R. Williams Could Be Eligible to Start Next Season

Ricky Williams's representatives apparently are close to completing an agreement with the NFL that could make the retired Miami Dolphins tailback eligible to play at the outset of the 2005 season. The questions now are: Does Williams want to play? And if he does, will any team want him?

Attorney David Cornwell, who represents Williams, has been negotiating the terms of Williams's return to the league with NFL officials. He had a face-to-face meeting with two lawyers for the NFL Management Council in the Los Angeles area, and has been trading proposals with the league since then. Cornwell told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the league has made a proposal that would allow Williams to serve his pending four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy in the Dolphins' final four games of this season, then be reinstated.

That would make Williams eligible to play at the beginning of next season, provided that he does not have an additional violation of the substance-abuse policy. His next violation of the policy would lead to a one-year suspension. He would be subject to drug testing by the league again after being moved from the retired list to the suspended list. He would not have to pay a fine for this four-game suspension. A player generally forfeits his pay during such a suspension, but Williams is not being paid for this season after abruptly leaving the Dolphins in July, just before training camp.

Cornwell initially expressed hope that Williams would be cleared by the league to play this season, but it was obvious that the NFL was not going to allow that. When Williams retired, he was facing a four-game suspension for his third violation of the substance-abuse policy. All three of his violations reportedly have been for marijuana use. A retired player is not subject to drug testing by the league but, under the terms of the substance-abuse policy, if a player who already is in the program (by virtue of at least one positive test) retires and then attempts to return to the league in less than a year, he is charged with an additional violation of the program. In Williams's case, that would have been a fourth violation, producing a one-year suspension.

So, under the policy, if Williams had tried to return to the league before July 2005, he would have been subject to a four-game suspension and then a one-year suspension and would not have been eligible to play until late next season. If he had waited until July to return, he still would have had to serve his four-game suspension at the outset of next season and would have been eligible to play in his team's fifth game of next season.

Cornwell sought a compromise that would benefit both Williams and the Dolphins by having Williams reinstated at the outset of the offseason. That would enable Williams to participate in offseason activities and play at the beginning of next season. It might make it easier for the Dolphins to trade Williams because other NFL teams would know his playing status, and he would be eligible to take part in offseason conditioning and practices with his new club.

Cornwell apparently has accomplished his revised goal. Williams, however, continues to send mixed signals about whether he wants to play again. Cornwell and Williams's agent, Leigh Steinberg, have said they were told by Williams to seek his reinstatement because his passion for football had returned. Williams has said in some interviews that he probably would play again but it likely would be for only one more season. But most recently, in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Williams didn't rule out a return to the NFL but said he currently isn't interested in playing. He is attending a 17-month college program on holistic healing in Grass Valley, Calif., about 45 miles from Sacramento in the Sierra foothills -- putting him, temporarily, in relatively close proximity to the Dolphins, who play Sunday at San Francisco.

Williams's representatives could try to negotiate a settlement of the approximately $8.6 million that Williams owes the Dolphins under a ruling by an arbitrator. They have contemplated having Williams file for bankruptcy in Florida to void the remainder of his contract with the Dolphins and make him a free agent. Even if that doesn't happen, the Dolphins probably don't want Williams back and likely would try to trade him in the offseason if he wants to play again. The problem is, few -- if any -- teams around the league would be willing to acquire him at this point.

Williams has said that he'd like to play next for the Oakland Raiders. They are a logical fit, given Raiders owner Al Davis's willingness to take on players unwanted elsewhere and the presence of Coach Norv Turner, the Dolphins' former offensive coordinator. Williams has expressed his admiration for Turner even while contending he was overworked with the Dolphins. But Oakland's 3-7 record has raised questions about whether Turner will make it back for a second season with the team, and it is becoming increasingly uncertain whether even the Raiders would trust Williams enough to take a chance on adding him to their roster. No team can be certain that the former NFL rushing champion will even show up. And a recent Esquire magazine article reported that Williams had continued his marijuana use, casting doubt upon whether he could remain eligible to play even if he wants to return to the league.

Fiedler on IR

The Dolphins placed quarterback Jay Fiedler on the injured reserve list, ending his season. He was examined Tuesday in Los Angeles by spine specialist Robert Watkins and was diagnosed as having a herniated cervical disk that will require about a month to heal. He had been playing for several weeks with what had been described as a pinched nerve in his neck, but was forced out of last Sunday's loss at Seattle after playing one series in relief of injured starter A.J. Feeley.

"Between talking with [Watkins], the team doctors and everyone involved, we thought it was in my best interest to let the injury heal rather than go out and risk further damaging the neck and [creating] the possibility for surgery,'' Fiedler said in a written statement released by the Dolphins. "For my career, the best thing was to sit out the rest of the year and be ready and healthy to go next year.''

Fiedler is completing his fifth season with the Dolphins and might not be back with the team next season. His biggest supporter in the organization was former coach Dave Wannstedt, and interim coach Jim Bates made Feeley the starter after Wannstedt's resignation. Fiedler has gone 36-23 as a starter in Miami, including 1-6 this season.

Feeley finished the Seahawks game despite a bruised hip, throwing an interception that was returned for a game-winning touchdown by Seattle rookie safety Michael Boulware. On the season, Feeley has thrown three touchdown passes and has had four interceptions returned for touchdowns. He's thrown eight interceptions in all. He's vowing to play against the 49ers. His backup now is Sage Rosenfels and the Dolphins plan to add a third quarterback, perhaps veteran Jason Garrett.

Burress Out

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be without wide receiver Plaxico Burress when they face the Washington Redskins on Sunday at Heinz Field. Burress left Sunday's win at Cincinnati because of a strained hamstring, and Coach Bill Cowher said during a news conference Tuesday that Burress won't play this week. Antwaan Randle El is scheduled to make his first NFL start at the wide receiver spot opposite Hines Ward.

