Eagles' Westbrook Ends Holdout

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By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 8, 2005; 11:12 AM

Tailback Brian Westbrook has ended his holdout from the Philadelphia Eagles' training camp.

Westbrook reported to the Eagles' camp at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., late Sunday and participated in this morning's practice. He had surprised team officials when he failed to report with the club's veteran players last Monday. The Eagles had been negotiating a long-term contract with Westbrook and his agent, Fletcher Smith, but those talks were not progressing to Westbrook's satisfaction.

The tailback had to report to camp by today or he would not have been credited with an accrued season under the terms of the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, and become eligible for unrestricted free agency next spring. Players who are under contract must report to their teams' training camps at least 30 days prior to the regular season to be credited.

During the offseason, Westbrook signed the one-year, $1.43 million contract tender that the Eagles made to him in restricted free agency. If Westbrook hadn't signed that contract, he could have reported to the team as late as 10 games into the regular season and still been credited with an accrued season, and the Eagles could not have fined him for missing training camp.

Westbrook amassed $42,000 in fines for his holdout.

Law Agrees With Jets

The New York Jets have reached a tentative agreement with free-agent cornerback Ty Law and are making plans to officially introduce him today if he passes a physical.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection was released by the New England Patriots in February, a move that saved the defending Super Bowl champions $9.8 million on this season's salary cap. He is regarded around the league as one of the NFL's top cornerbacks -- if not the top cornerback -- when he's healthy, but he's working his way back from a severe foot injury that caused him to miss the second half of last season.

The Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars also pursued Law intently, but he made it clear that he wanted to play in New York and for Jets Coach Herman Edwards if a deal could be worked out. Law's agent, Carl Poston, spent the past four days in the New York area working on a deal with Mike Tannenbaum, the Jets' assistant general manager.

The contract is filled with incentives that apparently could push the value of the deal close to Law's $6 million-per-season asking price.

Feeley to Start Against Bears

A.J. Feeley is scheduled to start at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins in tonight's Hall of Fame Game against the Chicago Bears in Canton, Ohio. Feeley and Gus Frerotte are vying for the Dolphins' starting job. Frerotte is scheduled to play tonight despite a sore arm that caused him to miss practice Saturday. The game is the preseason NFL head-coaching debut of Dolphins Coach Nick Saban, and the return of Miami tailback Ricky Williams after his one-year retirement.

Rex Grossman is scheduled to start at quarterback for the Bears, marking his first game action since he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament early last season. Grossman and Chicago's other offensive starters probably will remain in the game for about 15 offensive plays. . . .

Tight end Freddie Jones, who was signed by the Carolina Panthers as a free agent in the offseason, announced his retirement Sunday. Jones, 30, has 404 catches in eight NFL seasons, including 45 receptions last season for the Arizona Cardinals. . . .


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