Stallworth looks ahead to future that's likely without Ravens

Donte' Stallworth has warm feelings for the Baltimore Ravens, the franchise that gave him a second chance as a football player.

It was the Ravens who signed Stallworth after the one-year suspension and short jail term that followed a driving under the influence manslaughter conviction in 2009. But the wide receiver, who will become an unrestricted free agent when the lockout is lifted, has regrets about his limited time on the field in Baltimore.

“Yeah, there’s mixed feelings,” Stallworth told the Carroll County Times in Friday's edition. “The organization was nothing but great to me. I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. The guys were great and the fans welcomed me. They tell me all the time they hope things work out for me and that I would come back. From the foot injury standpoint, it definitely derailed a lot of things that I was looking forward to doing.”

Stallworth broke his foot in an Aug. 28 preseason game and didn't make his Ravens debut until October. By that point, the team had signed veteran receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, relegating Stallworth to a reserve role. Stallworth finished the season with just two catches for 82 yards and five rushes for 45 yards.

“We picked up T.J. and he played really well and I was hoping that maybe at some time I would get an opportunity to do what I feel like I can do,” Stallworth said. “I didn’t really get that chance for whatever reason, but I still have a lot left in the tank.”

Stallworth's fate with the Ravens is all but sealed, a reality the receiver is aware of. The team drafted University of Maryland speedster Torrey Smith in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and it's expected the rookie will assume a key role in the offense.

Stallworth has no ill feelings toward Smith, who he's worked out with in Miami this offseason.

“That’s my boy,” Stallworth said. “I’m excited that he got drafted by Baltimore. I know the coaching staff wanted to get younger and faster at that position and that’s exactly what they did. He’s a really good kid.”

It remains to be seen what kind of interest Stallworth would draw among NFL teams. The free-agent and trade market figures to be flooded with veteran wide receivers like him. It's certain he won't get a contract that comes close to the seven-year, $35 million deal he got from the Cleveland Browns before his suspension.

“I can’t say exactly where I’m going to go, but there are a few teams that like me that I’m interested in as well,” Stallworth said. “I’m only 30 years old. I feel like I have a lot of years left. I can still do good wherever I end up next year. Hopefully, I’ll have that opportunity.”

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Jacobs: Eagles, not Giants, likely for Burress after prison time

When Plaxico Burress is released from a New York state prison Monday, he must find work. But Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, one of Burress' closest friends, doesn't believe the wide receiver will do so with his former NFL team.

"No, he ain't coming to the Giants," Jacobs said Thursday, according to The Star-Ledger. "That's out of the question. He's got options, and it's good he can weigh his options. I would love him to be a part of the Giants, but I don't think that's even on his plate."

What's on Burress' plate, Jacobs believes, is joining the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles -- a possibility that has been recently speculated and later supported by the team's quarterback, Michael Vick, who served 19 months in a federal prison on dogfighting charges. Burress, 33, will have served 20 months after pleading guilty in 2009 to attempted criminal possession of a weapon following a November 2008 incident in which he accidentally shot himself in the leg at a New York nightclub.

Brooks: Burress is a fit in Philly

"I would hate to see him go to where I think he's going to go, from talking to him," said Jacobs, who speaks to Burress weekly and helps his wife and children. "It's pretty tough to deal with all those different combinations that they can present. ...

"(The Eagles) have a lot of dynamic players down there. "It wouldn't be a bad thing, he thinks, to go down there, because he wants to win. He wants to have a shot to win a Super Bowl right away. I don't know if that's the right mixture for him to do it, but they definitely have a lot of talent."

Jacobs also said Burress has told him he wouldn't mind playing for former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, now coach of the St. Louis Rams.

Jacobs' comments about Burress mirror those of Giants left tackle David Diehl, who told NFL.com last month that he'd like the receiver to return but doesn't see it happening.

"If I were Plaxico, I don't think I would want to ...," Diehl said. "If I were in that position, in order to move on and start fresh, you have to get back to square one. That's getting back to playing football. That's getting back to yourself, and not only enjoying your family, but enjoying your life and being happy again. For him, I think that's somewhere else."

Not every Giant dismisses the idea of Burress returning to the team. Eli Manning, who threw the game-winning TD pass to Burress in Super Bowl XLII in February 2008, expressed his support for the receiver last month, saying, "I'm excited that he's getting out, and if the Giants or another team give him a shot, I'll look forward to getting him back into football." Defensive end Justin Tuck said Thursday that "I would love to have Plaxico back in Giants blue."

Even so, Jacobs is adamant that his friend will find a new NFL home.

"I just want to be happy for him," Jacobs said. "I just want him to be super happy that he's out, that he's a free man and he's able to continue his career."

Burress started his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2000, then joined the Giants in 2005. He has 505 catches for 7,845 yards and 55 TDs.

