Cowboys Waive Kicker, Re-Sign Linebacker Coryatt

The Dallas Cowboys finally got tired of waiting for kicker Richie Cunningham to come out of his slump.

Cunningham, who went from one of the NFL’s most accurate kickers the last two seasons to one of the most errant this year, was released Tuesday along with seldom-used receiver Alvin Harper.

Dallas filled one roster spot with linebacker Quentin Coryatt, who came out of retirement in April then retired again in September. Another spot was saved for Cunningham’s replacement.

With an offense struggling to score touchdowns, the Cowboys have needed an accurate kicker. Instead, Cunningham made only 12 of 22 attempts. He was three for 10 from 40 yards or more.

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Carolina Panther wide receiver Rae Carruth surrendered to police in Charlotte, N.C., after being indicted on a new charge in the shooting of his pregnant girlfriend, and was released on bond again.

Carruth posted $3-million bail Monday on the previous charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, attempted murder and firing into an occupied vehicle in the Nov. 16 shooting of Cherica Adams, but had to return to court Tuesday for a hearing on the new charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

Superior Court Judge John Gardner set an unsecured bond of $300,000, which meant Carruth only had to sign a piece of paper promising to appear and did not have to provide any more money.

Three other men also have been indicted on the same four charges as Carruth, and they remain in jail on $1.5 million bond each.

Adams, shot four times, remains in critical condition, but her baby, Chancellor Lee Adams, was upgraded from serious to fair and was moved out of the neonatal intensive care nursery, a spokesman for Carolinas Medical Center said.

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An MRI exam on New York Giant center Brian Williams found no significant ligament damage in his knee, and there is a chance he can return to the lineup in a few weeks.

Williams was injured in the first half of Sunday’s victory over the New York Jets. Derek Engler will replace him.

Meanwhile, fullback Charles Way (knee) was put on injured reserve and rookie safety Tre Thomas was waived for the third consecutive week.

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New Orleans Saints’ owner Tom Benson, who has dodged questions about the future of Coach Mike Ditka amid a 2-10 season, issued a short statement saying, “I pledge . . . we will take whatever steps are necessary [after the season] to reestablish the Saints as a winning franchise.”