Big Names Among NFL Cuts

NFL teams were busy Tuesday cutting players and freeing room under the salary cap hours before free agency began.

Tampa Bay released quarterback Brad Johnson and receiver Joe Jurevicius along with cornerback Mario Edwards and linebacker Ian Gold.

New England released Troy Brown, who played offense and defense for the Super Bowl champions.

The Raiders cut guard Frank Middleton, safety Ray Buchanan and tight end Roland Williams.

Green Bay cut left guard Mike Wahle, whose $11.3-million cap number was second on the team to Brett Favre’s.

Dallas released three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Dexter Coakley.

San Francisco terminated defensive end Brandon Whiting’s contract after he failed a physical.

Washington reached an agreement with tackle Chris Samuels on a multiyear deal.

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A study suggests that 56% of NFL players would be considered obese by some medical standards. The NFL called the study flawed for using players’ body-mass index, a height-to-weight ratio that doesn’t consider body muscle versus fat.

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Tampa Bay safety Dwight Smith was arrested early Tuesday and charged with pulling a pellet gun on two fans who approached his car while he waited in line at a McDonald’s window in Tampa, Fla., at 4 a.m.

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Former Raider linebacker Bill Romanowski ended Marcus Williams’ NFL career two years ago when he ripped off his teammate’s helmet and punched the second-year tight end in the face during practice, Williams’ attorney told a jury during opening statements of Williams’ multimillion dollar lawsuit against Romanowski.

Miscellany

The grand jury that investigated the University of Colorado’s football program said two female trainers alleged they were sexually assaulted by an assistant coach and one trainer was “coerced to perform sexual favors for players and recruits repeatedly over a two-year period,” according to a report by KUSA-TV and the Denver Post.

King defenseman Mattias Norstrom said that he would play for Sweden in the World Championships, April 30-May 15 in Austria.

Brigham Young promoted Tom Holmoe to athletic director.

South Carolina dismissed leading rusher Demetris Summers from the team for violating athletic department policy.

Chivas USA acquired the rights to Mexican players Jesus Ochoa and Antonio Martinez in a trade with the Galaxy. In exchange, the Galaxy receives an allocation from Chivas USA.

The United States will play its World Cup soccer qualifier against Costa Rica on June 4 in Salt Lake City.

Manchester United captain Roy Keane was cleared of assault and criminal damage charges involving a 16-year-old boy who taunted him.

U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova lost in the second round of the Dubai Open to Sania Mirza, 6-4, 6-2.

Austrian skier Hans Knauss was banned for 1 1/2 years by the sport’s international federation after testing positive for the steroid nandrolone.

Former Notre Dame quarterback Ron Powlus is returning to the school as director of personnel development, where he will organize recruiting.

Jake Walter Nicklaus, the 17-month-old grandson of Jack Nicklaus, died after falling into a hot tub where he had been playing earlier, officials in North Palm Beach, Fla., said.

Paul Gonzales, gold medal winner in the 1984 Los Angeles Games, is among 10 boxers who will be inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame on Saturday.