Green and Bennett Cut By Rams

Not to be left out the St. Louis Rams have released some veteran players as well. Quarterback Trent Green and wide receiver Drew Bennett got the Axe on Wednesday.


The release of Green is expected to save the Rams about $1.3 million in salary cap space. The team saves a whopping $50,000 by cutting Bennett.

Bennett signed a six-year, $30 million deal two years ago after six seasons with the Titans. But he struggled in 2007 and broke his leg in the first quarter of this season's opener, missing the remainder of the season.

Trent Green, 38, is in his second stint with the team played in three games last season, completing 38 of 72 passes for 525 yards with no touchdowns and six interceptions. Green has a long history of injuries, specifically concussions which will likely end his career. One of such concussions came after Trent Green, who at the time was a Miami Dolphin, tried to cut block Houston Texans' Travis Johnson only to be left unconscious on the field from a knee to the head.

Vernon Carey will Carry on his Career in Miami

Vernon Carey and Jake Long will hold down the Dolphins' offensive tackle positions for the next few years. The Dolphins signed Carey to a six-year, $42 Million deal, with a reported $15 Million guaranteed.

Carey, 27, has started 59 straight games for the Dolphins helps to solidify the perimeter positions on the offensive line, with Carey, the team's first-round pick in 2004 out of Miami, at right tackle and Long, who started 16 games and played in the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2008, on the left side.

The deal comes a day after the Dolphins chose not to place the franchise tag on Carey, which would have locked him up for one year for $8.45 million.

Lions Plan to Have #1 Pick Locked-Up Pre-Draft

Although the pick won't be made until Commissioner Roger Goddell announces it on stage April 25th, that doesn't mean the Lions won't have already decided who the pick will be, and hopefully have him under contract.

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said Friday he'll follow the lead other teams have set in recent years, targeting multiple players as the potential No. 1 overall choice and using that as leverage in hammering out a deal before the draft.

"I think probably even more than a week before," Mayhew said. "It's going to be a complicated contract, so I think we have to get out ahead of that at least a couple weeks and start narrowing it down and start talking to people. I envision us talking to at least three different players, at least that, and trying to see where those guys are and trying to get something done prior to the draft. It's pretty important that we have the contract done prior to the draft."

Several teams have had success with this strategy, the Miami Dolphins agreed to terms with No. 1 pick Jake Long several days prior to the draft. The Houston Texans had Mario Williams signed before they selected him No. 1 in 2006. Both players are off to promising careers.

In 2007, the Oakland Raiders didn't get JaMarcus Russell signed and he ended up being a contract holdout who missed all of training camp as a rookie, and has yet to get his career on track.

Asked if a contract agreement would be a prerequisite for their No. 1 pick, Mayhew said, "I don't know if I'd use the term 'deal-breaker' but it's of critical importance that we have a contract done prior to the draft. That's very, very important to us."

Parcells will Return to Miami

Miami Dolphins Football Operation boss Bill Parcells declared that he will return to the franchise he helped turn around in '08. The Miami Dolphins improved from a one win team in '07 to the AFC East Champions under Parcells. Entering his 2nd year of a 4 year contract had the option to walk-away with his full $12 million pay if the team was sold, which it was last week when real-estate developper Stephen Ross bought 95% of the Dolphins from Wayne Huizenga.

"My intention is to do what I've been doing," Parcells told the New York Daily News for Saturday's editions. "I think we will have ample time to figure each other out. I'm very optimistic."

Parcells, GM Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano all met with Ross on Friday to discuss the future of the Dolphins.

It appears that Parcells will fulfill his contract with the Dolphins. "I will never take another dollar from the Dolphins other than what I am earning," Parcells continued according to the Daily News. "I'm not trying to leverage anything. I got more money than I can spend now."