Wearing Saints black and gold, fans of Will Smith pay homage

Wearing black and gold jerseys and bowing their heads, fans of slain former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith paid homage to the star on Friday, almost a week after he was shot and killed during a traffic dispute.

Hundreds of fans, friends and members of the Saints team streamed into a visitation at the team’s practice facility in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans.

Smith, 34, was shot and killed by 28-year-old Cardell Hayes last Saturday, police said. Smith was shot seven times in the back and once along his side, the coroner said. His wife, Racquel, was shot twice in the legs but survived. In a wheelchair and wearing sunglasses, she attended the visitation but did not talk to reporters.

Hayes’ lawyer has said his client was not the aggressor and that he’ll be vindicated when the true story is known. An attorney for Smith has described Hayes as “enraged” at the time of the shooting and portrayed the Smiths as the victims. Hayes was arrested and is currently being held on $1 million bond.

Smith is a much-beloved member of the Saints organization. In 2009, he was defensive captain on a team that went all the way to the Super Bowl and won.

Manziel accused

Johnny Manziel is accused of causing “extensive damage” during parties at a Los Angeles home that he rented in early April, according to an ESPN report.

ESPN obtained a letter Friday from an attorney representing the owner of the property who wrote that “evidence suggests” that the former Cleveland Browns quarterback and his friends “were consuming drugs and alcohol.”

Earlier in the week, Manziel’s second agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he’s finished with Manziel unless he seeks treatment within five days. Rosenhaus is known for his great patience with clients and giving them a lot of latitude. It is believed that he has never fired a client in 27 years.

Rosenhaus said Friday that Manziel has not made any movement in the right direction.

Manziel has a long laundry list of problems, including legal issues. He was finally cut by the Browns on March 11 and is seeking another job.

Harvin retiring

Receiver Percy Harvin, 27, is retiring after seven NFL seasons, Harvin’s agent, Joel Segal, confirmed.

Harvin played five games for the Buffalo Bills last season before being placed on injured reserve with lingering hip and knee injuries.

The Bills were Harvin’s third team in two years after he was traded by the Seahawks to the New York Jets during the 2014 season.

Around the league

The Chicago Bears have exercised a fifth-year option on three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Kyle Long that keeps him under contract through 2017. … Bennie Fowler, who caught Peyton Manning’s final pass in the Super Bowl, has signed his exclusive rights free agent tender with the Denver Broncos.