Ex-Dawg Signs With Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks waived center Jim Sweeney and signed Ed Cunningham, a former University of Washington standout.
Coach Dennis Erickson said Sweeney, who started all 16 games at center last year, didn’t want to accept a salary cut that would go along with a move to backup status. The Seahawks plan to start Kevin Mawae at center. Cunningham was signed to back up Mawae.
The Seahawks welcome veterans to their training camp in Kirkland today. Two-a-day practices start Saturday.
Abdul-Jabbar signs
Karim Abdul-Jabbar got Jimmy Johnson’s message, loud and clear.
The running back from UCLA signed with Miami on Thursday after Johnson said further delay in reporting might bury him deeper on the depth chart.
Terms of the deal were not announced, but a team source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the third-round draft choice signed a three-year contract worth $920,000.
Abdul-Jabbar, who had been in town since Monday, said he put pressure on his agent, Eugene Parker, to get the deal done quickly after Johnson said the rookie was in danger of dropping to No. 5 on depth chart.
“At this point, I just have to go out and start working,” he said. “We have six weeks of two-a-days and enough scrimmages and preseason games for me to get ready.”
“He’s a little rusty, but he’ll jump right in there,” Johnson said.
Pleading with Keyshawn
Rich Kotite has resorted to name-dropping in his effort to help Keyshawn Johnson understand the importance of training camp. Johnson and the Jets are at an impasse in negotiations, and veterans report Saturday.
“Al Toon held out and when he came in, he got hurt,” Kotite said. “Wesley Walker held out and when he came in, he got hurt.”
Kotite, the Jets’ offensive coordinator when Walker and Toon became stars, knows a holdout often yields an injury once a player is signed.
“These things happen regardless of how hard they’re working out on their own.” the second-year coach said. “It’s not the same as the regimentation and structuring in any football program.”
Around the league
Chicago signed second-round draft choice Bobby Engram to a three-year contract and running back Tony Carter and guard Todd Burger to one-year deals. … Cowboys cornerback Kevin Smith was watching from the sidelines while resting his torn Achilles’ tendon. He plans to join full workouts in about two weeks. “If I had to play tomorrow, I could,” Smith said. Third-round draft pick Stepfret Williams signed and took part in the afternoon workout. … Chuck Levy, suspended for nearly a year for marijuana use, rejoined the Arizona Cardinals. Levy, suspended Aug. 25, was the Cardinals’ 1994 second-round draft pick from the University of Arizona. … The first day of training camp was ominous for the 49ers. Johnny Johnson, the million dollar investment at running back, aggravated his sore back in extremely light duty and missed the afternoon workout.