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Cable likely out as Raiders' coach after two-plus seasons

Tom Cable is unlikely to return as the Oakland Raiders' coach, a league source said Sunday.

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Raiders owner Al Davis is expected to survey the coaching landscape, and he will not decide Cable's future until some time in the middle of the month.

With a 31-10 victory over the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Cable led the Raiders to an 8-8 record this season, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the division. But Cable is 17-27 overall since taking over as coach in the middle of the 2008 season.

Cable presently doesn't have an official contract with the Raiders, but Davis can pick up an option for two more years.

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Merriman's Bills stay likely short after he's placed on IR

Shawne Merriman's first season with the Buffalo Bills ended before it even really began.

The Bills placed Merriman on injured reserve Saturday because of a nagging Achilles' tendon injury, culminating a tumultuous year for the one-time feared linebacker.

The Bills claimed Merriman off waivers earlier this month, three weeks after the San Diego Chargers placed him on IR because of a calf injury.

At the time, Merriman also was nursing a strained Achilles' tendon. In his first practice with the Bills on Nov. 10, he lasted just 15 minutes before re-injuring it.

The Bills also placed linebacker Keith Ellison on injured reserve Saturday. Ellison couldn't practice all week because of an unspecified knee injury.

"We felt it was still going to be some time before Shawne and Keith were healthy enough to return to the field, and we certainly were not going to have them return to action until they were physically ready to do so," Bills general manager Buddy Nix said, according to the team's official website. "Knowing that we needed the roster spots, we felt this was the best move for our team and it's also best for both players. The most important thing at this point is for them to get healthy, and this gives them that opportunity."

To fill the two open roster spots, the Bills promoted wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt and linebacker Thomas Williams to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.

Merriman, a 2005 first-round draft pick and three-time Pro Bowl selection, also sat out most of the Chargers' offseason workouts and part of training camp to protest his contract, which expires following this season. He finishes the year with six tackles in three games for the Chargers.

Merriman expressed his eagerness for a fresh start when he made his first public appearance in Buffalo, one day before the Bills' Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears in Toronto.

The following Wednesday, Merriman walked onto the practice field for the first time with his new team, but that's when things went awry. During a harmless-looking individual drill, he backpedaled, then pivoted to his left before pulling up and hopping on one leg.

Merriman immediately pulled down his right sock and limped to the sideline, where a trainer spent a few minutes checking the linebacker's ankle. Merriman then consulted head trainer Bud Carpenter at midfield before being escorted to the Bills' fieldhouse, where the team's training room is located.

Merriman was inactive for the Bills' next two games against the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals. On Friday, Bills coach Chan Gailey declared Merriman out for Sunday's home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24 hours before the team officially cut short his season.

Merriman sounded resigned about his situation when asked about it Friday.

"It's coming along, but it's still the same situation it was a few weeks ago. Just wait and see what happens," Merriman said after practice, according to the Buffalo News. "My main thing is just to get it healthy. It's been there for a year. I haven't had many other problems other than that. It's been there constantly -- on and off -- for a year now, and I never really had a chance to take care of it. I've been pretty healthy the last couple of years -- other than that. It's unfortunate, but I have to get it taken care of."

Nicknamed "Lights Out" for his aggressive and hard-hitting style, Merriman has 43.5 sacks in his 60-game NFL career. But his production has substantially dropped over the past three seasons, largely because of nagging injuries, including reconstructive knee surgery that forced him to miss most of 2008.

Since the start of the '08 campaign, Merriman has just four sacks in 18 games.

Merriman received a four-game suspension in 2006 after testing positive for steroids. He blamed the positive test on a tainted supplement, which he never identified.

Merriman also brought unwanted attention off the field after being arrested just before the 2009 season when reality television star Tila Tequila accused him of battery and false imprisonment at his suburban San Diego home. No charges were filed, and Merriman and Tequila settled dueling lawsuits.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Raiders likely without CB Asomugha, TE Miller against Chiefs

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Ankle injury likely to keep 'Hawks LT Okung off field vs. Giants

RENTON, Wash. -- Making his first NFL start, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Charlie Whitehurst had better be acutely aware of what's happening behind him come Sunday.

The Seahawks will start a completely new left side of the offensive line against the sack-happy New York Giants.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Friday that rookie left tackle Russell Okung is "as doubtful as you can get" as he continues to recover from a high ankle sprain sustained two weeks ago. Seattle also lost left guard Ben Hamilton for the season to a concussion last week.

That leaves the Seahawks having to move guard Chester Pitts to left tackle -- a position he hasn't started at since the 2005 season. Mike Gibson will start at left guard, while Tyler Polumbus, who started Seattle's first three games at left tackle, is questionable because of a knee injury.

Carroll said Polumbus would only play in a backup role, while Pitts missed practice Friday to attend a funeral.

