NFL roundup
Rice, Law released; Browns allow Warren, Green to find teams Jerry Rice’s incredible career finally might be at an end.
The best receiver in NFL history was released Friday by the Seattle Seahawks. And while his agent, Jim Steiner, said he would seek to continue playing, finding a spot might be hard for a 42-year-old who has played 20 seasons in the NFL.
Rice was joined on the unemployment line by Ty Law, the star of New England’s secondary through the first two of the Patriots’ three Super Bowls, and Muhsin Muhammad, Carolina’s standout wide receiver. The latter two were salary cap casualties as teams prepared for the start of free agency on Wednesday.
The 31-year-old Law missed the second half of this season with a broken foot and his $12.5 million salary cap figure made him expendable, especially because the Patriots won a title without him. Muhammad, who made his first All-Pro team last season, had 93 catches for 1,405 yards and 16 touchdowns, but couldn’t agree to renegotiate a contract that would have paid him a $10 million roster bonus on March 1.
Cleveland, meanwhile, gave two disappointing former first-rounders, defensive tackle Gerard Warren and running back William Green, permission to seek to trades.
The Browns also offered a new contract to injury-prone quarterback Kelly Holcomb.
One player staying put is Marshall Faulk, who restructured his contract with the Rams.
The releases of Muhammad and Law were not unexpected, although Muhammad, who will turn 32 in May, remains one of the league’s best receivers.
Other than kicker John Kasay, he was the senior member of the team and holds its receiving records with 578 catches for 7,751 yards receiving. He played in 115 games with Carolina, joining the Panthers in 1996 as a second-round draft choice.
Law had been the anchor of the secondary since he was taken in the first round of the 1995 draft.
But his huge salary made him expendable.
The Cleveland situation is part of a general housecleaning by new general manager Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel.
Warren, the third overall pick in the 2001 draft has been an underachiever throughout his career. Green has been slowed by injuries and personal problems. He lost his starting job last season to Lee Suggs.
If Cleveland re-signs Holcomb, he might be used as a stand-in for a rookie. The Browns have the third overall pick in April’s draft and Savage is evaluating Alex Smith of Utah, Aaron Rodgers of California and Charlie Frye of Akron, considered the top college quarterbacks available.
Faulk is resigned to backing up Steven Jackson with the Rams and has agreed to a pay cut that will essentially guarantee he’ll end his career in St. Louis.
Faulk, an 11-year veteran who turns 32 Saturday, just finished the third year of a seven-year contract. He would have made $6 million in salary and workout bonuses in 2005.
Under the new four-year deal, Faulk gets a $2 million signing bonus and will earn $2 million in both 2005 and 2006, said his agent, Rocky Arceneaux.
“His motive was not wanting to leave,” Arceneaux said. “Obviously with a backup, it’s hard to justify making $7 million a year.