But the Steelers plan to have back tailback Duce Staley, who has missed the last three games because of a hamstring injury. Staley is scheduled to practice today. Jerome Bettis ran for 381 yards on 91 carries in those three games, his most carries in a three-game stretch since 1997. Bettis had 129 yards on 29 carries against the Bengals and passed Tony Dorsett for fifth place on the league's career rushing list. Cowher declined to say Tuesday how he will divide the carries with Staley back in the lineup.

"We will see where we are,'' Cowher said. "I am not going to make a big deal about it. We have to see where these guys are at the end of the week, and we will go from there.''

Bettis, who has a sore knee, gracefully accepted his demotion to Staley's backup after the Steelers signed Staley as a free agent in the offseason, and now he has revived a career that had sagged in recent years. Staley is accustomed to a time-sharing arrangement, having split carries last season in Philadelphia with Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter. . . .

Cowher said the Steelers will be without linebacker Kendrell Bell for at least three to four weeks because of a torn tendon in his groin. Surgery is a possibility, Cowher said, adding that this injury is not related to the one that caused Bell to miss the first seven games of the season and undergo hernia surgery. It's possible that Bell's season is over, and he is eligible for unrestricted free agency in March. . . .

The Steelers will use Ike Taylor instead of Randle El to return kickoffs with Randle El pressed into more extensive duty at wide receiver, Cowher said. Randle El is scheduled to continue returning punts. The Steelers might sign Chris Doering for depth at wide receiver and cleared salary cap space by reworking several players' contracts. . . .

The Steelers tried to sign free-agent linebacker Marcus Washington in the offseason but were outbid by the Redskins. It has worked out well for all parties. Washington has been a key member of the league's second-ranked defense with the Redskins. The Steelers used the money they would have spent on Washington to sign Staley and re-sign linebacker Clark Haggans, and they have the league's top-ranked defense and a 9-1 record.

"We got the players we have and we are real happy with the players we have -- Clark Haggans, Duce Staley -- and with everybody,'' Cowher said. "I think it worked out well for everybody.'' . . .

New York Jets tailback Curtis Martin also passed Dorsett on Sunday, pushing the former Dallas Cowboys star to seventh on the career rushing list.

Eagles Can Clinch

The Eagles can clinch their fourth straight NFC East title with a win Sunday over the New York Giants at Giants Stadium. A victory would give the Eagles a record of 10-1 and put them five games ahead of the second-place Giants, who are 5-5, with five games to play. The best the Giants could do at that point would be to tie the Eagles at 10-6, and Philadelphia would hold the tie-breaker by virtue of beating the Giants twice this season. The Eagles beat the Giants in Philadelphia to open the season. The Redskins and Cowboys already have seven losses each.

Packers Add Tailback

Green Bay signed tailback James Jackson, who was released by Cleveland last week. The Packers need depth because their top two tailbacks, Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport, are slowed by injuries. Green Bay waived linebacker Nick Rogers to create a roster spot. . . .

Seattle worked out veteran punter Ken Walter on Tuesday and likely will sign him today to replace rookie Donnie Jones, who was waived after having four punts of 30 yards or shorter against the Dolphins. . . .

Minnesota wide receiver Randy Moss tested his partially torn right hamstring with a workout and strength tests Tuesday for a second day in a row, and the Vikings remain hopeful that he will be available for about 25 plays Sunday against Jacksonville. . . .

The Jaguars expect to know more about the status of quarterback Byron Leftwich after today's practice. He has said he expects to play Sunday at Minnesota after missing two games because of a sprained lateral collateral ligament in his left knee.

Indiana at Detroit, Again

When the Colts play the Lions at Ford Field on Thursday, it will be a matchup of teams from the two cities that had their NBA franchises involved in last Friday's melee at The Palace of Auburn Hills that led to the season-long suspension of Ron Artest and lengthy suspensions for his Pacers teammates, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal, after an on-court fight spilled over into the stands and resulted in a series of ugly confrontations with fans.

Lions Coach Steve Mariucci said he doesn't expect there to be any residual effect on the Thanksgiving football game.

"It was a very, very unfortunate event,'' Mariucci said during a conference call Tuesday. "You still continually see it on TV and read about it. It's there. I don't see any residual effect at all with our great football fans here and in this great traditional game.''

Lions officials said they reviewed their security measures at Ford Field in the aftermath of the NBA incident. . . .

Even after the NBA's Pacers-Pistons brawl, the NFL is going forward with plans to allow a small number of fans to purchase on-field seats for four upcoming games. The home team that's involved will select the four fans to participate in the experiment, which had been planned since the summer, at each game. The experiment begins with Sunday's Jaguars-Vikings game in Minneapolis and continues with the Giants-Redskins game on Dec. 5 at FedEx Field, the Texans-Bears game on Dec. 19 at Soldier Field and the Patriots-Dolphins game on Dec. 20 at Pro Player Stadium. . . .

When the Jets play at Arizona on Sunday, Martin and Cardinals tailback Emmitt Smith will take a combined 30,817 career rushing yards into the game. According to the league, that's the most in NFL history for two runners entering a game in which they will face one another. . . .

The 20 games league-wide this season in which a quarterback has thrown four or more touchdown passes is a single-season NFL record. The Colts' Peyton Manning has had at least four touchdown passes in four straight games. No quarterback ever has had four or more touchdown passes in five games in a row. . . .

Seven AFC teams have records of 7-3 or better. According to the league, this is the first time since the 1970 merger that so many clubs in one conference have at least seven wins 10 games into a season. . . . Kansas City tailback Priest Holmes is to miss a third straight game because of his ailing right knee, but the Chiefs say they expect him to be ready to play next week.