NFL
NFL notebook: Cowboys release Quincy Carter

By The Dallas Morning News and The Associated Press

Quincy Carter is gone after just six days of camp.

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OXNARD, Calif. — Quarterback Quincy Carter said he was shocked by the Dallas Cowboys' decision to release him yesterday and called rumors about drugs regarding his release "ridiculous."

Carter, who reported to training camp six days ago as the Cowboys' starting quarterback, left before practice began yesterday morning.

Carter recently violated the NFL's substance-abuse policy for the second time and would have been fined four game checks totaling $107,060, three sources told the Dallas Morning News. A third violation would have resulted in a four-game suspension, according to the league's substance-abuse policy. FOXSports.com reported that Carter tested positive for cocaine.

"I'm shocked. I'm at a loss for words," Carter told The Dallas Morning News. "The one thing I know ... is that cocaine has never been an issue for me. It never will be. And it's disturbing that a rumor like that would come out."

Two club sources said a combination of violating the league's substance-abuse policy, a poor attitude regarding the competition with Vinny Testaverde and an average performance in the first four days of practices led to the Cowboys' decision.

The club sources said team owner Jerry Jones and coach Bill Parcells weren't comfortable with Carter being one failed test away from a suspension, so they ended the relationship.

Parcells said the 40-year-old Testaverde would start at quarterback. Rookie Drew Henson and Tony Romo will compete for the backup job.

Last season, Carter passed for 3,302 yards with 17 touchdowns and 21 interceptions as the Cowboys went 10-6 and made the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

In 31 starts for Dallas since being drafted in the second round in 2001, Carter had completed 56.2 percent of his passes, with 29 touchdowns and 36 interceptions, and had a rating of 70.

 
Notes

• Al Davis, owner of the Oakland Raiders, announced that WR Tim Brown would be released today. Brown, a Raider since being drafted in the first round in 1988, has played a team-record 240 games. Brown ranks second in NFL history with 14,734 yards receiving and third with 1,070 catches.

• Jeff Garcia, new quarterback of the Cleveland Browns, said he plans to call first-round pick Kellen Winslow Jr. and urge him to report to training camp.

"It's important to get him here," Garcia said of the tight end who was picked sixth overall. "You are going to get your riches no matter what, but you need to think about the team. This is a team game."

The Browns and agent Kevin Poston are as much as $15 million apart. Poston rejected the Browns' six-year, $40 million offer on July 30.

Meanwhile, the Browns signed CB Daylon McCutcheon to a five-year contract extension.

• Tampa Bay DE Simeon Rice practiced for the first time since an irregular heartbeat caused him to miss four days. "I think I'm as good as I ever was," the Pro Bowl player said. "I had a little setback, but I think once I get back in rhythm I'll be where I'm supposed to be."

• San Francisco QB Tim Rattay will be held out of practice until next week because of an inflamed right forearm. Rattay also is still recovering from groin surgery. Second-year QB Ken Dorsey is running the first-team offense.

• Philadelphia FS Brian Dawkins will miss the next week of training camp after injuring his knee.

• Minnesota C Matt Birk had minor surgery to determine the cause of a pelvic injury that has caused him to miss three practices. The team expected to learn the results today.

• Buffalo OT Mike Williams, who was fined for missing practice Tuesday, returned to practice yesterday morning. Williams said he missed Tuesday's practice due to "personal problems" but that the situation had been rectified. "The family is fine and everything is great right now," he said.

• Outside linebacker Karlos Dansby, the first player drafted in the second round, agreed to a four-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Dansby's agent, Carl Poston, told The Arizona Republic the deal was worth about $5 million.