Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ó No. 1 draft pick Cam Newton has signed with the Carolina Panthers and has arrived at training camp.
The team announced Friday evening that he had signed a deal and was attending team meetings. The Panthers also said on Twitter that the quarterback “had officially signed on the dotted line.”
According to several media reports, Newton agreed to a four-year, $22 million deal. The office for Newton’s agent, Bus Cook, would not comment on the terms of the deal.
Newton was seen Friday evening driving into the back lot of the Richardson Physical Activities Building and entering the offices that serve as team headquarters for Carolina’s training camp at Wofford College.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera had said earlier Friday that he expected the former Auburn quarterback to be at Wofford when Carolina held its first practice session on Saturday.
Jon Beason of the Carolina Panthers broke the news on Twitter that he is now the highest-paid middle linebacker in the NFL. “Turn on the tube,” Beason wrote late Thursday night. “Jon Beason the highest paid MLB (middle linebacker) in the league. The news breaks now.”
Beason becomes the latest of Carolina’s core players to get a huge deal from the Panther.
EAGLES
Nnamdi Asomugha had a tough choice: the New York Jets or the Dallas Cowboys?
Then, the Philadelphia Eagles swooped in and snagged the biggest prize in this yearís free agent frenzy.
The All-Pro cornerback signed a five-year contract Friday with the Eagles, who gave the former Oakland Raiders star a deal that would pay him $60 million over the life of it, with $25 million guaranteed.
It was a stunning development as the Jets and Cowboys were thought to be the final teams in the sweepstakes for Asomughaís services. Rex Ryan and the Jets dreamed of a No-Fly Zone secondary with Asomugha paired with Darrelle Revis.
Turns out, the Eagles were the team celebrating in the end.
The signing came a day after Philadelphia acquired Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from Arizona.
COLTS
The Indianapolis Colts expect to begin training camp practices Monday without Peyton Manning, who not only is coming off neck surgery, but doesnít have a contract.
Coach Jim Caldwell said the star quarterback is ěnot ready right nowî and that the team will ěturn him looseî when he is ready to play.
PATRIOTS
At Patriots camp, Chad Ochocinco was wearing his usual number 85 at practice, one day after being traded by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Ochocinco, a reference to the Spanish words for the numbers 8 and 5, legally changed his name from Johnson before the 2008 season. On Friday, he had the number worn last year by rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez, who hasnít practiced following hip surgery in February. Hernandez was on the field wearing shorts with the number 81.
PACKERS
The Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers released Mark Tauscher, a fixture at right tackle for the better part of a decade, along with linebackers Nick Barnett, Brandon Chillar and Brady Poppinga and defensive lineman Justin Harrell.
49ERS
San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith signed his one-year free agent contract, as expected, giving new coach and former NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh an experienced starter for this season.
GIANTS
Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora failed to report for the opening day of the New York Giants training camp and was placed on the reserve-did not report list.
VIKINGS
At Vikings camp, the team formally announced the trade with Washington that brings quarterback Donovan McNabb to Minnesota.