Davis to Panthers; Raiders Get Maryland

Pro Bowl cornerback Eric Davis is leaving the Bay area, but defensive lineman Russell Maryland arrives today.

Davis, a free agent, left the San Francisco 49ers late Tuesday to sign with the Carolina Panthers. Maryland agreed to join the Oakland Raiders because the Dallas Cowboys didn’t have room for him under the salary cap.

With Dallas’ dollars either tied up in its superstars or earmarked to re-sign other players, Maryland agreed Wednesday to a six-year, $19-million contract with the Raiders.

Agent Leigh Steinberg said the deal, which includes a $4.3-million signing bonus, would be announced at a news conference today.

“This is another case of the salary cap breaking up a happy marriage,” Steinberg said. “Under normal circumstances, Russell would’ve spent his entire career in Dallas.”

It gives the Raiders two former Cowboys in one week. On Tuesday, the team gave cornerback Larry Brown, the Super Bowl MVP, a five-year, $12.5-million deal that includes a $3.5-million bonus.

San Francisco was unable to come up with the money needed to keep Davis, 28, because of salary-cap problems. The Panthers signed Davis to a multiyear deal, but terms were not disclosed.

Ken Behring, owner of the Seattle Seahawks, met with Commissioner Paul Tagliabue in Palm Beach, Fla., Wednesday night to discuss the team’s proposed move to Los Angeles.

Behring, through a spokesman, said “it was a useful meeting.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Quentin Coryatt to an offer sheet worth $18 million for four years. Coryatt will receive a $6-million signing bonus, the most ever given to a linebacker.

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The Indianapolis Colts, who made Coryatt their transition player earlier this month, have a week to match before the deal would become final.

The Seahawks signed free-agent safety Darryl Williams to a four-year, $7.1-million contract. The former Cincinnati Bengal played for Seahawk Coach Dennis Erickson when Erickson was head coach at the University of Miami.

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The Colts signed free-agent offensive lineman Jay Leeuwenburg. He is the sixth former Chicago Bear signed by Indianapolis since Bill Tobin, the former Chicago player personnel director, became director of football operations for the Colts two years ago.

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Free-agent quarterback Erik Wilhelm signed with the Bengals, who are looking for a backup to Jeff Blake. The team’s former No. 1 quarterback, David Klingler, is a free agent hoping to start for another team. . . . Quarterback Sean Salisbury, 32, signed a two-year contract worth about $1 million with the San Diego Chargers.

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When the NFL returns to Cleveland in 1999, it will be in an open-air stadium alongside blustery Lake Erie. The city could not justify the additional $80-million expense of a dome, according to Mayor Michael R. White, and instead will build a $220-million open-air stadium for the new Browns, who will replace the Baltimore-bound team.

Jurisprudence

Warren Moon says he probably was responsible for his wife’s scratches and bruises during an argument last summer, but the Minnesota Viking quarterback contends he was trying to calm her and didn’t intend harm.

“She just kind of went ballistic,” testified Moon at his trial in Richmond, Texas, on misdemeanor assault charges.

Two Clemson football players were released from jail and two others remained behind bars after a judge set their bonds at $20,000 on charges of raping a student on campus.

Eric Bernard Williams and Adrian Kennell Dingle posted bond to get out of the Pickens County jail. Still there are Christopher Rice and Bennie K. Zeigler.

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Two Tennessee football players were suspended from the squad over their weekend arrests for allegedly kicking and beating a team manager.

Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hampton and freshman wide receiver Greg Kyler were charged with assault.

Miscellany

Romanian Adrian Voinea upset Alberto Costa of Spain, 6-3, 6-1, in the $1-million European Community Championships at Antwerp, Belgium. It was the eighth first-round match in which lower-ranked players defeated their higher-ranked opponents.

Savieri Ngidhi of Nigeria, the leader in the 1996 Grand Prix standings at 800 meters, has been added to Saturday’s L.A. Invitational indoor track meet at the Sports Arena. Also added are 19-foot pole vaulters Brent Burns and Billy Payne.

Eight cities were named as franchise sites by the American Basketball League, a new women’s pro venture. Teams playing in San Jose, Seattle, Denver, Atlanta, Portland, Ore.; Columbus, Ohio; Richmond, Va.; and Hartford/Springfield will begin a 40-game season in October.

Long Beach State Athletic Director Dave O’Brien is among the leading candidates for the same post at William & Mary.