Eagles Sign McCants, Cut Douglas

Philadelphia bolstered its depleted receiving corps, signing Darnerien McCants to a one-year contract Saturday.

The NFC champions released Pro Bowl defensive end Hugh Douglas, former starting fullback Jon Ritchie and punter Sean Landeta to reach the roster limit of 53 players.

“Releasing players that have worked their tails off for the team is one of the toughest days for me,” Coach Andy Reid said in a statement. “It’s even tougher when you release veterans such as Hugh and Jon.”

McCants was cut by Washington last week after four seasons with the team.

The Eagles lost starting receiver Todd Pinkston for the season because of an injury the first week of training camp and reserve Justin Jenkins also will sit out the season.

Douglas, 34, has 80 sacks in 10 seasons with the Eagles, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Ritchie, a seven-year veteran, sat out most of last season because of a knee injury.

Landeta, the leading punter in NFL history, had signed with the Eagles in case Dirk Johnson couldn’t recover from surgery for a hernia, but Johnson has been activated.

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Gus Frerotte will start at quarterback for Miami in the opener against Denver on Sept. 11, Coach Nick Saban said.

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Receiver Peerless Price decided to join the Dallas Cowboys, primarily because of the chance to be reunited with quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

Price accepted a one-year deal, his agent said. The receiver was cut by Atlanta last week.

The Cowboys did not include Price on the 53-man roster released Saturday evening, an indication the deal must still be signed.

Price had his best season in 2002, his only year with Bledsoe in Buffalo.

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Kansas City offensive lineman John Welbourn was suspended for four games for violation of the league’s steroid policy, and Cleveland defensive back Michael Jameson and Cincinnati defensive end Duane Clemons were suspended for four games for violating the substance-abuse policy.... The New York Giants signed veteran running back and return man Chad Morton, who was signed by New England in June and put on the physically-unable-to-perform list in late July before being released Tuesday. A knee injury limited Morton to six games with Washington last season.