NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seeks to subdue cheaters

Notebook |

NEW YORK — In the aftermath of the discipline levied against the New England Patriots for taping opponents defensive signals, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is seeking a sweeping crackdown on spying for next season.

It would include harsher penalties on teams and employees caught spying; unannounced inspections of locker rooms and coaches' areas in press boxes; and a lower threshold for imposing discipline on those who violate the rule.

The changes, first disclosed in Friday's editions of the Washington Post, are contained in a memo obtained by The Associated Press. It was sent to the league's rule-making competition committee, which will consider them and make recommendations to the owners at the league meeting starting March 30 in Palm Beach, Fla.

"I think there are a number of steps that should be taken in advance of the start of the 2008 season to improve and strengthen the enforcement procedures designed to preserve the competitive integrity of the game," Goodell wrote in the memo.

Among other things, Goodell wants fewer constraints on him in punishing violators.

"Too often," he wrote, "competitive violations have gone unpunished because conclusive proof of the violation was lacking."

Notes

• Tom Coughlin was rewarded for the New York Giants' Super Bowl victory, agreeing to a four-year, $21 million contract that will make him one of the NFL's highest-paid coaches.

Coughlin will earn about $5.25 million annually. The Seahawks' Mike Holmgren is the NFL's top-paid coach at $8 million per season.

• Carolina made its first significant move in free agency, coming to terms with LB Landon Johnson on a three-year, $10 million deal. The Panthers also signed RB LaBrandon Toefield to a one-year deal and released reserve CB Patrick Dendy.

• New Orleans re-signed TE Billy Miller.

• Pittsburgh signed LB Andre Frazier to a one-year contract, a week after declining to tender him a contract for $927,000.

• KR Rock Cartwright agreed to a $3 million, three-year contract that will keep him in Washington.

• Atlanta signed free-agent DT Kindal Moorehead, DT Rashad Moore and DE Simon Fraser.

• Tennessee waived CB Kelly Herndon. The former Seahawk played in just four games for the Titans last season.

• WR Brandon Lloyd signed a one-year contract with Chicago.

• New Orleans signed former Carolina LB Dan Morgan.