Report: Panthers' Moore might fit into Dolphins' QB picture

Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne acknowledged last week he will "still have to compete" for the starting job with an established veteran after the club declined to draft a quarterback in April's draft.

The Palm Beach Post speculated Tuesday that competitor could be the Carolina Panthers' Matt Moore.

The assertion is based on three factors:

First, Moore has ties to Dolphins coach Tony Sparano and general manager Jeff Ireland as both were on staff with the Cowboys when Dallas signed Moore as an undrafted free agent in 2007.

Second, Moore could come cheap because the Panthers also have quarterbacks Cam Newton -- the No. 1 overall pick in 2011, Jimmy Clausen and Tony Pike, both 2010 draft picks, and veteran Brian St. Pierre on their depth chart. Heading into his fifth season, Moore is an unrestricted free agent whom the Panthers could choose not to re-sign. Depending upon the free-agency rules in any collective bargaining agreement between the owners and players, Moore could become an unrestricted free agent.

Third, Moore has plenty of game experience -- a prerequisite for the Dolphins -- with 11 starts and 20 appearances during the three seasons he's been on the Panthers' active roster. He missed all of 2008 because of a broken leg. Plus, at 26, Moore is young enough to have some upside to develop further.

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Broncos legend asks punk band 'Elway' to change its name

The punk rock band thought it was a way to honor its Colorado roots. Apparently, John Elway has a different opinion on the name change.

"Elway" has been asked through a letter to change the group's name after the Hall of Fame quarterback's representatives caught wind of its act.

Lead singer Tim Browne finds it flattering that Elway, the chief football executive of the Denver Broncos, has taken notice of a band that routinely plays "in front of about 30 people in a basement." But Brown says the four-man group from Fort Collins, Colo., plans to keep the name.

Browne's band switched from "10-4 Eleanor" to "Elway" last November, and the change has generated plenty of talk of late.

"None of us really care about football that much," Browne said Saturday in a phone interview with The Associated Press a night after performing at a small venue in Philadelphia. "It's not a direct reference to John Elway. We make no mention of him in records or in our art work. He's local color, part of the local vernacular that people understand."

Browne doesn't quite understand the fuss, but certainly appreciates the attention, even suggesting he'll give Elway a raise for all the publicity the flap has generated.

A phone message was left seeking comment from Elway's representatives.

Browne said the letter strongly urged the band to change its name, but it didn't include a cease and desist order.

"They're banking on us being idiots and that we wouldn't talk to a lawyer," Browne said. "They wanted us to email them back when we change the band's name. I haven't even responded to them. It's blown my mind that it's gotten this big."

The group is scheduled to play in Indianapolis, St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo., before returning in mid-June to Fort Collins, about an hour's drive north of Denver.

"We're just guys living in a van, driving across the country, playing shows with next to nobody (in the audience)," Browne said. "And then this multimillion dollar successful business man, Hall of Fame football player gets so mortified that a punk band would use his last name? It's an incredible shock it happened.

"We're not out to get John Elway. This situation is hilarious and he needs to loosen up. Life's too short to worry about a punk rock band using your name."

Browne wasn't a big sports fan growing up. But since he lived in the area and Elway was the face of the Broncos, the face of the state for that matter, he did pay attention to the beloved quarterback.

Elway led the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl championships before retiring in 1999. He returned to the team in January to begin restoring the franchise's tarnished image and bring back its winning ways.

He also is a successful entrepreneur, operating a popular steakhouse in town bearing his name.

"It's kind of hard not to know much about him living in Colorado," Browne said. "But I really have no interest in meeting him."

In addition to Browne, the group also includes bass player Joe Henderer, drummer Garrett Carr and guitarist Brian Van Proyen.

And while Elway the quarterback once played in sold-out stadiums, "Elway" the band barely fills a venue.

"We're slouches," Browne said, laughing. "But we're not the worst slouches in the world. We're doing what we can. We're about having a good time, not trying to steal money out of anyone's pocket.

"We're so small that it confounds me thoroughly why anyone would try to legally strong-arm us."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Snyder on football operations: 'I don’t want to be involved'

Owner Daniel Snyder brought in coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen to guide the Redskins out of the shadows, and he has no intentions of stepping on their toes.

Snyder told NBC Washington on Thursday that the perception that he's hands-on -- perhaps overly so -- with football decisions is incorrect.

"You know what’s interesting ... is a little bit of a misperception here," Snyder said. "When Joe Gibbs was here for over four seasons, nobody came to talk to me about football, and the same thing now. It was very similar between Mike Shanahan and Joe Gibbs, that they take command of the football team, and I love that.

"I mean, for me it’s easy. I don’t want to be involved. I enjoyed this draft probably more than any draft we had, because these guys worked so hard at preparation. It’s very different than Vinny Cerrato -- their structure -- and I can tell you that I thought the trades and the moves that Bruce made to accomplish what he accomplished was really remarkable. It was a great Redskin day, and I think people two or three years from now are going to love this draft."

