Post by TheShadow on Jul 29, 2006 13:59:38 GMT -5
www.mercurynews.com
GREEN BAY'S HAWK AGREES TO A DEAL
Mercury News Wire Services
Willie Roaf, an 11-time Pro Bowl tackle, says he's retiring and going back to college. The Kansas City Chiefs are holding out hope that he'll return for a 14th season, but Roaf told the Kansas City Star his decision was final.
Roaf, 36, has nagging hamstring and knee ailments that he said he no longer can ignore.
``If I felt I could play like I used to play, I'd play again,'' Roaf said. ``But if I thought that, I would be kidding myself.''
Roaf plans to attend UC-Irvine and finish work for his undergraduate degree in sociology that he started several years ago at Louisiana Tech.
• A.J. Hawk, Green Bay's top pick and No. 5 overall, agreed to a six-year deal. An Associated Press source said the deal was worth $37.5 million but could add up to $40 million under certain conditions.
• Hawk's Ohio State teammate and fellow linebacker Bobby Carpenter agreed to a five-year, $12 million deal with Dallas. Carpenter, taken 18th overall, was to receive about $7.5 million guaranteed.
• Baltimore and top draft pick Haloti Ngata agreed on a five-year deal, ending the defensive tackle's one-day holdout. Ngata, the 12th overall selection out of Oregon, is expected to report to training camp today and vie for a starting spot.
• Pittsburgh reached terms with first-round pick Santonio Holmes on a five-year contract that reportedly does not include added contract language protecting the team against off-field problems. Holmes, a former Ohio State wide receiver, has been arrested twice since being the No. 25 pick in the April draft.
• Jacksonville signed tight end Marcedes Lewis, the 28th overall selection, to a five-year contract a day before the team opened training camp. Lewis' deal is worth about $7.5 million, with a little more than $4.8 million in guaranteed money.
• Buffalo agreed on a five-year contract with defensive tackle John McCargo, the second of the team's two first-round draft picks. McCargo signed the contract for $8.6 million over five years, including $5.2 million in guaranteed money. The deal would be worth an additional $3 million if he meets all his bonuses.
• New England agreed to terms with first-round pick Laurence Maroney, but camp started without Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch, who is holding out for a new contract.
• Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs and running back Thomas Jones were demoted to the second team for skipping voluntary workouts over the off-season.
• New York Giants running back Tiki Barber, 31, said he would consider retiring after this season if the right opportunity came along. The NFL's second-leading rusher last season with 1,860 yards, Barber could not describe the perfect job opportunity.
• Philadelphia receiver Jabar Gaffney was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun in June. The charge carries a maximum five-year sentence, but most first-time offenders get no jail time.