In brief: Panthers part ways with receiver Johnson

The Carolina Panthers released receiver Keyshawn Johnson on Tuesday, three days after they selected another former Southern Cal receiver in the second round of the draft.

It was thought Johnson would help groom Dwayne Jarrett, taken in the second round with the 45th pick. But apparently Johnson was deemed expendable – he and Jarrett are both 6-foot-4 possession receivers.

Johnson, 34, had 70 catches for 815 yards and four touchdowns last season.

“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquired defensive tackle Ryan Sims from Kansas City. The Chiefs received an undisclosed future draft pick.

“The Jacksonville Jaguars released punter Chris Hanson.

“The Kansas City Chiefs released defensive end Eric Hicks.

“Marcus Vick, signed last season as a free-agent receiver after a troubled career as Virginia Tech’s quarterback, was among three players waived by Miami.

The Dolphins also released defensive tackle Manny Wright and linebacker Bobby Iwuchukwu.

“The NFL Players Association is countersuing six current and former players who are seeking to hold the union and league liable for millions of dollars they lost in an alleged fraud scheme.

The NFLPA, in papers filed last week in federal court in Atlanta, accuses Steve Atwater, Ray Crockett, Al Smith, Blaine Bishop, Carlos Emmons and Clyde Simmons of breach of contract.

“Valdosta State linebacker Jessie Tuggle and coach Billy Joe were elected to the College Football Hall of Fame Divisional Class, which honors players and coaches who did not play major college football.

Joe won 237 games as coach of Florida A&M, Central State (Ohio), and Cheyney (Pa.) University.

Miscellany

Perry hired

Former Tulane and Miami coach Perry Clark was hired as the new men’s basketball coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Clark has been out of coaching for three years, working as a TV analyst.

“Petr Schastlivyy scored midway through the third period and Russia held on for a 5-4 win over Finland at the hockey world championships in Moscow. In other games, Belarus beat Austria 5-2 and Denmark downed Ukraine 4-3.

“Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway has permanently banned 14 fans from buying tickets at the speedway following their arrests Sunday for throwing objects on the track after Jeff Gordon’s victory in the Aaron’s 499.

“Olympic and world champion swimmer Ian Thorpe has been granted an open-ended extension to provide medical information to Australian investigators probing irregularities in a May 2006 urine sample.

“University of Washington freshman baseball player Rob Brasier, who was found dead in his dorm room in February, died from an accidental drug overdose, the King County medical examiner’s office has ruled.

Post-mortem toxicology tests revealed that Brasier, 19, had cocaine and opiates in his system.