well aware of him. With the (bigger) field up here in Canada, with the athlete that he is, he would be an interesting component to come up here and run around and do some things as a quarterback."

Taman said he was more concerned about Pryor's passing ability than his past.

"(The CFL) is a pass-oriented league, so that's one thing he'd have to master," he said. "But as a runner he would flourish up here, I know."

Asked if the ongoing NCAA investigation into Pryor and the fact that he was unable to complete his college career would be a concern for the Roughriders, Taman said no.

"Any time we sign a player, we check into their character and whatnot," he said. "If we get these talks advanced, we'd obviously have a thorough discussion with him and get input back on exactly what went down. What little I know about him, I don't think there's anything that's a major red flag that he's just totally a kid you would ignore."

Pryor has other options. He could make himself available for an NFL supplemental draft, although there are questions about whether one will be held because of the labor unrest in the league.

He also could take a year off to heal from ankle surgery last January and prepare for next year's NFL draft. Many experts think that might be the way to go.

"When we look at him athletically I think he's a good athlete, but I don't think he's an athlete like (former Auburn QB and Heisman Trophy winner) Cam Newton," said NFL draft analyst Gil Brandt, a former general manager of the Dallas Cowboys.

Pryor could join another player who fell into disfavor and did not finish his Ohio State career, running back Maurice Clarett, and sign with a team in the United Football League. Clarett plays for the Omaha Nighthawks.

Nighthawks coach Joe Moglia didn't sound excited about the idea of that pairing.

"The job of any coach is to do what's in the best interest of his players, his coaches and his fans," he said. "If that were to come up, we would take a look at that. I'm not the type of guy normally who hypothesizes on something that probably, under normal circumstances, may not happen."

James said he will discuss the opportunities with Pryor, possibly next week.

"We would try to get through next week in order to do our due diligence, in order to figure out where we are," James said. "No. 1, try to figure out whether the NFL's going to have a supplemental draft. If they are, what's the timetable and what's the protocol. Then we'd also explore what are the processes and procedures for the Canadian league and what would be the dates and deadlines and decisions to be made."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

NFL investigating spitting claim by Dolphins' Crowder

The NFL is investigating a complaint by the Miami Dolphins that Baltimore Ravens fullback Le'Ron McClain spat in the face of linebacker Channing Crowder, according to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora.

McClain denied spitting intentionally, and Ravens coach John Harbaugh has absolved his player of any wrongdoing. But a video replay from WFOR-TV in Miami appeared to confirm the incident, which Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said he has verified.

"I have enough evidence," Sparano said. "It's upsetting to me."

Crowder didn't talk to reporters Monday, one day after a disappointing 26-10 loss at Baltimore dropped the inconsistent Dolphins to 4-4. McClain conceded saliva flew, but only accidentally.

"He said stuff to me I didn't want to hear. I said stuff he didn't want to hear," McClain said. "Spit came out of my mouth when I said something to the dude, and that was it. It wasn't on purpose. I'm not that kind of player."

The Dolphins weren't buying that explanation. Linebacker Karlos Dansby said McClain, a Pro Bowl fullback, should be suspended for the rest of the season.

"As a man, you spit in somebody's face, you crossed the line," Dansby said. "Where I'm from, that'll get you killed, straight up. That's around the world, period."

Crowder is widely considered one of the league's foremost trash-talkers, so it was no surprise to see him and McClain facemask to facemask trading taunts during a timeout, with an official trying to separate them.

The video shows the conversation ending when McClain rears his head back before thrusting it forward.

"That's just me talking," McClain said. "You can't see spit coming out of my mouth or anything."

Crowder then waves his left hand in front of his face, as if trying to intercept the spittle, before the players are separated.

Harbaugh found McClain innocent.

"I talked to Le'Ron," Harbaugh said. "I've seen the videotape of it. It didn't happen. I don't believe for one second it happened."

That's for the league to decide, Sparano said.

See all the action from Sunday all over again -- for free. Watch online and in HD with the NFL Game Rewind Free Trial. Learn More.