"Russell is as doubtful as you can get, but you never know," Carroll said. "Tyler worked out here today and got some work done. So we'll have to figure it out, that'll be a game-time decision for us to see how (Polumbus) responds all the way to Sunday."

Because of injuries, Seattle could be down five starters between the offensive and defensive lines. The Seahawks are without defensive end Red Bryant, placed on injured reserve this week, and defensive tackle Colin Cole. Fellow tackle Brandon Mebane is questionable because of a lingering calf injury that has cost him the last three games.

About the only positive in Seattle's injury news was wide receiver Mike Williams' return to practice Friday. Williams has been bothered by a bruise just above his knee that limits his range of motion and doesn't allow him to completely bend his knee.

Williams knows there is some unknown with Whitehurst about to make his first start -- and throw his first pass in a regular-season game. But getting some time in practice Friday helped him adjust to some of the differences from Seattle starter Matt Hasselbeck, who's out this week with a concussion.

"To get out there today and get adjusted to his speed, it's different," Williams said about Whitehurst. "He's throwing the ball a little different. It's coming out faster, a lot more zip, almost will knock you over. ... We're excited for him, as an offense, I think as a team."

Williams had just one catch last week against Oakland, after catching 21 passes for more than 200 yards in the previous two games combined. He also dropped a potential touchdown midway through the third quarter that could have cut the Raiders' lead to 13-7.

"I couldn't imagine having to wait another week to get out there and get back on track," Williams said.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Kolb more likely to start for Eagles as ailing Vick again rests

Michael Vick didn't practice Thursday, so Kevin Kolb took all of the first-team repetitions at quarterback for the Eagles, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Vick, who is recovering from a rib cartilage injury, attended the early portion of practice and participated in warm-ups and did some throwing. But when the formal portion of practice began, the Eagles' starting quarterback left.

On Wednesday, Eagles coach Andy Reid wouldn't rule Vick for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, the quarterback's former team. But the coach qualified that statement by saying that if Vick didn't practice, he would miss his second consecutive game.

Vick was hurt during the first quarter of the Eagles' Oct. 3 loss to the Washington Redskins and missed last Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers, when Kolb led the team to victory. Vick could sit out next weekend's road game against the Tennessee Titans, too, because the Eagles have a bye week after that.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Raiders' McFadden rests bad hamstring, likely out vs. Chargers

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden sat out his second consecutive practice with a sore hamstring and almost certainly will miss Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers.

Michael Bush, off to a slow start after missing the first two games with a broken left thumb, handled the majority of reps in practice Thursday and likely will start against the Chargers.

McFadden's absence would be a blow to Oakland's sputtering offense. The former first-round draft pick is tied for third in the NFL with 392 rushing yards, 35 more than he had all last year. It's the best start by a Raiders running back since Lamont Jordan ran for 424 yards after four games in 2007.

The Raiders insist McFadden's injury isn't like the one that sidelined him early in training camp, but coach Tom Cable said it was "very, very doubtful" that the third-year pro would play Sunday.

Instead, Oakland will lean heavily on Bush, who has just 10 carries this season after leading the team in rushing in 2009.

Bush's power running is in stark contrast to the quicker, slashing style of McFadden, although Cable doesn't believe the Raiders will alter their offense much because of the change.

"If you look at when Mike's played, it's been the same things," Cable said. "He runs more physical in the box, maybe. You may not get as much play on the perimeter, but you'll get it running downhill at the defense. (McFadden) has been very productive, so we've got to find a way to get that same production, but I think Michael's ready to take that load."

Neither Bush nor McFadden were made available to the media Thursday. McFadden didn't attend practice.

McFadden isn't the only Oakland player hurting.

Backup running back Michael Bennett (hamstring), left tackle Robert Gallery (hamstring), defensive tackle John Henderson (foot) and linebacker Thomas Howard ((knee) sat out Wednesday's workout. Linebacker Quentin Groves (hamstring) was limited in practice but isn't expected to play much, if at all, against San Diego.

Additionally, quarterback Bruce Gradkowski (shoulder) was limited, and first-round pick Rolando McClain was excused for a second consecutive day because of personal issues, although the rookie linebacker will play against the Chargers.

Rock Cartwright has taken only a handful of plays on offense for Oakland this season and will be Bush's backup if McFadden and Bennett are ruled out of the game.

The Raiders could receive a lift if Gallery is cleared to play. Gallery hasn't played in three weeks, but Cable apparently is willing to start the lineman if he practices Friday.

"The workout was good this morning, so if we can get some work out of him tomorrow, we'll see what happens," Cable said. "It depends on how the work goes. If it looks erratic and all that, it's not worth doing that."

Notes: The Raiders failed to sell out for a 10th consecutive home game, dating to last season, and the game will be blacked out in the Bay Area. ... Rookie OL Jared Veldheer took reps at center and left tackle with Oakland's first-team offense.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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