Rams cut ties with Laurinaitis, Long
The Los Angeles Rams released veterans James Laurinaitis and Chris Long, and also cut tight end Jared Cook Friday.
In what appears a salary-cap purge as the team relocates from St. Louis, the Rams departed with star linebacker Laurinaitis and defensive end Long. Laurinaitis has been one of the NFL’s leading tacklers throughout his seven-year pro career. Long, the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, has been their top pass rusher for most of his eight seasons.
Cook joined the Rams as a free agent before the 2013 season and set franchise records for most receiving yards by a tight end both in a single season (671 in 2013) and in a single game (141).
No hasty decision for McCoy: Philadelphia’s top prosecutor said he won’t rush his decision on whether to charge Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy over a nightclub fight.
District Attorney Seth Williams is feeling heat from the city’s police union because two off-duty officers were injured in the Feb. 7 brawl.
But Williams said friday his goal “is to get it right, not get it fast.”
Investigators said the 3 a.m. fight erupted over which group purchased a $350 bottle of champagne at an after-hours club. One officer suffered a broken nose and broken ribs while a second had a possible skull fracture.
Defense lawyer Dennis Cogan said McCoy was sober and did nothing wrong.
The 27-year-old McCoy spent six years with the Philadelphia Eagles before playing for Buffalo last season.
Browns cut two: The Browns terminated the contracts of defensive lineman Randy Starks and tight end Jim Dray.
Starks started 15 games last season for Cleveland after signing a two-year, $6.5 million free agent contract in March. A two-time Pro Bowler with Miami, the 32-year-old recorded 29 tackles and one sack and was one of Browns’ steadiest linemen in 2015.
Dray spent two seasons with the Browns, who signed him as a free agent in 2014 after he spent four seasons with Arizona. Primarily a blocker, the 29-year-old made 16 starts over two seasons, catching 23 passes for 303 yards and one touchdown. Last season, he had six catches for 61 yards.
Dray had a career-high 17 catches for 242 yards in 2014.