Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
WASHINGTON ó Quarterback Donovan McNabb eagerly bounded onto the practice field with his Minnesota Vikings teammates in Mankato, Minn., on Thursday afternoon, before being told he and other NFL players with new contracts still needed to be patient.
And then, shortly before 5 p.m. EDT, the good news came: The wait was over. The NFL officially was back in business, CBA and all. That 41/2-month lockout? A thing of the past in every way.
ěWere we going to have the opportunity to step on the field today? Was this thing going to linger?î McNabb said, explaining his thoughts while on hold for word of a completed collective bargaining agreement. ěGood thing we got this thing settled. And now here we are.î
Players ratified a new, 10-year CBA on Thursday, hours after it was finalized, and two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press the contract allows the NFL to eventually become the first major U.S. professional sports league to use blood testing for human growth hormone.
EDWARDS TO SAN FRAN
SANTA CLARA, Calif. ó Wide receiver Braylon Edwards has agreed to a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers.
Edwardsí agent, Ben Dogra, confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on Thursday, less than an hour before San Franciscoís free agents could take the field for the first time.
Edwards tweeted that he agreed to a deal with the 49ers. Dogra was hopeful his client would be on the field for the first workout if everything was finalized in time.
The 28-year-old Edwards had 53 receptions for 904 yards and seven touchdowns last season in his second year with the New York Jets. He spent his first five NFL seasons with Cleveland.
He played at new 49ersí coach Jim Harbaughís alma mater, Michigan.
Safety Donte Whitner also said on Twitter that he is joining San Francisco.
MCNABB PRACTICES
MANKATO, Minn. ó Donovan McNabb took the reins of Minnesotaís offense on Thursday, practicing with the Vikings for the first time since he was acquired in a trade with Washington last week.
But like the rest of this wacky NFL summer, it didnít go as initially planned.
McNabb and the rest of the veterans with new or restructured contracts missed the first three training camp practices in Mankato while the new collective bargaining agreement was being finalized. McNabb came out to the field for the afternoon practice on Thursday thinking he was ready to go, but he ended up having to sit out the first 40 minutes while the votes were tallied.
McNabb says he is happy the waiting is finally over and he can get back to work.
ROETHLISBERGER TRIAL
CARSON CITY, Nev. ó The civil sexual assault case against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be held in Reno, the Nevada Supreme Court said Thursday in an order rejecting an appeal by the NFL star.
A former VIP casino hostess at Harrahís accused Roethlisberger of raping her in his penthouse suite in July 2008, when Roethlisberger was at Lake Tahoe for a celebrity golf tournament. The lawsuit also named Harrahís employees and executives, whom she accuses of orchestrating a cover-up of the incident.
PANTHERS GET NAANEE
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ó A person familiar with the negotiations says the Carolina Panthers have agreed to a deal with free agent receiver Legedu Naanee.
Naanee played four seasons for the Chargers after getting drafted out of Boise State in 2007. He caught 63 passes for 736 yards and three touchdowns for San Diego, which declined to offer him a contract.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the agreement.
Naaneeís best pass-catching year came in 2009 with 24 receptions. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Naanee will compete for the second receiver role with David Gettis, Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards.
PATTERSON HAS
CONDITION
BETHLEHEM, Pa. ó Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder said defensive tackle Mike Patterson has a brain condition that may require surgery.
Burkholder said Thursday that Patterson is undergoing further tests. The 27-year-old Patterson was hospitalized after suffering a seizure Wednesday morning at training camp at Lehigh University.
ěWhat they did determine through some of the testing is that Mike has a congenital tangle of blood vessels right outside his brain that is called arteriovenous malformation, or what we refer to as AVM,î Burkholder said. ěIím pretty sure thatís what caused the seizure. Weíre pretty sure it was not football related.î
GARRARD LEAVES
PRACTICE
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ó Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard left practice Thursday night with a sore back.
Garrard tweaked his back during 11-on-11 drills in which he got hit several times despite wearing a non-contact jersey.
Trainers worked on the 10-year veteran on the sideline, and then he hobbled off, exited the practice field out a side door and gingerly climbed onto an awaiting golf cart.
Coach Jack Del Rio said Garrardís back ěgot a little tight.î
ěWeíre just icing him down,î Del Rio said. ěHeíll get treatment and all that, but he should be fine, so nothing major there. … Itís not the time to push through that kind of thing, so just let it settle down.î
Del Rio wasnít sure whether Garrard would have X-rays or an MRI.
ěDid not sound any kind of alarm,î Del Rio said. ěThought it was something that would settle down.î
Del Rio added that he expects Garrard to play during the teamís scrimmage Saturday night.
ěI would be surprised if he didnít,î the coach said. ěBased on what (head athletic trainer) Mike (Ryan) had relayed just now, itís just a little tight. Sometimes you need to work the core and the stretching and some of those things that maybe you donít do when youíre not here all the time working with trainers. Weíll get a handle on it, but all indications are it wonít be a major deal.î
Garrard missed a few days of practice last season because of a sore back, but he played through the injury. He tore ligaments in the middle finger on his throwing hand last year and sat out the season finale.
He finished the year with 23 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions. The Jaguars drafted quarterback Blaine Gabbert with the 10th overall pick in Aprilís draft. The Jaguars insist that Gabbert is not competing with Garrard for the starting job.