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By Times staff and wire reports
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 5, 2001
Chmura decides to retire
MILWAUKEE -- Mark Chmura retired Monday, four months after he was acquitted in a sexual assault case.
Chmura's lawyer, Gerald Boyle, said the one-time Packers Pro Bowl tight end wanted to play only for his former team "and they did not make him an offer."
Boyle said other teams extended Chmura offers, but he declined them. Boyle would not specify the teams.
Chmura's agent, Eric Metz, said Chmura did not want to relocate his family and did not want take a drastic pay cut from his $3.5-million salary in Green Bay.
In 1998, his last full season, Chmura made the Pro Bowl, but a neck injury kept him out for most of the 1999 season. The Packers waived him a year ago while the charges against him were pending.
He was acquitted in February on a charge of second-degree sexual assault. A girl who was 17 at the time accused him of assaulting her in a bathroom during a post-prom party in April 2000 at the home of a friend.
TAMPA -- The Bucs announced the signings of long snapper Sean McDermott and defensive back Corey Ivy to two-year contracts.
Ivy played most recently for the Chicago Enforcers of the XFL. He also has participated in training camp for the Browns (in 2000) and was on the practice squad for the Patriots (in 1999).
The Bucs also waived defensive tackle Andy Arcari, who signed as an undrafted free agent on April 23.
BEARS: The search for a general manager is down to three names, including Bucs vice president of player personnel Jerry Angelo.
The other finalists are Ravens pro personnel director James Harris, and Broncos collegiate scouting director Ted Sundquist.
Team president Ted Phillips plans to interview the three again this week and hopes to make a decision by June 13.
BRONCOS: Backup defensive end Lester Archambeau was released to make salary cap room, the team said.
CARDINALS: The team signed USF kicker Bill Gramatica, a fourth-round pick who is the brother of Bucs kicker Martin Gramatica, and defensive tackle Marcus Bell to three-year deals.
COWBOYS: Linebacker Darren Hambrick returned to practice wondering why such a fuss was made about his absence from a minicamp last week.
"I missed a voluntary camp," the former Pasco High star said. "What does voluntary mean?"
Hambrick was among several veterans who missed part or all of a four-day quarterback school last week. He was the only one without a reason, drawing speculation that he was protesting his recently signed contract.
DOLPHINS: Miami hired George Paton as director of pro personnel. Paton, 32, spent the past four years working in the Bears' player personnel department.
49ERS: Center Chris Dalman retired, 10 months after a neck injury during training camp.
GIANTS: Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Armstead failed to appear for the start of a four-day minicamp.
Also, left guard Glenn Parker will miss minicamp to recover from surgery to remove a patch of skin cancer from his right leg.
JAGUARS: Ex-Buc linebacker Lonnie Marts was waived. The team signed safety Marlon McCree and guard Chad Ward, two draft choices.
LIONS: Herman Moore remains with the team and negotiations have begun to keep the wide receiver with the only NFL team he's played for.
"There were discussions (Monday) and there are plans to continue those discussions," team vice president Bill Keenist said, adding that sides would talk today.
The team has asked Moore to reduce his salary from the $3.3-million he was scheduled to make this season.
PACKERS: Dorsey Levens' participation was the highlight of the first day of minicamp.
Levens is recovering from a knee injury that forced him to miss the second half of 2000.
"I was very much encouraged that he was out there, and he did some good things at the same time," coach Mike Sherman said.
PATRIOTS: The team offered, and Terry Glenn accepted, a chance to miss a mandatory minicamp that begins today. Glenn has been charged with assaulting the mother of his child.
REDSKINS: Coach Marty Schottenheimer said he is inclined to wait until the eve of training camp to decide Deion Sanders' fate.
"There's nothing that we have to do," said Schottenheimer, noting that there are eight weeks remaining before the start of camp on July 29.
Friday was the first day the team could release Sanders and get a salary-cap savings of $3.5-million.
SAINTS: Linebacker Sedrick Hodge, a third-round draft pick, agreed to a three-year contract. Also signed were tackle Daryl Terrell, tight end Johnny Mitchell and linebacker Brandon Tolbert.
New Orleans waived wide receivers Keith Poole and Eric Chew, tackle Frank Livingston and linebacker Ed Reese.
STEELERS: Pittsburgh began a weeklong minicamp by releasing running back Richard Huntley and safety Scott Shields.