AFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES

AFC SPRING ROUND-UP

BALTIMORE:  New cornerback COREY FULLER (last four seasons with Cleveland) reunites with head coach BRIAN BILLICK.  Fuller played for the Vikings (1995-98) when Billick served as the team’s offensive coordinator……New linebackers coach MIKE SINGLETARY brings his Pro Football Hall of Fame credentials to Ravens Stadium where he will instruct one of the NFL’s strongest LB units……Defensive coordinator MIKE NOLAN will likely keep his flexible 3-4 alignment that allowed an AFC-low 3.7 yards per rush in 2002.

BUFFALO:  Second-year receiver JOSH REED has a brother and cousin both serving in the military in the Middle East.  Reed has shaved two slits on his left eyebrow to remind him of his family members every time he looks in the mirror……Signed linebacker TAKEO SPIKES from Cincinnati.  Spikes has registered more than 100 tackles in each of his five seasons and has missed only one game……President/General Manager TOM DONAHOE conducted an NFL salary cap course for local media earlier this month.  “We realize that the media has a tough job trying to explain some of these things to the fans,” said Donahoe, a former high school English teacher.

CINCINNATI:  New head coach MARVIN LEWIS has now served three of the four teams in the AFC North: Pittsburgh (linebackers), Baltimore (defensive coordinator) and Cincinnati.  Lewis and San Diego Chargers head coach MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER both attended Fort Cherry High School in McDonald, Pennsylvania (19 miles from Pittsburgh).  Fort Cherry head football coach JIM GARRY coached both Lewis and Schottenheimer.  Garry concluded his 44th and final season of coaching last fall.

CLEVELAND:  Entering the third season under head coach BUTCH DAVIS, the Browns aim for consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1988-89……Club signed linebacker BARRY GARDNER from Philadelphia.  Entering his fifth season, Gardner led the Eagles in special teams tackles the past two years.  He played in all 16 games for the NFC East champions in 2002……Club returns offensive talent accounting for 98.0 percent of last season’s total offensive yardage (8,766 of 8,945).  Defensively, the team returns 96.4 percent of sacks (27 of 28) and 94.1 percent of interceptions (16 of 17).

DENVER:  The Broncos signed unrestricted free-agent quarterback JAKE PLUMMER from Arizona.  Plummer recorded 21 comeback victories in his six seasons with the Cardinals.  In his first full season as a starter (1998), he guided the Cardinals to their first playoff appearance since 1982 and their first postseason victory since 1947……Head coach MIKE SHANAHAN promoted LARRY COYER from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator.  Coyer enters his 34th season as a coach on the collegiate or professional level.  In 2002, Coyer’s linebacker unit played a key role in surrendering the second fewest total yards per game in the NFL (301.6).  Shanahan also named 12-year cornerback JIMMY SPENCER an assistant (DBs)-playing coach. 

HOUSTON:  The Texans own an NFL-high 13 selections in the 2003 NFL Draft, including the third choice overall……Signed unrestricted free-agent offensive lineman ZACH WIEGERT (Jacksonville), who has started 89 of 96 career games rotating between right guard, right tackle and left tackle.  Head coach DOM CAPERS is familiar with Wiegert from his days as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator (1999-2000)……The Texans Cheerleaders and team mascot TORO visited eight Houston elementary schools in February with a health and safety tour.

INDIANAPOLIS:  By resigning center JEFF SATURDAY, the Colts return all five offensive-line starters from 2002.  Saturday has not missed a game in three seasons……Club signed free agent wide receiver BRANDON STOKLEY from Baltimore.  Stokley is familiar with Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING, having helped instruct youngsters at the Manning Passing Academy in Hammond, Louisiana for seven of the past eight years.  “You run routes for him at his camp and you dream of being able to play for a quarterback like that," says Stokley.  “I'm thrilled.”

JACKSONVILLE:  Since the hiring of head coach JACK DEL RIO and vice president of player personnel JAMES HARRIS, Jaguars fans have shown their enthusiasm, purchasing 4,600 season tickets……The club has signed a pair of premier defensive free agents in linebacker MIKE PETERSON, formerly of the Colts, and former Eagles defensive end HUGH DOUGLAS.  Peterson started all 16 games last season and recorded 173 tackles.  Douglas has led his team in tackles in six of his eight seasons.  Douglas’ 12.5 sacks in 2002 were fourth-most in the NFL.

KANSAS CITY:  By signing free agent linebacker SHAWN BARBER (Philadelphia) and cornerback DEXTER MC CLEON (St. Louis), the Chiefs have bolstered their defense to match their offense’s firepower.  The Chiefs led the NFL in points per game in 2002 (29.1 points).  "Once we get to where we think we have acquired what we need and couple that with the draft, we're hopefully going to come up with the right combination,” said Chiefs President/ General Manager CARL PETERSON.  “That began with the signing of Shawn to no longer be the 32nd defense.”

