PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Cardinals’ Wilson Resigns as GM

Larry Wilson resigned Tuesday as general manager of the Phoenix Cardinals, saying he is worn out and accepts responsibility for the team’s ninth consecutive losing season.

Owner Bill Bidwill said the Hall of Fame defensive back will remain with the Cardinals as an administrator but will have no say regarding the “football side.”

“We talked about this for some time,” Bidwill said. “However, I did realize that he was under a great deal of strain, and he really was worn down.”

Wilson became general manager in 1988, when the Cardinals moved from St. Louis to Phoenix.

“By making this announcement now, I want to give Bill Bidwill the lead time and the freedom to search for new leadership for the organization,” Wilson said in a statement.

Wilson’s departure raises questions regarding Coach Joe Bugel. Bugel, who was hired by Wilson, is 17-44 near the end of his fourth season. Bidwill said Bugel’s fate rests with the new general manager.

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The NFL and its players have extended the deadline to Dec. 23 for teams to extend contracts of players in order to keep them from counting under the salary cap, set to take effect next year.

The original deadline, imposed to keep teams from circumventing the cap, was today.

Until the deadline, bonuses and other incentives will be included in this year’s salary, when there is no cap, rather than next year, when the cap will be somewhere between $32 million and $35 million per team.

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Kicker Roger Ruzek, released by the Philadelphia Eagles in September after suffering a hamstring injury, agreed to rejoin the club. Ruzek replaces Matt Bahr, who was released Monday. . . . The Eagles have made four-year contract offers reportedly worth $10 million each to defensive stars Clyde Simmons and Seth Joyner in an effort to circumvent next year’s NFL salary cap. They will become unrestricted free agents when their contracts expire Feb. 16. . . . The injury-plagued Miami Dolphins announced that cornerback Troy Vincent will sit out the rest of the season and require major reconstructive surgery on his right knee. Vincent was injured Monday night against Pittsburgh and will probably be replaced by Vestee Jackson. . . . San Diego Charger right guard Joe Milinichik will miss the remainder of the season because of cartilage damage in his right knee that will require his second surgery in three months.