McNown Rises as Kramer Cut

Erik Kramer didn’t even make it to training camp as the Chicago Bears’ No. 1 quarterback.

The Bears’ all-time passing leader was cut Tuesday, two days before the opening of training camp. Although he sat out the second half of last season after shoulder and knee surgery, he had just worked out for the Bears on Sunday and believed he was ready to play.

“It was a shock. I had no idea. This came out of nowhere,” Kramer said. “I’m not going to say I was lied to, but I don’t know. Obviously, I wasn’t being treated honestly.”

New Bear Coach Dick Jauron had said repeatedly that, though the Bears took UCLA quarterback Cade McNown with the 12th pick in the draft, Kramer was their No. 1 quarterback and the job was his to lose. The Bears supposedly wanted to bring McNown along slowly, allowing him to learn from Kramer.

So much for that plan.

Jauron and Mark Hatley, the Bears’ vice president of player personnel, said Kramer became expendable after impressive performances by McNown and journeyman quarterbacks Shane Matthews, Jim Miller and Moses Moreno during spring mini-camps.

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Herman Moore signed a contract extension with the Detroit Lions through 2005.

Terms were not disclosed, but the four-time Pro Bowl receiver, who was a year away from free agency, reportedly received a seven-year deal worth $33 million with a signing bonus of $8.5 million.

Moore’s commitment to the Lions is especially important, since the status of star running back Barry Sanders is uncertain. Sanders’ father made headlines in the off-season when he said Sanders was unhappy in Detroit and wanted to be traded. However, Sanders himself never asked for a trade and Coach Bobby Ross said the team would not deal the NFL’s second all-time leading rusher.

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The Denver Broncos, clearing salary-cap room and rewarding top starters, have reached long-term deals with Bill Romanowski and Tom Nalen, the Denver Post reported.

Romanowski, a starting linebacker, and Nalen, the team’s center, each had two years remaining on their contracts. The new agreements extend the contracts for five years, the Post reported.

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Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas was hospitalized after complaining of chest pains.

Unitas, 66, was listed in good condition at the University of Maryland Medical Center. A hospital spokeswoman said Unitas will return home today.

The former Baltimore Colt star checked into the hospital Monday and underwent a series of heart tests, but doctors think his pain stemmed from gastrointestinal problems.