NFL ROUNDUP : Eagles to Send McPherson to Houston

The Philadelphia Eagles announced an agreement today to trade backup quarterback Don McPherson to the Houston Oilers for a 1991 draft choice.

After the Eagles signed Jim McMahon as a backup to Randall Cunningham last month, McPherson made it clear he would not report to the Eagles’ training camp in West Chester.

This is McPherson’s third year in the NFL, but he has not played in any games.

Eagles president Harry Gamble said McPherson still must sign a contract with the club before the trade is final. He said McPherson’s agent and the Oilers are working on an agreement for a contract with Houston.

The Eagles will get an undisclosed draft choice in 1991. The choice is conditional, meaning that the more McPherson plays for Houston, the higher the draft pick.

Redskins

Running back Gerald Riggs, Washington’s leading rusher last season, agreed to terms and arrived at the Redskins’ training camp.

Riggs, who rushed for 834 yards and four touchdowns despite missing four games with injuries, was the most prominent of four veteran holdouts for Washington. Linemen Darryl Grant and Markus Koch and linebacker Ravin Caldwell remain unsigned.

Steelers

Pittsburgh running back Tim Worley will undergo surgery on partially torn cartilage in his left knee.

Worley, the team’s leading rusher as a rookie last year, is expected to miss only three weeks.

“Let’s just hope it isn’t that long,” offensive coordinator Joe Walton said.

In last week’s scrimmage with Washington, Worley was hurt during a pileup.

Falcons

Cornerback Deion Sanders remains missing from the Falcons’ camp, a condition that has left Andre Rison with a room to himself and an unwanted duty.

“The ‘Invisible Man’ is going to make an appearance and pretty soon I won’t have to be returning punts anymore,” Rison said.

Sanders left the New York Yankees on Monday for what he described as “a vacation” before resuming his football career. He is being fined $1,500 for each day of training camp he misses, and he also was fined $10,000 for missing a mandatory 10-day minicamp earlier in July. Training camp opened July 26.

Eagles

Philadelphia is without holdout running backs Keith Byars and Anthony Toney as the club finished its “voluntary” minicamp.

“We only go to camp for three weeks and we’ve got nine days before our first exhibition game,” Coach Buddy Ryan said. “So, really, we need everybody here.”