"There are a lot of things that go on in this game from a trash-talking standpoint," Sparano said. "I'm standing there on the sideline yesterday, and I had a player talk trash to me from the other team, and I didn't say one word to the guy. That being said, that's part of the game. I get it. Whatever floats your boat. I don't think it's part of the game, but to some of them, that's what gets them going.

"But this whole deal here about spitting in somebody's face -- nowhere in this game do I see any place for that."

After the game, Crowder was so upset he mixed up his historical figures, complaining the officials who missed the spit had eyesight comparable to Stevie Wonder and Anne Frank. When reporters confused by the reference to Frank further queried Crowder, it became clear he meant Helen Keller instead.

"Is that the blind girl?" Crowder said. "Helen Keller? I don't know. ... I'm mad right now. I'm not as swift as I usually am."

None of Crowder's teammates saw the incident, either. Dansby quickly became aware of it and said his linebacking partner deserves credit for his restrained response.

"He had to weigh his options," Dansby said. "He asked me on the sideline, `Should I go whup him?' I'm like, `Yeah, go whup him.' Then I was like, 'Man, I need you. If you do it, you're going to hurt your team.' So he had to pull back."

Ironically, in the days leading up to the game, Crowder praised McClain as one of the league's best fullbacks. But Crowder also called Ravens receiver Derrick Mason old, and after the game, Mason fired back at Crowder.

"He was getting knocked down, getting pushed out of the way," Mason said. "The guy is horrible."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Injuries claim Panthers QB Moore, LB Connor for season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers' miserable year took an even darker twist Monday when tests revealed starting quarterback Matt Moore has a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder and will require season-ending surgery.

Moore was injured when Sedrick Ellis drove his right shoulder into the turf on a sack in the second quarter of New Orleans' 34-3 rout on Sunday. In the last year of his contract and after failing to move the Panthers except in their lone victory this season, Moore may have played his last game in Carolina.

But coach John Fox's reluctance to commit to struggling Jimmy Clausen over fellow rookie Tony Pike as Moore's replacement further illustrated his predicament as the Panthers (1-7) flirt with being one of the lowest-scoring teams in NFL history.

"The two quarterbacks on the roster, we'll take a look at them this week and decide who gives us the best chance to win," Fox said.

To make matters worse, the only bright spot for the Panthers this season -- the defense -- took its own hits. Starting middle linebacker Dan Connor is lost for the season after breaking his hip Sunday, and the team has decided not to bring back weakside linebacker Thomas Davis this season from his second major knee surgery in a year.

Fox also confirmed Jonathan Stewart sustained a concussion Sunday and gave no timetable for fellow running back DeAngelo Williams' return from a foot injury.

The Panthers can't seem to hit bottom.

Moore's injury may end a stunning fall after he finished 4-1 as a replacement last season, leading to Carolina's decision to release seven-year starter Jake Delhomme. Moore threw five touchdowns, 10 interceptions, lost two fumbles and had a passer rating of 55.6 this season.

And he's been Carolina's best QB.

See all the action from Sunday all over again -- for free. Watch online and in HD with the NFL Game Rewind Free Trial. Learn More.

Fox yanked Clausen, the second-round pick from Notre Dame, shortly after he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Jabari Greer Sunday. Clausen has one touchdown pass, four interceptions, two lost fumbles and a 48.0 passer rating.

Pike, a sixth-round pick from Cincinnati, took over and was 6-for-12 for 47 yards against the Saints.

None of the three QBs led the Panthers into the end zone Sunday, leaving them with 88 points at the halfway point of the season. Failing to reach double digits in points in half their games, they're on pace to score 176 points. That's not far off from the pace that would leave them in the top five for fewest points in a season since the 16-game schedule was adopted in 1978.

"We're just out of sorts a little bit," Fox said. "Whether it be somebody seeing the right read, turning the protection the right way, throwing the ball accurately. A variety of things that have occurred to us offensively, not just at the quarterback position."

While Fox said signing another quarterback is unlikely because "I'm not sure there's a huge list available right now," he's ready to experiment.

