Daily NFL News September 02 2010
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Ben Roethlisberger's first big gain of the season may occur weeks before he returns to the field. His six-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy likely will be shortened to four games by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after the two meet in New York on Friday. The meeting will take place about 12 hours after the quarterback plays in the Steelers' final preseason game, against the Carolina Panthers in Pittsburgh. The league plans to review Roethlisberger's behavior since he was accused of sexually assaulting a Georgia college student following a night of drinking in a Milledgeville, Ga., bar on March 5. Once it was determined six weeks later that Roethlisberger would not be charged by Georgia authorities, Goodell suspended Roethlisberger for the start of the season and ordered him to undergo an extensive evaluation.
The Oakland Raiders have plenty of roster moves they need to make before the start of the season. Apparently trading for Matt Leinart isn't one of them. The Raiders denied a report from ESPN on Wednesday that said the team has had discussions about trading with Arizona for Leinart. "The Raiders have never discussed trading for Leinart," the team said in a statement".
Darnell Dockett finally has the contract he feels he deserves. The Arizona Cardinals announced on Wednesday that they have signed the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle to a four-year extension worth up to $48 million with $30 million guaranteed. Dockett had two years left on his previous contract, so the new deal runs through the 2015 season. A third-round draft pick out of Florida State in 2004, Dockett has developed into one of the best at his position entering his seventh NFL season as the high-spirited leader of the Arizona defense.
Mike Singletary had to separate tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Michael Crabtree after the players got into a heated discussion at practice Wednesday. Singletary didn't provide details about the incident, but said it was non-football related and is closed. He met with both players immediately in the locker room and they returned to practice separately".
The NFL players' union is looking into whether trades made by four teams this week are attempts to avoid paying money into a rookie pool, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the union has not made the probes public, said the NFL Players Association is reviewing trades made by the Washington.
The NFL will move umpires back to their old spots during the final five minutes of Thursday's preseason games. Previously they were in the old spot for only the final two minutes of each half. NFL spokesman Corry Rush confirmed the adjustment Wednesday. League officials decided to move umpires from the old spot, in the middle of the defense, to behind the deepest running back for safety reasons. But Peyton Manning complained about the switch after being called twice for illegal snaps when the umpire couldn't get into position quickly enough last week at Green Bay. The NFL will again re-evaluate the new policy after this week's preseason finales. The change could become permanent when the regular season starts.
A federal appeals court has ruled against the Baltimore Ravens and the National Football league in a copyright dispute over the team's original logo. A divided three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond ruled Thursday that the commercial use of the "Flying B" logo in old game films infringes on amateur artist Frederick Bouchat's copyright".
The New England Patriots lost a key player Tuesday when Leigh Bodden, their best cornerback, was placed on injured reserve. Bodden, who led the Patriots with five interceptions last season, went on the season-ending list with a shoulder injury. He had been bothered by a knee injury earlier in training camp and returned to practice last week. He played in Thursday night's 36-35 exhibition loss to the St. Louis Rams.
Former New York Giants Super Bowl star Plaxico Burress has come up short in his bid for work release during his two-year prison sentence in a gun case, a denial that could keep him behind bars until at least next spring, prison officials said Tuesday. The state Department of Correctional Services said the nature of his November 2008 crime merited turning down his request for a work furlough, which would have let him spend some portion of his time free and working. Burress can appeal the decision but otherwise can't reapply for a work furlough until June 6, 2011, the date he comes up for potential full release if he gets time off for good behavior.
Shaun Rogers wasn't sure if he caught a break. The NFL decided Tuesday to only fine the Cleveland Browns' nose tackle and not suspend him for carrying a loaded gun into an airport. "How's it better?" Rogers said with a laugh. "Well, I'm still losing money. I don't play for free." The league said Rogers will be fined a one-game check, roughly $400,000 or 1/17th his $6.9 million salary this season—for violating its personal conduct policy. The former Pro Bowler, who has not practiced this summer because of a leg injury that ended his season after 11 games in 2009, is appealing the decision. Police said Rogers carried a semiautomatic handgun in a carry-on bag into Hopkins International Airport in April. He reached a deal with prosecutors last month and was ordered to enter diversion program to avoid trial on the weapons charge.
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