Snyder also addressed the status of quarterback Donovan McNabb, whose future with the team is unclear following a dramatic and tumultuous campaign that resulted in his benching at the end of last season.

"I think that, first of all, let's see what happens. It's really up to Bruce and Mike ... you trust them. They'll do the right thing. I don't they've made any decisions of what they want to do yet. So we'll find out."

Snyder dismissed the idea that it is "clear cut" McNabb couldn't possibly return for another season.

"No, no, I wouldn't say that at all," he said. "We'll see what happens."

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Panthers beginning two weeks of players-only workouts

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Perhaps no team is in need of offseason practices more than the Carolina Panthers. After falling behind their division rivals, the Panthers finally gathered Tuesday for their first player-organized workout since the lockout began.

The team that finished an NFL-worst 2-14 in 2010 also did its best to make sure no one saw them.

Players hired a police officer to shoo away reporters from the high school where they were working out on the hot, humid morning. Cones blocked another entrance to the field at Charlotte Christian.

Guard Geoff Schwartz indicated on Twitter that more than 50 players attended.

"Great morning of team activities," he wrote.

Left tackle Jordan Gross, who organized the two weeks of practices with left guard Travelle Wharton, said reporters wouldn't be allowed in until the last day, June 9, to prevent distractions.

"We're just trying to prepare to win some football games," said Gross, who wouldn't reveal the number of players on hand.

A few dozen high-priced vehicles were seen in the parking lot, but the field was out of view from the road. So there was no way of seeing No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton or fellow quarterback Jimmy Clausen or to get updates on players coming back from injury.

The Panthers were the last team in the NFC South to gather in this odd offseason. The Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers already have held player-led workouts.

"It's been so long," running back Jonathan Stewart wrote on his Twitter page. "Time to get better!"

That's for sure. After finishing this past season with the league's worst offense, the Panthers replaced coach John Fox with San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. But the labor dispute has prevented Rivera from gathering his team to learn a new system on both sides of the ball.

Then the Panthers drafted Newton. The Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn could replace Clausen, who went 1-9 as a starter with the NFL's worst passer rating in 2010. Throw in the uncertain status of receiver Steve Smith, who has hedged on whether he wants to return, and the Panthers are stuck in neutral.

Carolina was helped by the one day the lockout was lifted in April, allowing Newton and several players to receive new playbooks from the coaching staff. Linebacker Jon Beason said a couple weeks ago they wanted the workouts to closely resemble normal coach-led offseason practices.

"We're going to try to make it as close as (organized team activities) as possible," Beason said. "Meetings, light practice, light workout, conditioning, the same thing that we would usually do."

But Beason acknowledged the Panthers -- with a new coaching staff, 28 potential free agents and possibly a rookie quarterback -- are affected perhaps more than any other team by the lockout. Beason is expected to attend the next court hearing tied to the labor dispute Friday in St. Louis.

"If you look at a team like Pittsburgh or the Colts, teams that are good consistently, they have that camaraderie, they have that chemistry," Beason said. "That's what I think winning is about. Anytime there's a new system, new coaches, not only do you have to learn scheme and terminology, but also personalities. I think that's important."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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NFLPA decides to hold its own rookie symposium in June

At last week's spring owners meeting, the NFL cancelled its annual rookie symposium, which is in place to educate draft picks on the life that lies ahead as a professional athlete.

It appears the practice won't be lost all together.

The NFL Players Association is finalizing plans for a June 28-29 rookie symposium of its own, which it is calling "The Business of Football, Rookie Edition," scheduled for near its Washington, D.C. headquarters. As is the case with the annual event -- traditionally a joint venture between the league and the NFLPA -- all draft picks would be invited, and the classroom schedule will follow the normal agenda closely, right down to taking place during the last few days of June. The NFLPA said it will cover all costs.

Because of the lockout, the 254 draft picks can't communicate with the teams that selected them in April.

The NFL's contingency for replacing the symposium was to expand and extend normal orientation programs held at the club level.

"We're doing this because it's the right thing to do," NFLPA spokesman George Atallah told The Associated Press.

The forum will cover financial education and planning, proper behavior on and off the field, and other information to prepare rookies for the NFL.

The league had planned to have this year's symposium at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, for the first time in an effort to better educate players on the history of the game. It was scheduled for June 27-29.

At the owners' meetings in Indianapolis last week, NFL vice president Adolpho Birch said the league "waited as long as we could" before canceling the event. He called the rookie symposium "an extremely complex event that requires a lot of people -- from all of the drafted players to the panelists and presenters, production people and the youth camp that is associated with it. It is really a large production.

"We got to the point, based on the uncertainty we have right now, that we needed to be fair to those who would be asked to come and participate and help us put it on. Given that, we had to make a decision. This was about as late as we could do it."