MIAMI:  The Dolphins resigned four-year fullback and unrestricted free agent ROB KONRAD.  Konrad played in all 16 games last season and has served as the primary blocking back for two of the eight 1,000-yard rushing seasons in team history (LAMAR SMITH -- 1,139 in 2000; RICKY WILLIAMS -- 1,853 in 2002)……Receiver JAMES MC KNIGHT was on hand in March as the Dolphins and the NFL Charities Youth Football Fund, through Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), awarded a grant to help establish a community football field in West Palm Beach, Florida.  It is one of many fields refurbished across the country through the NFL Charities Youth Football Fund.

NEW ENGLAND:  Free agent linebacker ROSEVELT COLVIN arrives from the Bears and former Chargers safety RODNEY HARRISON joins New England’s defensive backfield.  Colvin recorded 10.5 sacks in 2002 while Harrison, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, registered 88 tackles last season……Offensive coordinator CHARLIE WEIS, a former high school teacher, says that skills honed in his former profession are essential in his current job:  “I was a teacher long before I was a coach,” he says.  “One thing I've learned in my time in football is that football is just teaching.  That is important to realize.”

NEW YORK:  Jets have added wide receiver CURTIS CONWAY, a 10-year veteran who played for San Diego the past three seasons.  “I have known Curtis for a while,” said Jets head coach HERMAN EDWARDS.  “He’s a tough guy who can still run fast.  He’s caught over 500 balls, and that is a lot of passes”……On March 2, Edwards delivered an impromptu pregame pep talk to the St. John’s University basketball team before it topped No. 6-ranked Duke.  The Red Storm upset the Blue Devils, 72-71.  After Edwards’ passionate oration, St. John’s forward ERIC KING said, “Everybody wanted to play football”……Starting offensive tackle KAREEM MC KENZIE recently completed a six-week internship with the NFL’s officiating department.  McKenzie, entering his third season, committed no penalties in 2002.

OAKLAND:  An eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame receiving duo, TIM BROWN and JERRY RICE, have each signed multi-year contract extensions to remain with the Raiders.  In addition, the reigning AFC Champions have landed veteran defensive tackle DANA STUBBLEFIELD from the 49ers and standout running back-kick returner RONNEY JENKINS from the Chargers.  Jenkins led the NFL in 2001 with a 26.6-yard kick-return average and gained 23.9 yards per return last season……Head coach BILL CALLAHAN seeks to become the first head coach to reach the Super Bowl in each of his first two seasons.  The last team to play in consecutive Super Bowls was the Denver Broncos in 1997-98 (MIKE SHANAHAN).

PITTSBURGH:  Club signed free agent tight end JAY RIEMERSMA from Buffalo.  The 10-year veteran has 204 career receptions – second-most all-time among Buffalo tight ends……Head coach BILL COWHER has reached the playoffs in 14 of his 18 seasons as an NFL coach with Cleveland (1985-88), Kansas City (1989-91) and Pittsburgh (1992-present).  As Pittsburgh’s head coach, Cowher has coached against all 31 NFL clubs and owns a .500-or-better record against 22 of them……Pittsburgh’s defense has allowed the NFL’s fewest rushing yards in consecutive seasons (1,375 in 2002; 1,195 in 2001)……The Steelers were 9-0-1 last season in games in which they led at halftime.

SAN DIEGO:  The Chargers signed unrestricted free-agent wide receiver DAVID BOSTON from Arizona and Pro Bowl fullback LORENZO NEAL from Cincinnati.  Boston was selected to the 2002 Pro Bowl, gaining 1,598 yards on 98 catches.  “LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON is a great running back and DREW BREES is an up-and-coming quarterback," said Boston.  "There's a lot of talent, and adding me to the equation will only put defenses in a tough predicament” ……Neal has not missed a game in the past nine seasons.  “Over the course of the past six seasons, he has paved the way for six consecutive 1,000-yard rushers,” said Chargers head coach Schottenheimer.

TENNESSEE:  The Titans resigned unrestricted free-agent guard ZACH PILLER, who will be entering his fifth NFL season.  “Zach has worked his way into a position where he is a very important part of our club,” says Tennessee general manager FLOYD REESE.  “We like the fact that he has been on a Titans team that’s been to a championship game.  He’s been in an organization that’s won a lot of games.”……Team president and CEO JEFF DIAMOND was awarded with a contract extension by the club.  During Diamond’s tenure (1999-present), the Titans own the NFL’s best record (44-20).