FOOTBALL

REDSKINS GIVE SAMUEL RECORD BONUS

This year’s big signing for the Washington Redskins at the start of free agency is one of their own: tackle Chris Samuels, who received the largest signing bonus in team history.

Samuels and the team reached agreement last night for a multiyear deal that includes a signing bonus of $15.75 million, according to an official in the league who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Further details were not immediately available, but the deal appeared to solve a pressing need just before the start of free agency at 12:01 a.m. today. Samuels’s contract was scheduled to count a whopping $9.5 million against the salary cap this year, constraining the team’s ability to re-sign players and acquire new ones.

BUCS RELEASE JOHNSON, JUREVICIUS

Brad Johnson and Joe Jurevicius, two of the stars in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl run two years ago, were released yesterday to help the Buccaneers get under the salary-cap limit.

The quarterback and receiver teamed on one of the biggest plays in franchise history, a 71-yard catch-and-run that led to a first-quarter touchdown in the Bucs’ victory over Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game on January 19, 2003.

The moves helped general manager Bruce Allen clear more than $7.4 million in salary cap space. The team also cut linebacker Ian Gold and cornerback Mario Edwards, shaving another 6.14 million. The Bucs began the task of trimming more than $17 million in payroll by restructuring the contract of QB Brian Griese, who signed a five-year, $32 million contract that reduced his salary cap number by $4 million.

PATRIOTS DECLINE OPTION ON BROWN

The New England Patriots declined an option on receiver-turned-cornerback Troy Brown yesterday, allowing the 12-year veteran to become a free agent. Once one of the Patriots’ most dependable receivers, Brown’s biggest contribution in the most recent Super Bowl season was on defense. With the Patriots’ secondary decimated by injuries, Brown filled in as an extra defensive back.

Working mainly as a nickel back in passing situations, Brown had three interceptions, broke up five passes, and made 17 tackles last season. The 33-year-old played enough on the offensive side to make 17 catches for 184 yards, including a touchdown. He also returned 12 punts, averaging a team-high 6.9 yards.

STUDY: 56% OF NFL PLAYERS ARE OBESE

It’s no secret that size matters in the NFL, but a new study suggests that a whopping 56% of NFL players would be considered obese by some medical standards. The NFL called the study bogus for using players’ body-mass index, a height-to-weight ratio that doesn’t consider body muscle versus fat. The players union said that despite the familiar sight of bulging football jerseys, there’s no proof that obesity is rampant in the league.

The study results suggest that bigger players don’t make a team more successful. There was no relationship between teams’ average player BMI and their ranking in 2003-04, the season studied. Arizona had the highest average BMI, but also the worst record in its division. In the study, University of North Carolina endocrinologist Joyce Harp and student Lindsay Hecht used statistics on the NFL Web site to calculate BMIs for 2,168 NFL players, nearly all those playing in the 2003-04 season.

The study appears in today’s Journal of the American Medical Association.

COWBOYS CUT COAKLEY

Three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Dexter Coakley was released yesterday. Coakley, one of the smallest linebackers in the league at 5-foot-10, would have been due a $500,000 roster bonus if he was still on the team today.

DOLPHINS HIRE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Nick Saban completed his initial staff with the Dolphins yesterday, hiring Lions assistant Richard Smith as defensive coordinator. The 49-year-old Smith is a 17-year NFL coaching veteran and spent the past two seasons as the assistant head coach and linebackers coach with Detroit.

BASEBALL

BRAVES COMPLETE $47M DEAL WITH HUDSON

The Atlanta Braves completed a $47 million, four-year contract extension with Tim Hudson yesterday, locking up a former 20-game winner who could have become a free agent at the end of the season. Hudson’s new deal calls for a $10 million signing bonus, payable when the contract is approved by the commissioner’s office, and salaries of $6.75 million this year, $4 million in 2006, $6 million in 2007, and $13 million each in 2008 and 2009.

Hudson’s extension contains an option for 2010 that could increase the deal’s would to $58 million. Atlanta has secured the top two spots in its rotation for at least two more seasons. John Smoltz worked out a new $20 million deal that will keep him Atlanta through at least 2006 – and he’s got an option for ’07, too.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

INSPIRED ST. JOSEPH’S CLINCHES TOP SEED IN A-10 TOURNAMENT

With John Bryant sitting on the bench, his broken right arm covered by a blue long-sleeved shirt, Saint Joseph’s beat George Washington 71-56 last night to win the Atlantic 10 regular season championship. The Hawks lost their first game after the senior co captain was injured when he was fouled by a player sent into the game by Temple coach John Chaney to “send a message.” They followed that with the title-clinching win behind Pat Carroll’s 21 points. Saint Joseph’s (16-10, 13-2) will be the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic 10 tournament, which starts March 9 in Cincinnati.

HOCKEY

NHL, PLAYERS REAFFIRM UNITY

The NHL board of governors made two things quite clear yesterday: There will be hockey in the fall and commissioner Gary Bettman will still be in charge.

On a day when players regrouped in Toronto and executives from all 30 teams gathered in New York, both sides issued stern declarations that there is unity in the ranks. Bettman said he plans to invite the players’ association back to the bargaining table soon, but wouldn’t reveal if he will present a new proposal.

If a deal cant be reached through negotiation, the league plans to explore all options – including using replacement players next season.

– Associated Press