Birch said it would be up to the individual teams to help indoctrinate the rookies to the NFL, and that league-sponsored programs during the season would continue once the lockout ends. The lockout is in its 11th week.

Agent David Canter thinks the NFLPA's forum makes sense.

"I'm very happy that the former union made this decision," said Canter, who counts Syracuse linebacker Doug Hogue, a fifth-round pick of the Detroit Lions, among his clients. "The symposium is a great experience for all players. For this year's class, it's even more valuable because of the lack of information. And this will be the first time all of these players have been able to meet."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Johnson: Palmer should go if he doesn't want to be a Bengal

Tank Johnson calls Carson Palmer's threat to retire "definitely serious," and he agrees with teammate Cedric Benson that if the quarterback isn't willing to give his all, the Cincinnati Bengals have no use for him.

And that, Johnson says, hardly is the only chemistry issue for the team. The other problem: reality TV stars/wide receivers Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. The Bengals' veteran defensive tackle told Sirius XM NFL Radio that their presence in training camp last year had a negative impact.

"When we got Chad and T.O. coming off their TV circuit right into our training camp, I mean, that just put a big cloud over a bunch of humble guys," Johnson said Thursday night. "And I'm not saying anything to take away from Chad and T.O.'s offseason adventures, because, hey, if they want you on TV, be on TV, but it just really clouded a bunch of humble guys."

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Palmer's situation has been another dark cloud, and Benson, a Bengals running back who's scheduled to become a free agent when the NFL lockout is over, earlier this month charged that the team should cut ties with the quarterback and that keeping him would be "detrimental to the team."

"If he's there and not happy," Benson said, "he's not going to give us his best."

Said Johnson: "In terms of what (Benson) said about Carson, I mean, he's absolutely right. There's no way that you can bring that kind of energy into the locker room. I mean, if a guy doesn't want to be there, let him go."

Palmer, who last season passed for 3,970 yards and 26 touchdowns but also matched a career high with 20 interceptions, announced shortly after the conclusion of the Bengals' 4-12 season that he wanted out or he would retire. Bengals owner Mike Brown said at the NFL Spring Meeting earlier this week that "we don't plan to trade Carson."

"He's important to us. He's a very fine player, and we do want him to come back," Brown said. "If he chooses not to, he'd retire. And we would go with Andy Dalton, the younger player we drafted, who's a good prospect. Ideally, we'd have both of them. That'd be the best way to go forward. If we don't have Carson, we'll go with Andy."

Johnson said he wouldn't be surprised in Palmer is through.

"I don't think Carson's a guy who likes to come out in the media and put himself kind of on the stage if he's not serious," Johnson said. "I've known Carson all the way since we played in the Pac-10 together" -- Palmer at USC, Johnson at Washington -- "and I haven't known him to be much of a jokester, so I'm thinking he's pretty serious."

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Allen understands contract situation facing Edwards, Vikings

Jared Allen believes Ray Edwards is "deserving of a contract" and that "you can't blame the guy for trying to get everything he's worth," but he's prepared for his fellow defensive end to leave the Minnesota Vikings.

"It's not my place to get involved," Allen, an three-time All-Pro, told The Star Tribune on Friday. "Management will do what it's got to do. Ray will do what he's got to do. I can say Ray's a good player. A vital part of the defensive line."

Edwards, who has 29.5 sacks for Minnesota in five seasons, has said if he isn't declared an unrestricted free agent for 2011, he won't play for the restricted free-agent tender of $2.8 million. He also has said he won't play for less than the three-year, $14 million-plus contract the Vikings gave his backup, Brian Robison.

Edwards has pursued a boxing career during the lockout and won his debut fight a week ago in Hinckley, Minn.

"Is Ray deserving of a big contract? I think he's deserving of a contract," Allen said. "So management will do what they feel is best for the team, and Ray will do what he feels is best for himself in his career. And then you go from there.

"That's just the business side of things. You got one shot to make as much money as you can to retire off of. You can't blame the guy for trying to get everything he's worth, especially if there's guys who are making more money for him."

Allen noted that he was in a similar situation as Edwards when he was in Kansas City, which traded him to Minnesota following the 2007 season -- when he led the NFL with 15.5 sacks and was an All-Pro -- rather than give him a big contract. The Vikings gave Allen a six-year, $73.26 million deal, and he has recorded 40 sacks in three seasons and was a first-team All-Pro in 2008 and 2009.

If he's playing opposite Robison next season, Allen is fine with it -- "Brian's obviously a good player ... a versatile guy who can play inside and out ... a heck of an athlete," he said -- but he thinks highly of Edwards, too.

"Ray has a presence on that field, so it makes it a little easier for me," Allen said. "If Ray doesn't show up, I'm sure I'll see a few more double-teams than I already see. ... But I also think that's one position we'll be OK at."

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