IRVING, Texas (AP) β The NFL free-agency signing period began yesterday, and the Dallas Cowboys made room under the salary cap by releasing DeMarcus Ware. The franchise sack leader was due to make $16 million this season, his 10th in the NFL. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he will attempt to re-sign Ware, who had a career-low six sacks last season and is recovering from offseason elbow surgery.
CHICAGO (AP) β The Chicago Bears released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, eliminating an $18 million salary cap hit. Peppers finished with just seven sacks, his lowest total in four seasons with Chicago and the fewest for him since he had a career-low 2 Β½ with Carolina in 2007.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) β Braves pitcher Kris Medlen has injured a ligament in his right elbow for the second time in less than four years, but the team says it is too early to determine the extent of the damage. Braves general manager Frank Wren says Medlen had an MRI yesterday that revealed the injury. Wren added that the 28-year-old right-hander and the team will seek a second medical opinion.
DALLAS (AP) β Dallas Stars forward Rich Peverley is undergoing testing to determine what triggered his collapse during Monday night’s game against Columbus. General manager Jim Nill says Peverley is in stable condition and has been communicating with teammates and friends since he was hospitalized. The Stars’ game against Columbus was postponed in the first period after Peverley went down on the bench, stunning the crowd and players.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β NASCAR has decided to ban cool-down laps during qualifying and will start allowing teams to hook up cooling units to their engines on pit road. They are the first major changes to the popular new knockout qualifying format unveiled this season. Drivers the last two weeks were slowing their cars to a crawl and circling the track at slow speeds at the same time other drivers were speeding past during their qualifying attempts.
