Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

NFL briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 31, 2001

Jags work Brunell under salary cap

JACKSONVILLE -- Just minutes before their deadline Friday, the Jaguars signed quarterback Mark Brunell to a salary-cap-friendly, four-year, $30-million contract.

The Jaguars had until 4 p.m. to restructure Brunell's contract, trade him or pay a $3-million roster bonus; the final option would have made his salary unmanageable for a team only a few thousand dollars under the cap.

With trade negotiations ongoing with Kansas City on one front, the Jaguars hammered out the deal at the last second.

"We finished it with about 30 seconds to go," said Brunell's agent, Leigh Steinberg.

The contract includes an $8-million signing bonus, all of which will be paid this year -- one key sticking point to these negotiations. In essence, Brunell got about the same deals as those signed by Drew Bledsoe and Brett Favre in recent weeks.

The deal means the core of the Jaguars offense will stay together, which was the plan when they restructured almost every contract on the roster last month to get below the salary cap.

Emanuel signs with Patriots

FOXBORO, Mass -- Former Bucs wide receiver Bert Emanuel joins his fourth NFL team after signing a contract with the Patriots.

Emanuel, an unrestricted free agent, has played for the Falcons, Bucs and Dolphins since being selected in the second round of the 1994 draft from Rice.

Emanuel caught 63 passes for 874 yards and five touchdowns for the Bucs in the 1998 and 1999 seasons.

BROWNS: Cleveland agreed to terms on a three-year contract with former Raiders tight end Rickey Dudley.

RAIDERS: Placekicker Sebastian Janikowski will face a jury trial in Tallahassee on April 11 on a felony charge that could begin the deportation process.

Janikowski, a native of Poland, was arrested and charged with possession of GHB, the so-called "date rape drug", in June. That third-degree felony carries a maximum of a five-year prison sentence. A felony conviction could prompt the Immigration and Naturalization Service to begin deportation hearings.

This latest legal problem for Janikowski came about a week after a six-person jury found him not guilty of trying to bribe a Tallahassee police officer, also a third-degree felony. A jury for the new trial will be selected April 6.

SAINTS: The team cut linebacker Mark Fields, a No. 1 draft pick in 1995 and a Pro Bowl selection last season.

The Saints re-signed linebacker Darrin Smith, a nine-year veteran. He agreed to a four-year contract.

OBITUARY: Former Bears and Rams receiver Jim Benton died of cancer at 84. Benton, the first NFL player to have more than 300 yards receiving in a game, was a member of the NFL's all-decade team for the 1940s.

- Staff writer Brain Landman contributed to this report.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright