Ex-players, lawyers, line up to replace Upshaw

Four former NFL Players Association presidents as well as Fred Nance, a sports law attorney who represents NBA star LeBron James, are among the list of candidates being considered to replace the late Gene Upshaw as the union’s executive director.

Nance is a Cleveland-based lawyer who was one of five finalists for the NFL commissioner’s job two years ago, and also played a role in brokering the return of the Browns to Cleveland in 1999. Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong — two of the union’s most recent former presidents — made the latest cut after the NFLPA narrowed the list of candidates to about 14 from 25 last week. Two other former union presidents also made the list: Mike Kenn, a former Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman who served as Fulton County Commission chairman in Georgia earlier this decade; and George Martin, the former New York Giants defensive end who recently completed a cross-country walk to raise $2 million for sick 9/11 rescue workers.

Also making the cut is sports attorney David Cornwell, who most recently represented a group of NFL players appealing suspensions for taking a diuretic that is a masking agent for steroids.

Jones’ hearing scheduled

Jaguars receiver Matt Jones, facing a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, will have his appeal heard Dec. 4.

Jones has entered a drug treatment program in hopes of erasing a felony cocaine charge in Arkansas. He leads the Jaguars (4-7) with 54 catches for 623 yards and two touchdowns.

He was arrested and charged with one count of cocaine possession in July after a Fayetteville police officer saw the former Arkansas quarterback inside a parked car allegedly cutting up cocaine with a credit card. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Jones pleaded not guilty to the charge, then prosecutors agreed to move the case to drug court.

Cards use rare rule for 68-yard FG try

The Arizona Cardinals tried to take advantage of a rarely used rule on a fair-catch kick for what would’ve been a 68-yard field goal to end the first half against the New York Giants at Glendale, Ariz.

It didn’t work.

It started when Steve Breaston made a fair catch of a punt by New York’s Jeff Feagles at the Cardinals 32 with five seconds left in the half. Arizona opted to go for a field goal with the Giants, by rule on a fair-catch kick, 10 yards from the spot of the ball. But Neil Rackers’ kick didn’t have a chance, bounding downfield where Reuben Droughns returned it 29 yards to the New York 31 as the half ended.