JACKSONVILLE - Mark Brunell took the field Friday for minicamp, fresh off a meeting in which owner Wayne Weaver told him 2003 will almost certainly be his final season with the Jaguars.
Joining Brunell was his designated successor at quarterback, first-round draft pick ByronLeftwich.
In political parlance, Brunell is a lame duck. In football terms, the whole thing looks like a mess.
"I wasn't doing back flips on draft day, I'll tell you that," Brunell said. "It's something I'm going to have to deal with."
Brunell has two years left on his contract.
When he met with Weaver this week, he was offered a contract extension that didn't include a signing bonus. Brunell said that when he refused to sign it, Weaver told him he would remain Jacksonville's quarterback for this season, but the team would not be able to keep him next year.
Weaver, who encouraged the Leftwich pick, was miffed that Brunell went public about the meeting.
BENGALS: Cornerback Dennis Weathersby missed the start of minicamp, staying in Los Angeles to recover from a gunshot wound received in a drive-by shooting. Juan Serna, 25, of Duarte was arrested for investigation of attempted murder after Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies served a search warrant at a residence, Deputy David Cervantes said. Police said Weathersby was an innocent bystander. The cornerback from Oregon State had a bullet pass through his body, just below the lung, and lodge in his left upper arm on April 20.
BROWNS: Rookie running back Lee Suggs may be able to play this season after shoulder surgery. The Browns thought Suggs had a torn rotator cuff and would be unable to play until the 2004 season.
CHARGERS: Bill Arnsparger retired for a second time, ending a coaching career that included 26 years in the NFL. Arnsparger, 76, had been the associate head coach the past two seasons.
COWBOYS: Bill Parcells finally took the field as coach, and he didn't take long to set a tone for how he plans to do things. When one player wasn't paying attention, the entire offensive unit had to run across two football fields and touch a distant tree before returning to try the play again. "That's the way I do things. It's nothing new," Parcells said. "The point of it is they need to pay attention."
DOLPHINS: Junior Seau's first practice with Miami began with considerable media scrutiny, especially considering the next game is four months away. After 13 seasons in San Diego, including 12 that ended with a Pro Bowl berth, Seau was traded April 16 to the Dolphins. He's expected to upgrade an already talented defense and help the chemistry of a team notorious for late-season collapses.
PANTHERS: Julius Peppers was quiet as a rookie. He's even more guarded now that he's back from an NFL suspension that ended his first season four games early. "I watch everything I do around everybody," Peppers said. "I'm a lot more cautious about everything." Peppers took a dietary supplement given to him by someone he considered a friend. The pill was illegal and Peppers was suspended for the last month of the season.
STEELERS: Alonzo Jackson has a history of being confrontational with teammates, and the second-round pick says he'll carry that fiery style to the NFL. "I will if I have to," said Jackson, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound linebacking project. "I mean, I'm about winning. I'm going to bring a winning attitude, a hardworking attitude." Jackson was the captain and top pass-rusher as a defensive end at Florida State last season.