Fox said third-round pick Armanti Edwards, a college quarterback at Appalachian State who had been converted to receiver, would get some snaps at QB in practice this week.

"If we did not bring in another quarterback, he would be the next best emergency quarterback that we have," he said.

The embattled Fox also has problems at linebacker. Connor was playing well in his first full season as a starter. Davis, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in June, was hoping to come off the physically unable to perform list by Wednesday's deadline.

"It's been 5 ½ months and I think in his best interest I wouldn't want to rush that and risk another injury," Fox said on the decision to place Davis on IR.

Davis agreed with the assessment, and is confident Carolina will re-sign him.

"It was a joint decision and ultimately, and I appreciate them for this, they left it up to me," Davis said at halftime of Monday's San Antonio-Charlotte NBA game. "They left me the option of whether I wanted to do it and I made the decision to go ahead and shut it down."

The speedy weakside linebacker was having a breakout season in 2009 when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in a November game against New Orleans. He was making a rapid recovery seven months later -- clocked at 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash -- when he suffered the same injury in a June workout.

The Panthers didn't put him on IR and Davis had said he was determined to play this season despite Carolina (1-7) being in the midst of a terrible season. But Davis acknowledged his knee still isn't 100 percent.

"It's very tough. I know how much hard work I've put in," Davis said. "But even bigger than that, I know how much I want to be out there with my teammates week in and week out. I think of how much work we've put in to get this thing going and it's just not happening right now."

The move means Davis will enter free agency not only with the uncertainty surrounding the expiring collective bargaining agreement, but not having played in more than a year.

Davis believes he'll be in Carolina next season.

"That was a concern going in, but I know what I'm capable of," Davis said. "I have the utmost respect for the organization, and I feel like they're going to do a great job of handling the free agency situation. I've pretty much been assured by them that I'm going to be a Panther, so I hope that it all works out."

Asked if staying in Carolina was what he wanted, Davis didn't hesitate.

"Definitely," he said.

Fox indicated Jon Beason would likely move back to middle linebacker with Jordan Senn a candidate to start at weakside.

The roster shifting means more headaches for Fox, who tried to backtrack from a day earlier when he seemed to blame the front office for offseason moves that slashed payroll and left Carolina as the NFL's youngest team.

"That by no means is an indictment of our personnel by any stretch," Fox said. "I like our football team. I wish we were playing better."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Browns cut RB Davis, claim Clayton off waivers from Pats

BEREA, Ohio -- Unhappy with his role and little playing time, running back James Davis has been let go by the Cleveland Browns.

According to The Plain Dealer, the seldom-used Davis was waived Monday by the Browns, who once had high hopes for the 2009 draft pick. The team didn't confirm the move or that it has been awarded running back Thomas Clayton off waivers from the New England Patriots.

On his Twitter account, Davis, who had four carries for 9 yards this season, indicated he was gone.

"Finally was granted with my wish," he wrote.

Despite the Browns needing another running back after rookie Montario Hardesty suffered a season-ending knee injury and veteran Jerome Harrison was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, Davis was inactive for three of the past four games.

His agent told newspaper that Davis didn't ask to be waived. Bob Hunter also told the paper he was surprised the Browns didn't use Davis more.

Davis played in two games as a rookie before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury during practice.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Deadline looms for safety-needy teams to claim Lewis

Safety Michael Lewis, who was released by the San Francisco 49ers on Monday after asking to be let go following his demotion from the starting lineup, remains on waivers until late Tuesday afternoon.

There's no need to fret about missing any games. You can watch every contest again with Game Rewind. Get more information here.

It isn't known if any claims have been put in, but several teams are in need of safety help after a rash of injuries last weekend.

If claimed, a team would have to pick up the remainder of Lewis's $1.7 million contract.

Lewis, who started San Francisco's first three games, left the team Friday after rookie Taylor Mays was promoted into the starting lineup at Lewis' expense.

Lewis, 30, has started all 50 games in which he has appeared with the 49ers. He took a pay cut to remain with San Francisco for a fourth season. He played his first five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.

View the original article here