Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
ALAMEDA, Calif. ó The Oakland Raiders claimed quarterback Bruce Gradkowski off waivers from the Cleveland Browns.
Gradkowski spent his first two NFL seasons with Tampa Bay, starting 10 games as a rookie in 2006. He briefly played for St. Louis last year before joining the Browns, appearing in two games and starting the season finale against Pittsburgh.
PANTHERSCHARLOTTEó The Carolina Panthers filled another opening on coach John Fox’s staff by hiring Brian Baker as defensive line coach.
Baker spent the past three seasons in the same position with St. Louis. He has also worked for Minnesota, Detroit and San Diego coaching the defensive line and linebackers.
Baker replaced Sal Sunseri, who left last month to become an assistant at Alabama. Sunseri was one of four defensive aides to leave Carolina.
GIANTSEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ó Brandon Jacobs, the 264-pound running back who has been a mainstay of the New York Giants’ offense the past two seasons, was designated by the team Friday as its franchise player.
The move will guarantee Jacobs, who was due to become a free agent Feb. 27, $6.6 million next season.
BEARSLAKE FOREST, Ill. ó The Chicago Bears released wide receiver Marty Booker on Friday, cutting ties with a former Pro Bowl selection who struggled with injuries last season.
Booker had just 14 catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns while bothered by knee, hamstring and rib problems. He missed three games late in the season and didn’t catch a pass the final two.
NFLPANEW YORK ó Former union presidents Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong and lawyer DeMaurice Smith are the finalists to succeed Gene Upshaw as executive director of the NFL Players Association.
BRONCOS GM
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. ó Brian Xanders, who begged every NFL team for a job after graduating from Florida State, was promoted to general manager of the Denver Broncos on Thursday.
Xanders (ZAN-ders), a former walk-on middle linebacker, joined the Broncos on May 5 after 14 seasons in the Atlanta Falcons organization. He served as assistant general manager in Denver along with Jeff Goodman, whose father, Jim, was the Broncos’ vice president of football operations. Both the Goodmans were fired when Xanders was promoted.
BURRESSNEWARK, N.J. ó Plaxico Burress seemingly wants to leave the New York Giants.
Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for the troubled receiver, sent an e-mail to the NFL’s teams earlier this week letting them know that Burress was one of his three clients who wants to be traded, an NFL executive said.
HAYNESWORTHNASHVILLE, Tenn. ó Titans All Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is being blamed for causing an accident that left a Tennessee man needing hip replacement and has a district attorney reviewing the Dec. 13 incident for a possible probation violation.
Haynesworth is due to become a free agent Feb. 27 and is seeking to become the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player.
In December, he agreed to 30 days’ probation to divert a ticket for driving 103 mph in a 70-mph zone in March only four days before being cited for careless driving on Interstate 65 south of Nashville.